Yuletide 2023 Recs
Jan. 14th, 2024 01:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladybird97Here are my extremely belated Yuletide 2023 recs! I usually try to get these in before author reveals, but, uh, obviously that didn't happen this year.
Herein please find 19 recs in as many fandoms, divided by type of media:
First, of course, I must rec the gift I received! can't wait for gravity to bring you close to me, by Rhovanel, For All Mankind. It's Molly/Margo, a fix-it for the end of S3. Molly does her reckless astronaut thing; Margo does her brilliant science thing; together they are more awesome than I could even have hoped when I made my request. The growth of their intimacy feels very authentic and deeply earned.
Books and Plays
Amina al-Sirafi and the Caliph's Riches, by sageness, The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi
Amina brings the gang back together again for one _more_ job, because their work isn't finished. Fun heisty action scenes, and characterizations that feel like they flow forward very naturally from the events of the book, especially Jamal.
The Labyrinth, by CenozoicSynapsid, The Bone Key
An absolutely brilliant epistolary murder mystery, in which Claudia (always my favorite!) goes to Crete on a dig and encounters mysterious deaths that blend the mundane and supernatural.
Pulling Out Thread, by Dragonbat, Fiddler on the Roof
Golde's POV, after the family arrives in New York - a deeply researched and deeply felt depiction of the Lower East Side. Every word is infused with Golde's resourcefulness, her strength, her love for her family, and the depth of her wish to keep them safe. My own ancestors would have been living nearby at the time that this story takes place, and this story made me miss my grandparents.
Supporting Partner's Suit, by Persiflager, Jeeves and Wooster
"Never let it be said that Bertie Wooster will abandon a pal in need, even if that pal is a woman who is temporarily in possession of his body and he doesn’t fully understand what’s going on." Bertie Wooster swaps bodies with Honoria Glossop; hilarity ensues. Note-perfect Wodehouse tone, and wonderfully skillful technique of showing the reader what's going on even while Bertie himself continues to be gloriously oblivious.
A Winter Wood Warning, by Terrantalen, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Faerie has changed in the years since the events of the book, but when Arabella Strange and Emma Pole receive a summons from its new king, they still have a flood of complicated emotions to deal with. A lovely epistolary-and-journal story, full of beautiful language and a deeply-felt love between Arabella and Emma.
Oneiria and Insomnia, by qkind, The Night Circus
After the end of the book, there are some new additions to the Circus. Lyrical and dreamy and unsettling in the best spirit of the original.
bounded in a nutshell, by Lilith, October Daye
Unsurprisingly, pretty much all of the October Daye stories this year deal with the fallout from Sleep No More/The Innocent Sleep. In this one, a sadder, wiser, and more contrite Raysel settles into her new home. It's a lovely depiction of Toby's little found-family crew, full of all the quirky warmth that you'd hope to see; but the standout moment is Raysel's conversation with Quentin, in which they connect through their shared struggle to atone for their past deeds.
has the train left the station? by dalia, One Last Stop
A lovely glimpse of Jane's POV during her long stretch of time riding the train, full of poignant emotion and beautifully vivid details.
Known, by Kass, When the Angels Left the Old Country.
Snippets of Uriel's thoughts post-canon as it grapples with its new identities and emotions. This book was one of my favorite reads of the last year, and story reminded me all over again about why I loved it: it's gentle and kind and deeply infused with Jewish thought.
A Few Days After the War, by twistedchick, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking.
Mona is appointed to the Duchess's council, and tries to continue doing good in the same humble heroic way - including memorializing the bravery that others showed. Sweet and touching - I got teary more than once.
TV and Movies
Housekeeper in a Spin, by torakowalski, All Creatures Great and Small (2020) The Skeldale House crew can tell that something is bothering Mrs. Hall, and everyone pitches in to help, but only Siegfried can help her get to the heart of how she's really feeling. Fun ensemble scenes, a lovely reinforcement of the friendship between Siegfried and Audrey, and kindness all around, in the best spirit of the show.
but then the earth comes back to life, by rib14, Casablanca
A beautifully subtle and authentic depiction of Ilsa's complicated conflicted feelings after escaping Casablanca and making it to America.
she's a hot knife, by timkon, Clueless.
