Ah, I really planned to wax lyrical about how much I love this fic - it's an early and enduring favourite of mine - but I'm afraid I've only got time for the condensed version for the moment!
As others have noted above, the lads' voices ring beautifully true here. Their politics too, seem to me a good fit for the lads in canon - Doyle's anti-establishment streak and the way Bodie on the other hand is so comfortable with working within a traditional hierarchy. And the relationship just feels real and unforced - I can really believe in it
( ... )
time-stamp or a sequelfiorenza_aOctober 1 2015, 23:48:16 UTC
You know, I would never have read this story if it hadn't been for the Reading Room (doffs cap to BSL and nypagan); as I said it got off to a fairly bad start with me, but I'm glad I stuck with it.
Left to my own devices, I would have just thought, formulaic AU, not for me, bring on the capris.
But I promised myself I would try and read everything that was recc'd, to gain an insight into how other folk do.
And although the AU side of things left me, as I say, lukewarm, I thought the love story was very well done. So, I too, would have liked to know how Bodie coped with his family and his fish-out-of-water lifestyle with Doyle. Bodie's been so closeted and Doyle has been so open. It would be lovely to see those tensions play out, with or without the capris!
RE: time-stamp or a sequelheliophile_oxonOctober 2 2015, 09:49:35 UTC
Bodie's been so closeted and Doyle has been so open. It would be lovely to see those tensions play out, Yes, there's a lot to explore here! And because the setting, the local people are very present (I think, even if we've only met a couple of them individually) I wonder how things would go down. Not necessarily in expected ways, with plenty of variation. (clearly Tom, Bodie's assistant, is ok with it - but what about everyone else?).
but what about everyone else? fiorenza_aOctober 2 2015, 23:53:36 UTC
It would be good to see Bodie's choice to remain in the closet vindicated and Doyle's choice to be out and proud in his own milieu equally so, and then see them come to terms with the truth of each other's lives, before going on to forge another one together.
I'd expect unexpected prejudice amongst Doyle's circle and unexpected acceptance amongst Bodie's and the full gamut in between.
If I thought I could do the job myself, I'd be tempted :0)
Thanks for the compliment about the picture! I like to have visuals with my recs. I agree with your assessment, and could have 'waxed lyrical' about the story as well. I wondered about Doyle being able to wear a t-shirt at university, (was it Oxford or another school in Oxford?) I think Bodie working within the 'hierarchy' comes from growing up on the estate, being in the military and returning to the estate. The tenants and locals expect a certain air or attitude as well as a visual representation as the Lord's agent. His parents were considered working class, and Bodie has achieved a higher level of standing within the estate.
I did not find the story detail heavy either, which I appreciate. That would have been tedious. I don't think Bodie's parents are still alive. No mention of siblings are made, but if his parents worked there most of their adult lives, it doesn't seem plausible that they would leave in their retirement years.
Oxford dons (and academics generally) are definitely "allowed" - even expected - to be a bit unconventional! *g* Not at a formal occasion, but for everyday and certainly on a dig.
It doesn't actually say his parents are dead, does it? I can't remember off-hand - and maybe it's just not said either way - but I had the feeling they were still alive; at least, it never occurred to me that they might not be. They would both have had to die rather younger than average, for Bodie to be parentless at his age (not that we know exactly how old B and D are here, but I was assuming something not too far off their canon ages). I assumed they had retired and were living in the village; Bodie has his own place of course, which may go with the job.
which may go with the jobfiorenza_aOctober 2 2015, 23:40:48 UTC
Yes, I wondered whether Bodie's parents (who I assumed to be living, or why would Bodie be so reticent about his sexuality?) had perhaps raised him in a Tied Cottage and were now retired, perhaps to somewhere of their own, rented from the estate, or a bought new build, as is common in such settings?
I didn't think Doyle's informality of dress was at odds with Oxford, although I too wasn't sure if were we talking about Oxford University or some other institution with an Oxford address. I didn't think it mattered.
Although by the end of the story I was leaning towards Oxford University.
RE: which may go with the jobheliophile_oxonOctober 3 2015, 07:51:37 UTC
Very likely he did grow up in a tied cottage - and I just had a quick check, and he's living in one now: This place had been his home for so long now; even before he’d lived in the cottage it had been like a second home to him, having been brought up with the children of old man Thomson.
(Thomson being the previous estate manager, whose assistant Bodie was for two years before taking over when he retired, of course, as he explains elsewhere) Definitely Oxford University, no doubt about it. Though Sally Fell doesn't specify which college, afaik.
RE: which may go with the jobfiorenza_aOctober 3 2015, 09:50:57 UTC
Oh yes I'd forgotten the 'brought up with the Thompson children' bit; I remember thinking, how come?
And then wondering if there had been overcrowding at home (which wouldn't necessarily mean a large family, those cottages can be tiny), or maybe illness?
Maybe that's why Bodie's so afraid, he worries that the scandal of coming out would be too much for one of his parents and that it would finish them off?
Or maybe I missed the bit which explains why he was brought up in the Thompson household?
RE: which may go with the jobheliophile_oxonOctober 3 2015, 10:17:11 UTC
I don't think any more detail is offered, but I just assumed something like - neighbours and workmates, kids who are close in age, in and out of each other's houses all the time, maybe Bodie has no siblings and there are several Thomson children so he just spends all his childhood with them almost as if he were family ... ? Something like that, rather than literally brought up in the house.
Bodie raised his hands. “There! Different worlds, y’see. Do you know that before he got called up during the war my Dad had never been any further than Arundel? My Mum’s been to London a total of three times in the whole of her life. They lead a simple life, Ray. Everybody here does. Can you imagine what it would be like for them if their son was suddenly discovered to be queer? People sniggering behind their backs, pointing fingers at them? I couldn’t do it to them.”
