I hate to say all these impressions of this fic 'verse are ones I agree with. These authors aren't bad writers but I definitely have a problem with how they write Oliver and Felicity... ESPECIALLY Felicity. In FiCoN, when Felicity shut down and left Oliver? I had such a hard time and it took me a few days to realize I wasn't upset because Felicity was upset or because Ellie had gone back home... but because Felicity was being so freakin SELFISH. And, in my opinion, that's out of character for her. Felicity is the sort that puts others first to her own detriment. Remember 4x06 when she wore herself to a nub trying to find Ray? Plus, it just felt wrong that she would act like she was the chief victim in this, not just considering Oliver and everyone else in that present time, but what about the other Oliver and Felicity? You know, her real parents? They had to be going mad with their daughter so far and not knowing what was happening to her for so long. And what about Ellie herself? What if she missed those parents too? It just... left a bad taste in my mouth. And once I sorted that out for myself, I had a hard time reconnecting with the story. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the extended verse feels like a lot of the same. It's disappointing, because I know it could be better.