Yuletide and dSSS Giftees
I was incredibly spoiled for both Yuletide and dSSS, and I have to squee about my gift fics (which totally rocked) before I can allow myself to go devour the rest of the goodies. Because it's, y'know, the polite thing to do. And I want to make sure everyone checks out these fabulous stories.
For dSSS, Santa gave me Christmas Away From Home, which is a fantastic F/K kidfic holiday story. And don't let that rundown fool you: this isn't a sappy Christmas story where the Boys and a couple of rosy-cheeked tots gather 'round the yule log. This fic one uses a clever structure to look at two different Christmases eight years apart, and we're introduced to the Fraser and Kowalski of 2016 (as well as some funny asides about Life in the Fuuuuuture! that'll have you looking around for Marty McFly). I loved the author's portrait of Fraser and Ray as an older married couple surrounded by the extended - and ever-extending - Vecchio family during a holiday visit in Chicago. There's some funny stuff involving Frannie's daughter's unexpected pregnancy, and a great sequence where we learn that Fraser and Stella actually go out for coffee together to escape the madness of the Vecchio household. ♥
We're also introduced to Fraser and Kowalski's daughter, and I don't want to spoil anything, but Margaret Fraser is a great OC who emerges as an intriguing and involving character in her own right. When the narrative shifts to the Christmas of 2008 - the first Fraser, Ray and Margaret spent together - the story becomes a little bittersweet and we learn even more about who the characters are and exactly how they work together as a family unit. It's always fantastic to see fresh new takes on Fraser and Kowalski at different points in their lives, and this story delivered everything I could have asked for in a dSSS fic. I have no idea who the author is (okay, SOME idea, maybe, and I think her LJ name starts with 'S' :-) but I wanted to think my Santa for tailoring something so carefully for me, and for giving us all such a wonderful glimpse of the Boys as fathers and husbands. You totally rule, Santa!
My Yuletide stories were equally awesome. I received Moonlight Shining, a wonderful story based on LM Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle, which is one of my favourite books from childhood. The novel is about a young woman named Valancy Stirling who has always lived in an extraordinarily repressive and impoverished environment in Edwardian-era Ontario and, upon learning she has a heart condition and has a year to live, decides to throw off propriety and familial expectations and do exactly what she wants with her life. My Yuletide story was written from her new husband's perspective, who marries Valancy because he feels sorry for her and wants to make the remaining months of her life as happy as possible, only to slowly fall in love with her. The story itself is written in era-appropriate language and features a lovely and very tender sex scene, and I adore the narrative voice. It makes for a terrific tie-in to the novel, and it was a real treat to read.
There were two (!) other Blue Castle stories posted for Yuletide, so if you're familiar with the book, you might want to check out the others as well. I LOVE Yuletide - I had no idea anyone at all had ever heard of this book, let alone felt compelled to write stories based it. I mean, it's no Anne of Green Gables, and I thought that most LM Montgomery fans would have opted to write for one of her better-known books. Oh, Yuletide. ♥
I also received a Yuletide Treat, in the form of a short but incredibly beautiful Shawshank Redemption ficlet called Breathe. It uses a great analogy to contrast the cold brutality of the prison-home Andy and Red had known for so many years against the astonishing beauty of Mexico, and the end offered a lovely message of hope and empathy. I loved it very much.
All of my Yuletide and due South Seekrit Santas really outdid themselves, and I couldn't be happier with my presents. Thank you so much to my mystery authors! And now I'm off to read more dSSS and Yuletide stories!
For dSSS, Santa gave me Christmas Away From Home, which is a fantastic F/K kidfic holiday story. And don't let that rundown fool you: this isn't a sappy Christmas story where the Boys and a couple of rosy-cheeked tots gather 'round the yule log. This fic one uses a clever structure to look at two different Christmases eight years apart, and we're introduced to the Fraser and Kowalski of 2016 (as well as some funny asides about Life in the Fuuuuuture! that'll have you looking around for Marty McFly). I loved the author's portrait of Fraser and Ray as an older married couple surrounded by the extended - and ever-extending - Vecchio family during a holiday visit in Chicago. There's some funny stuff involving Frannie's daughter's unexpected pregnancy, and a great sequence where we learn that Fraser and Stella actually go out for coffee together to escape the madness of the Vecchio household. ♥
We're also introduced to Fraser and Kowalski's daughter, and I don't want to spoil anything, but Margaret Fraser is a great OC who emerges as an intriguing and involving character in her own right. When the narrative shifts to the Christmas of 2008 - the first Fraser, Ray and Margaret spent together - the story becomes a little bittersweet and we learn even more about who the characters are and exactly how they work together as a family unit. It's always fantastic to see fresh new takes on Fraser and Kowalski at different points in their lives, and this story delivered everything I could have asked for in a dSSS fic. I have no idea who the author is (okay, SOME idea, maybe, and I think her LJ name starts with 'S' :-) but I wanted to think my Santa for tailoring something so carefully for me, and for giving us all such a wonderful glimpse of the Boys as fathers and husbands. You totally rule, Santa!
My Yuletide stories were equally awesome. I received Moonlight Shining, a wonderful story based on LM Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle, which is one of my favourite books from childhood. The novel is about a young woman named Valancy Stirling who has always lived in an extraordinarily repressive and impoverished environment in Edwardian-era Ontario and, upon learning she has a heart condition and has a year to live, decides to throw off propriety and familial expectations and do exactly what she wants with her life. My Yuletide story was written from her new husband's perspective, who marries Valancy because he feels sorry for her and wants to make the remaining months of her life as happy as possible, only to slowly fall in love with her. The story itself is written in era-appropriate language and features a lovely and very tender sex scene, and I adore the narrative voice. It makes for a terrific tie-in to the novel, and it was a real treat to read.
There were two (!) other Blue Castle stories posted for Yuletide, so if you're familiar with the book, you might want to check out the others as well. I LOVE Yuletide - I had no idea anyone at all had ever heard of this book, let alone felt compelled to write stories based it. I mean, it's no Anne of Green Gables, and I thought that most LM Montgomery fans would have opted to write for one of her better-known books. Oh, Yuletide. ♥
I also received a Yuletide Treat, in the form of a short but incredibly beautiful Shawshank Redemption ficlet called Breathe. It uses a great analogy to contrast the cold brutality of the prison-home Andy and Red had known for so many years against the astonishing beauty of Mexico, and the end offered a lovely message of hope and empathy. I loved it very much.
All of my Yuletide and due South Seekrit Santas really outdid themselves, and I couldn't be happier with my presents. Thank you so much to my mystery authors! And now I'm off to read more dSSS and Yuletide stories!