I would say by this that Bodie's parents are still alive :-).
Oh, and I had a quick look - yes, Bodie's cottage does go with the job. (Wonder if that has any ramifications for how things go when they start living together ... someone at least is bound to try pressuring them at some point, with the threat that Lord Erskine will put him out of a job and both of them out of a home ... until it turns out that Erskine couldn't care less, some of his best friends at Eton got up to all sorts (as he puts it) and they run the country perfectly well (by Lord Erskine's lights, if not by Doyle's)) *g*
Lord Erskinefiorenza_aOctober 3 2015, 10:47:13 UTC
I doubt Eton, or which ever school Erskine attended (I can't remember if we ever get a name for him? Just his title?), would have had much impact. It wouldn't have been considered defining of sexuality, simply a response to lack of opportunity, and would still have been seen as justly illegal, if interpreted as homosexuality
( ... )
RE: Lord ErskinejessebeeOctober 3 2015, 12:14:12 UTC
I think Lord E would either be of the 'flog them until they learn better' brigade or the 'I don't care, so long as they don't frighten the horses' school (moral panic being a badge of the socially inferior).
I think we don't know enough about his Lordship to tell, one way or the other, really; Bodie never seems to be worried about Erskine's reaction too much, his worry is for his parents. I'm going with heliophile_oxon's theory *g*.
As others have noted above, the lads' voices ring beautifully true here. Their politics too, seem to me a good fit for the lads in canon - Doyle's anti-establishment streak and the way Bodie on the other hand is so comfortable with working within a traditional hierarchy. And the relationship just feels real and unforced - I can really believe in it ( ... )
Reply
You know, I would never have read this story if it hadn't been for the Reading Room (doffs cap to BSL and nypagan); as I said it got off to a fairly bad start with me, but I'm glad I stuck with it.
Left to my own devices, I would have just thought, formulaic AU, not for me, bring on the capris.
But I promised myself I would try and read everything that was recc'd, to gain an insight into how other folk do.
And although the AU side of things left me, as I say, lukewarm, I thought the love story was very well done. So, I too, would have liked to know how Bodie coped with his family and his fish-out-of-water lifestyle with Doyle. Bodie's been so closeted and Doyle has been so open. It would be lovely to see those tensions play out, with or without the capris!
Reply
Yes, there's a lot to explore here! And because the setting, the local people are very present (I think, even if we've only met a couple of them individually) I wonder how things would go down. Not necessarily in expected ways, with plenty of variation. (clearly Tom, Bodie's assistant, is ok with it - but what about everyone else?).
Reply
It would be good to see Bodie's choice to remain in the closet vindicated and Doyle's choice to be out and proud in his own milieu equally so, and then see them come to terms with the truth of each other's lives, before going on to forge another one together.
I'd expect unexpected prejudice amongst Doyle's circle and unexpected acceptance amongst Bodie's and the full gamut in between.
If I thought I could do the job myself, I'd be tempted :0)
Reply
I did not find the story detail heavy either, which I appreciate. That would have been tedious. I don't think Bodie's parents are still alive. No mention of siblings are made, but if his parents worked there most of their adult lives, it doesn't seem plausible that they would leave in their retirement years.
Thanks for your comments!
Reply
It doesn't actually say his parents are dead, does it? I can't remember off-hand - and maybe it's just not said either way - but I had the feeling they were still alive; at least, it never occurred to me that they might not be. They would both have had to die rather younger than average, for Bodie to be parentless at his age (not that we know exactly how old B and D are here, but I was assuming something not too far off their canon ages). I assumed they had retired and were living in the village; Bodie has his own place of course, which may go with the job.
Reply
Yes, I wondered whether Bodie's parents (who I assumed to be living, or why would Bodie be so reticent about his sexuality?) had perhaps raised him in a Tied Cottage and were now retired, perhaps to somewhere of their own, rented from the estate, or a bought new build, as is common in such settings?
I didn't think Doyle's informality of dress was at odds with Oxford, although I too wasn't sure if were we talking about Oxford University or some other institution with an Oxford address. I didn't think it mattered.
Although by the end of the story I was leaning towards Oxford University.
Reply
This place had been his home for so long now; even before he’d lived in the cottage it had been like a second home to him, having been brought up with the children of old man Thomson.
(Thomson being the previous estate manager, whose assistant Bodie was for two years before taking over when he retired, of course, as he explains elsewhere)
Definitely Oxford University, no doubt about it. Though Sally Fell doesn't specify which college, afaik.
Reply
Oh yes I'd forgotten the 'brought up with the Thompson children' bit; I remember thinking, how come?
And then wondering if there had been overcrowding at home (which wouldn't necessarily mean a large family, those cottages can be tiny), or maybe illness?
Maybe that's why Bodie's so afraid, he worries that the scandal of coming out would be too much for one of his parents and that it would finish them off?
Or maybe I missed the bit which explains why he was brought up in the Thompson household?
Reply
But it does all make me want to know more! *g*
Reply
I got the impression it was more than that, but it's as plausible an explanation as any, and yes, it would be lovely to know more :0)!
Reply
I would say by this that Bodie's parents are still alive :-).
Reply
Can't remember what it says about the cottage; must nip back and check if I get a chance :-)
Reply
Reply
Reply
I think we don't know enough about his Lordship to tell, one way or the other, really; Bodie never seems to be worried about Erskine's reaction too much, his worry is for his parents. I'm going with
heliophile_oxon's theory *g*.
Reply
Leave a comment