Fic: Vicious As Roman Rule [Chrestomanci]

[loneraven]

The Chrestomanci story I was working on. It's long and silly, but I had fun writing it. Also, it's a part of my ongoing resolution to write queer themes all year round and not just for lgbtfest.

amchau did the beta work; thank you, dear.

Fic:: Vicious As Roman Rule
by Raven
PG-13, Diana Wynne Jones' Chronicles of Chrestomanci, gen (and queerish), 8000 words. "

Comments

[wavesofwood]

♥♥♥

[loneraven]

yay! glad you liked it.

[soupytwist]

Oh my god the ending made me ACTUALLY CHOKE BACK A SOB.

♥ ♥ ♥

p.s. YES, EXACTLY THIS, EXACTLY.

[loneraven]

Oh, I am so happy it worked for you! All the while I was writing it I was thinking, no, I am meshing two things that don't go, here, and then I would think AHA INTERNALISED HOMOPHOBIA, and then I would keep on, and then it would happen again. Er. Thank you! I am glad.

[xturncoatxiii]

Oh, this fic is excellent! Seriously, it's just lovely.

My favourite lines, though, are:
"And of course you were never fifteen, Christopher," Millie said briskly. "Of course you never asked a girl to a dance with you. Don't, for heaven's sake, be more asinine than you can help."

and

"Really, Christopher," Conrad said, into the silence that followed, "just when I think you're going to be a pig-headed idiot..."

"Conrad," said Chrestomanci, in his most dignified voice, "your opinion was not solicited."

After another moment, he said, "Janet, would you please emerge from under the table. Sometimes I wonder if anyone in this household has any table manners at all."

I'm obviously fond of moments where Conrad and Millie sass Christopher.

[loneraven]

*laughs* me, too. Thank you so much, I'm really glad you liked it.

[marymac]

You wrote it! Eeee!
Oh Janet. Oh Cat.

[loneraven]

<33!

[highfantastical]

Oh, this is brilliant. Just brilliant! It's wonderfully like canon, that difficult-to-capture mix of hilarity and deep emotion. And yet also not exactly like canon, taking a rawer look at how some of those things just can't be easily resolved...

I really did love this. A lot. I am a huge fan of Chrestomanci-the-character, as well as the series, and I think you've really got him - I so admire people who can write well about a character's faults, and about change, which is just what you do here.

[loneraven]

Oh, I am really happy to hear this! I had trouble with the style of it, and I'm glad that it worked for you. :) Thank you, my dear.

(Speaking of Chrestomanci-the-character - I actually think he's a little hard-done-by by the canon. I mean, sure, he can be rather difficult and obstinate, but, well, as a child he was spectacularly unloved by everyone who was supposed to care for him, and died seven times before he was about sixteen! Poor child!)

[highfantastical]

Oh yes, that's absolutely true about canon, good point... (In our world he'd be taken into care. Or something.) Perhaps I am thinking more of fandom's tendency to overlook faults - or just my own tendency. You know how Lord Peter gradually becomes more and more idealised for DLS? I have that tendency in spades, whenever I like someone. Perhaps, actually, DWJ is being so careful to avoid doing that that she glides over some of the originating factors which give rise to his less positive qualities, not wanting to get into the territory of special pleading.

I think her style is really very tricky (I wouldn't attempt it!), so in a way I'm not that surprised to hear you had difficulties, but one would never have guessed it from the final piece, I assure you.

[loneraven]

Hmm, yes! I actually haven't read very much early Sayers, but I do know the tendency you mean. I think DWJ has a trump card in that later she writes through the eyes of children, who obviously think Chrestomanci can do anything. What was fun for me this time was writing this through Cat's eyes without Chrestomanci being perfect - and I'm glad that the final piece doesn't show the seams, thank you!

Really must offer this for yuletide, now I come to think of it.