Is the internet's most infamous fan fiction a sincere disaster or a brilliant hoax?
In short: Published between 2006 and 2007, My Immortal is widely considered the worst fan fiction ever written. This Harry Potter-based story, featuring a goth vampire protagonist, is packed with spelling errors and bizarre plot twists. Whether it is a genuine adolescent attempt or an elaborate troll remains a subject of intense debate.
The story follows a seventeen-year-old vampire named Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way, who navigates a version of Hogwarts populated by unrecognizable, goth-styled versions of iconic characters. The narrative is defined by its chaotic plot, which includes time travel, appearances by gothic versions of historical figures, and frequent references to bands like My Chemical Romance and Good Charlotte. With nearly 22,700 words spread across 44 chapters, the work is notorious for its poor quality, including approximately 5,200 spelling mistakes and nearly 700 grammatical errors.
The author, who used the pseudonym Tara Gilesbie and the username XXXbloodyrists666XXX, has never been definitively identified. In 2017, young adult novelist Rose Christo claimed to be a co-author, providing evidence to Macmillan Publishers. However, after she admitted to falsifying information in her memoir, her publisher canceled her book, leaving the true origins of the fan fiction as murky as ever. Some critics suggest the work is a masterpiece of literary disaster, while others view it as a deliberate satire or a projective test for readers.
The work's legacy is complicated. It is frequently cited as a 'millstone' for fan fiction enthusiasts seeking legitimacy, yet it has inspired a web series, fan art, and numerous dramatic readings. The text's strange, purple prose and its 'goffik' aesthetic—which some linguists note mimics th-fronting found in certain English dialects—continue to fascinate internet culture. Whether the author was genuinely writing a story or crafting a long-form troll, the work remains an iconic, if agonizing, fixture of early 2000s online life.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: My Immortal (fan fiction)
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