"The Hours" fanfic (with implied slashy goodness).

[red_satin_doll]

Title: The Tides

Fandom: The Hours (2003 movie)
Pairing: Laura Brown/Virginia Woolf
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None

Comments

[kikimay]

Oh, beautiful.
I don't have much words, especially when I read something that impresses me and I'm not so good at expressing my thoughts in English, but I really loved this fic. It's so perfect. I love the beginning, the descriptions of the room, the smells and the colours - I really adore descriptive narrative, it's slow and makes everything more realistic. And I like how you managed to put together the shadow of Virginia and Laura, who is struggling to embrace life. I really like the language and the punctuation too. I'm starting to learn who it works in English and I really like the rythm in this story.
I loved The Hours and I think it's difficult to write a fanfic about something so beautiful and also complete, but you did it.

[red_satin_doll]

Thank you hon! *hugs* Surely there was something you didn't like, though? Constructive criticism is good for me. I really hoped you'd enjoy it though, as you'd asked to read it. I was surprised by how much I still liked it - some of Virginia's dialogue literally came to me in dreams, word for word, so I feel more like a channel than a creator - I just happened to be there, except it's not as passive as that

[kikimay]

I can't find anything I don't like. I really love the whole story for many reasons: because you challenge yourself with a movie that I found already "complete", because it speaks to sense impressions - especially the first part, because it feels right emotionally. Personally, when all these elements are right, I'm completely satisfied.
But you know what? Since I was writing BtVS fanfics at the time I associated Buffy to Clarissa (Meryl Streep's character) rather than Laura. I mean, there's this incredible continuity between all three women and Laura was "the depressed one", but I felt so much for Clarissa too and for her struggle to take care of everyone.

[red_satin_doll]

Personally, when all these elements are right, I'm completely satisfied.

Again, grazie! That pleases me greatly to hear.

Since I was writing BtVS fanfics at the time I associated Buffy to Clarissa (Meryl Streep's character) rather than Laura.Interesting - and I see what you mean about taking care of everyone (To be really simplistic avout it, Clarissa has a daughter - Dawn; and her ex-lover who is dying - Spike; while her current lover really doesn't need "taking care of" except perhaps emotionally; all the love and time and energy Clarissa devotes to her ex-lover represents love and time and care she's not giving to her current lover. And I don't recall her name - shame on me, although I love Allison Hanney in the role - but I don't recall that she ever complains (much) in the book or the movie. In the movie esp she's rather quietly long-suffering. We can see that Laura also has to take care of others (her husband and son); unlike Buffy however, Laura leaves her family behind and our culture would judge her a monster for doing

[the_royal_anna]

I've not seen The Hours, but found this a lovely read all the same. I love the precision of the detail, and the way it sets up what unfolds - the contrast between the careful observation and the breathless uncertainty, all that unspilt emotion, is so effective.

“Silly contraptions” a voice laughed lightly - and Laura could breathe. She could breathe.

Oh! The repeated line there is such a delightful touch. Three words that sum up everything - and told in a rhythm that exactly reflects that out-take of breath.

[red_satin_doll]

Anna, thank you so so much! You know how much I value your insights - and am not particularly eloquent about expressing it (because I want to jump around the room and squee like a teenage girl who just got a letter from her rock-star idol.)

But what you say about "precision of detail" is something I really admire in other writers very very much, and something I strive for, if rarely achieve. So that's a wondeful thing to hear, even if I feel that I can't take credit for it, that I was just a vessel for this story. That sounds awful (woman as empty vessel? Ugh) and it's difficult to overcome.

all that unspilt emotion, is so effective.Oh yes. I love those moments -things left unsaid. in Mrs Dalloway, "He did not tell her he loved her,not in so many words. But...she understood" always makes me weep. I love First Date and the electricity in the air between Giles and Buffy, the unacknowledged ghosts; and even a silly show like Bones, every once in a while they get it right, a grace note