February Recs Challenge, Day Ten
Happy Saturday, everyone! Hope you're all having a nice weekend. I had a lovely afternoon at the Baldwin Book Barn, which is just what it sounds like -- a drafty old barn filled to the brim with four stories of books! There were even several friendly cats prowling around.
I felt like a kid in a candy store, but I managed to limit myself to buying just three: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eumenides (which I've read before and loved), The Irrational Season by Madeleine L'Engle, and Neruda's 100 Love Sonnets. (I looked for some Rumi but couldn't find any -- bummer.)
After I got home I spent some time hunting for a good femslash story to rec this month for the sake of diversity, but I didn't have too much luck. I've read some okay stories, but I just haven't been passionate about any of them...certainly not enough to rec them. It's not because there's anything wrong with the fic I've read -- I just can't seem to care much about any of the pairings. I'm sort of stressing about it, which is stupid because a) fandom is supposed to be fun and b) these are my recs, so I can rec whatever the hell I want to. Right? Right. So I've decided that if I stumble across something fabulous I'll rec it, but otherwise I'm going to let myself off the hook on this one.
Anyway, on to today's decidedly NOT femslashy rec. :-)
Double Happiness Masala by
busaikko
Pairing: Remus/Severus, with guest appearance by Severus's brain
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Non-magic AU
Summary: Two lonelinesses, many secrets, one solution?
My Comments:
I'm sure any Snupin-ers on my flist already know and love this one, but just in case there's anyone out there who hasn't read this ... what are you waiting for?
busaikko is one of the best writers of AU's out there, and this fic is no exception. The main challenge in an AU is to keep the characters recognizable even as you transpose them into a new setting, and she's done that beautifully here; Remus is still Remus even without his lycanthropy (the author has come up with a clever muggle-friendly alternative), while her Snape is emotionally guarded and just a little bit cranky -- just the way I like him.
I love this fic for its gentle humor (particularly the way Snape's brain has its own personality!) and for the way these two lonely characters get a chance at the love they never thought they'd have. This is another one of those fics that take me to my happy place. ♥
Excerpt:
"Are you a graduate student, then?" Severus asked, and Lupin gave him a highly amused glance.
"I'm teaching. I'm just back from the States. The department doesn't quite know what to do with me yet. And I just can't say no--" Severus' mind gibbered--"to a challenge. There are at least three graduate students who are out doing the same thing, though, which I suppose puts me in my place." He shrugged, smiling. "I gather that this sort of madness often takes place at the beginning of term."
"It used to be a much more sedate madness. Usually involving alcohol, nudity, and large vats of pudding."
"Nostalgia, Dr-- Good Lord, I forgot to ask your name. What terrible manners."
"Snape," Severus said. "Severus Snape." And waited tensely for the look of recognition. But either Lupin didn't remember or he was very, very tactful.
"It's a pleasure to meet you--and I mean that. Yours is the first hard drive I've seen today that wasn't riddled with pornography. It's refreshing."
"I hope," Severus murmured, letting his mouth curl in a rare smile of his own, "you took note of names and... predilections."
"Would I do such a thing?"
Yes, Severus thought, I think you would. So would I.
I felt like a kid in a candy store, but I managed to limit myself to buying just three: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eumenides (which I've read before and loved), The Irrational Season by Madeleine L'Engle, and Neruda's 100 Love Sonnets. (I looked for some Rumi but couldn't find any -- bummer.)
After I got home I spent some time hunting for a good femslash story to rec this month for the sake of diversity, but I didn't have too much luck. I've read some okay stories, but I just haven't been passionate about any of them...certainly not enough to rec them. It's not because there's anything wrong with the fic I've read -- I just can't seem to care much about any of the pairings. I'm sort of stressing about it, which is stupid because a) fandom is supposed to be fun and b) these are my recs, so I can rec whatever the hell I want to. Right? Right. So I've decided that if I stumble across something fabulous I'll rec it, but otherwise I'm going to let myself off the hook on this one.
Anyway, on to today's decidedly NOT femslashy rec. :-)
Double Happiness Masala by
busaikko
Pairing: Remus/Severus, with guest appearance by Severus's brain
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Non-magic AU
Summary: Two lonelinesses, many secrets, one solution?
My Comments:
I'm sure any Snupin-ers on my flist already know and love this one, but just in case there's anyone out there who hasn't read this ... what are you waiting for?
busaikko is one of the best writers of AU's out there, and this fic is no exception. The main challenge in an AU is to keep the characters recognizable even as you transpose them into a new setting, and she's done that beautifully here; Remus is still Remus even without his lycanthropy (the author has come up with a clever muggle-friendly alternative), while her Snape is emotionally guarded and just a little bit cranky -- just the way I like him.
I love this fic for its gentle humor (particularly the way Snape's brain has its own personality!) and for the way these two lonely characters get a chance at the love they never thought they'd have. This is another one of those fics that take me to my happy place. ♥
Excerpt:
"Are you a graduate student, then?" Severus asked, and Lupin gave him a highly amused glance.
"I'm teaching. I'm just back from the States. The department doesn't quite know what to do with me yet. And I just can't say no--" Severus' mind gibbered--"to a challenge. There are at least three graduate students who are out doing the same thing, though, which I suppose puts me in my place." He shrugged, smiling. "I gather that this sort of madness often takes place at the beginning of term."
"It used to be a much more sedate madness. Usually involving alcohol, nudity, and large vats of pudding."
"Nostalgia, Dr-- Good Lord, I forgot to ask your name. What terrible manners."
"Snape," Severus said. "Severus Snape." And waited tensely for the look of recognition. But either Lupin didn't remember or he was very, very tactful.
"It's a pleasure to meet you--and I mean that. Yours is the first hard drive I've seen today that wasn't riddled with pornography. It's refreshing."
"I hope," Severus murmured, letting his mouth curl in a rare smile of his own, "you took note of names and... predilections."
"Would I do such a thing?"
Yes, Severus thought, I think you would. So would I.