YMMV / A Loud Among Demons

• Accidental Aesop: Lincoln nearly being murdered in cold blood by Mr. Stillman seems to be a warning against accepting a car ride from someone you've only recently met. Granted, he was in a fit of panic at the time due to I.M.P.'s arrival and likely wasn't thinking straight, but still.
• Alternate Character Interpretation: In Chapter 15, Blitzo tells Stolas that he doesn't believe in Lincoln's idealism, saying that the kid should be looking out for himself rather than others. Is this Blitz believing that Virtue Is Weakness, or is it because he doesn't want his problems to fall onto Lincoln's shoulders, who already has enough on his plate? Or perhaps it could also be interpreted as Blitz not wanting Lincoln to suffer the same pitfalls he went through growing up.
• Broken Base: Lincoln's Mind Rape on Asmodeus in "OZZIE's". Some think the author is making Lincoln too overpowered or subjected Asmodeus to Adaptational Wimp, given that a mere 12-year-old boy was able to genuinely frighten one of the seven princes of Hell. Others defend the scene since Asmodeus was caught off-guard, the fact that Lincoln's soul is bound to Hell in its entirety (meaning it makes sense that his powers could be that strong), and the simple fact that Asmodeus had it coming for what he did to Moxxie, Blitz, and Stolas.
• Catharsis Factor:
  • Lincoln drops a grandfather clock on the psycho trying to kill him and I.M.P. finishing him off for good in the first chapter, with the added bonus revealed shortly after that his soul is trapped in limbo forever.
  • Many readers enjoyed Lincoln telling off C.H.E.R.U.B for being hypocritical frauds who talk about love and kindness but only care about saving souls that are valuable to Heaven, followed by refusing their offer of being taken to Heaven.
  • "OZZIE's" contains at least two moments: The first is Lincoln's "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Blitz in the bathroom, finally getting fed up with his immaturity and Mean Boss behavior. The second is when Lincoln successfully pulls a Mind Rape on Asmodeus, after the guy had mocked Moxxie's love song for Millie and then proceeded to humiliate Blitz and Stolas.
• Harsher in Hindsight: This story shows that Loona lived in a terrible orphanage. "Seeing Stars" makes it canon that her orphanage was a horrible nightmare that left her alone and scared.
• Heartwarming in Hindsight: In the story, Loona dismisses the idea of having any kind of friendship with Octavia. In "Seeing Stars", the two do form a genuine bond over their less-than-perfect father figures. In that episode, Loona becomes a big sister figure to Octavia in a manner similar to her becoming a big sister figure to Lincoln in this story.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: When Lincoln first goes to Goetia Manor for magic lessons, Blitzo proposes sneaking in with the rest of I.M.P. to rob the place blind. The Season 2 premiere of the actual show reveals this wouldn't be the first time he's stolen from there.
• Love to Hate: Mr. Stillman, a man who pretends to be a likable substitute teacher but is actually a Serial Killer who sacrificed children for the sake of maintaining eternal life. Despite being such an unrepentant monster and his rather short appearance, many readers couldn't help but love Mr. Stillman due to his genuinely menacing presence and for being the only known human (besides Lincoln) to successfully dabble in Satanic magic.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • Mr. Stillman is a bone-chilling portrayal of a Serial Killer masquerading as a teacher who lures impressionable young children to his homes and brutally sacrifices them and their souls to Hell to ensure his own immortality. Had I.M.P. not intervened, Lincoln would've been next.
  • Lincoln develops stronger demonic instincts as the story progresses, causing him to fear that he may lose his humanity as his powers grow in strength and he becomes more prone to aggression. At one point, his shadow takes the form of a demonic jackalope. Hell, the fact that Lincoln was able to scare Asmodeus, one of the seven princes of Hell shows just how powerful he's becoming, even if slowly.
• One-Scene Wonder: The fic's take on "Seeing Stars" featured cameos from Oum Boonchuy and Dan Mandel. Both are considered among the highlights of the chapter.
• Squick: Whenever Lincoln gets hit on by a succubus, to be honest. Special mention goes to the relationship between Lincoln and Verosika due to Verosika being an adult succubus and Lincoln being, well... a literal 12-year-old child. And Verosika is developing feelings for him.
• Tear Jerker:
  • The revelation that Lincoln is effectively trapped in Hell. He is broken by the thought of never seeing his family and even other demons can't help but feel bad for him.
  • Many found the adaptation of "OZZIE's" to be just as (and to some, more) emotional as the original episode: From Lincoln and Verosika bonding over their troubles with blitz to Lincoln comforting Blitz during his emotional breakdown, shedding his own tears while doing so.
  • Chapter 16 focuses on Lincoln's family and friends and the trauma they've endured following his disappearance. Leni is constantly in tears and blaming herself, Luna's too troubled to play her guitar, Lynn's perpetually angry and lashing out at anyone who badmouths Lincoln, and Lily is constantly crying out for her big brother.
  • While wandering around Los Angeles with Octavia, Lincoln stumbles into Thai Go restaurant and sees a missing person poster for Anne Boonchuy and listens to her mother lament her absence. Lincoln finds her plight relatable and finds himself just as worried about Anne's whereabouts as his family is about his.

---