when art imitates fanfic
I'm currently reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King. But every time I open the book I'm like, oh, fanfic. I thought I was reading a book-book. I think it's due to the fact that I found Sherlock Holmes (the books) through fanfic for Sherlock Holmes (the movie). Because once you're done a fandom's fanfic rabbit hole (not to be confused with the Pit), you will follow that rabbit hole into the book 'verse and perhaps beyond to see more badass!Watson. Once it's triggered the id in your brain, it's over, Katy bar the door.
But here's my beef with Beekeeper's Apprentice It reads like just-okay fanfic. Don't get me wrong. I think it reads like just-okay fanfic while, at the same time, reading like a very respectable book. The plot is great, very snappy, good mysteries and all that
And yet.
The main character and narrator, Mary Russell, comes across as more of a Mary-Sue. She's just EXACTLY what Holmes (post-Doyle, aging, in semi-retirement, livings in the country sans Watson) needs. Even WATSON agrees that Mary is just what Holmes needs. She's so smart! And lovely! And brave! And her tragic past! Which does not reveal right away because it is a fucking TRAGIC PAST!
I just finished the first Maisie Dobbs book. And she's a pretty unique and special snowflake, on the Mary-Sue scale. But she didn't trip me out in the same way. Because I felt like she was in a book and Mary Russell is in a fanfic.
Also, *koff*, the h/c is sub-par.
And those are all things that I might put up with in a book. But not in a fanfic. And I can't seem to toggle my standards on this one. Maybe it's because I'm in a Holmes phase. Maybe Beekeeper's Apprentice isn't as good a book as I think/want it to be. But I think the main problem is that it's victim to the most tragic fanfic flaw of all: sketchy characterization of a canon character. Or, what a fanfic reader would call the WRONG characterization of a canon character.
If it were on the computer, I could just roll my eyes and close the tab. There should be more Maisie Dobbs at the library for me today. I may just roll my eyes and close the book.
So, apparently, in cases of fandom encroachment, my standards for fanfic are a lot higher than "real" fiction.
PS: Please no Maisie Dobbs spoilers! Pathetic spoilerphobe is pathetic.
But here's my beef with Beekeeper's Apprentice It reads like just-okay fanfic. Don't get me wrong. I think it reads like just-okay fanfic while, at the same time, reading like a very respectable book. The plot is great, very snappy, good mysteries and all that
And yet.
The main character and narrator, Mary Russell, comes across as more of a Mary-Sue. She's just EXACTLY what Holmes (post-Doyle, aging, in semi-retirement, livings in the country sans Watson) needs. Even WATSON agrees that Mary is just what Holmes needs. She's so smart! And lovely! And brave! And her tragic past! Which does not reveal right away because it is a fucking TRAGIC PAST!
I just finished the first Maisie Dobbs book. And she's a pretty unique and special snowflake, on the Mary-Sue scale. But she didn't trip me out in the same way. Because I felt like she was in a book and Mary Russell is in a fanfic.
Also, *koff*, the h/c is sub-par.
And those are all things that I might put up with in a book. But not in a fanfic. And I can't seem to toggle my standards on this one. Maybe it's because I'm in a Holmes phase. Maybe Beekeeper's Apprentice isn't as good a book as I think/want it to be. But I think the main problem is that it's victim to the most tragic fanfic flaw of all: sketchy characterization of a canon character. Or, what a fanfic reader would call the WRONG characterization of a canon character.
If it were on the computer, I could just roll my eyes and close the tab. There should be more Maisie Dobbs at the library for me today. I may just roll my eyes and close the book.
So, apparently, in cases of fandom encroachment, my standards for fanfic are a lot higher than "real" fiction.
PS: Please no Maisie Dobbs spoilers! Pathetic spoilerphobe is pathetic.