What if Cher turned out like a different cheery blonde popular devastatingly fashionable California girl? In which, post-canon, Cher gets chosen as the next vampire slayer, and was trying to hide it from Josh…until she has to rescue him. Snappy dialogue in the best tradition of the original, and some genuine sweetness in the relationship between Cher and Josh.
The Visitation, by badritual, The Lion in Winter
Even after Henry dies, he can't bear to stay away from Eleanor - and their cycle of love and hate and intimacy continues. Excellently snappy dialogue, and a perfect balance between humor and tenderness.
myriad sensations compounding, by eudaemonia , Wheel of Time
A little time has passed since Moiraine Bonded Lan, but they're still so closed off from each other that they barely even talk. It's Siuan who helps them sort out their feelings. A lovely bit of Moiraine/Siuan, and the seeds of that wonderful intimacy between Moiraine and Lan that I love so much about the TV version of the story.
Flaming Lies and Explosive Secrets, by lurking_latinist , Yes Minister
A hilarious answer to the question "What would happen if the Department had to deal with supernatural phenomena?" The voices are all note-perfect in their details, packing a ton of plot and humor into a wonderfully economical story, exactly like the original.
Music and Other Media
Three Wishes for Christmas, by Calacious, Piano Man
For most of the year, Bill's piano playing just makes exceptional music, but around Christmas, he can use it to grant wishes to the lonely people in his bar.
(research notes for) My Essay on Snake Fighting Through the Ages, by Quasar, FAQ: The Snake Fight Portion of Your Thesis Defense
A student calls on Chat-GPT to help write an essay on snake fighting, and it just gets weirder and more wonderful and more hilarious with every attempt at a question - the kind of sublime surreality that you can only find at Yuletide.
Herein please find 19 recs in as many fandoms, divided by type of media:
First, of course, I must rec the gift I received! can't wait for gravity to bring you close to me, by Rhovanel, For All Mankind. It's Molly/Margo, a fix-it for the end of S3. Molly does her reckless astronaut thing; Margo does her brilliant science thing; together they are more awesome than I could even have hoped when I made my request. The growth of their intimacy feels very authentic and deeply earned.
Books and Plays
Amina al-Sirafi and the Caliph's Riches, by sageness, The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi
Amina brings the gang back together again for one _more_ job, because their work isn't finished. Fun heisty action scenes, and characterizations that feel like they flow forward very naturally from the events of the book, especially Jamal.
The Labyrinth, by CenozoicSynapsid, The Bone Key
An absolutely brilliant epistolary murder mystery, in which Claudia (always my favorite!) goes to Crete on a dig and encounters mysterious deaths that blend the mundane and supernatural.
Pulling Out Thread, by Dragonbat, Fiddler on the Roof
Golde's POV, after the family arrives in New York - a deeply researched and deeply felt depiction of the Lower East Side. Every word is infused with Golde's resourcefulness, her strength, her love for her family, and the depth of her wish to keep them safe. My own ancestors would have been living nearby at the time that this story takes place, and this story made me miss my grandparents.
Supporting Partner's Suit, by Persiflager, Jeeves and Wooster
"Never let it be said that Bertie Wooster will abandon a pal in need, even if that pal is a woman who is temporarily in possession of his body and he doesn’t fully understand what’s going on." Bertie Wooster swaps bodies with Honoria Glossop; hilarity ensues. Note-perfect Wodehouse tone, and wonderfully skillful technique of showing the reader what's going on even while Bertie himself continues to be gloriously oblivious.
A Winter Wood Warning, by Terrantalen, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Faerie has changed in the years since the events of the book, but when Arabella Strange and Emma Pole receive a summons from its new king, they still have a flood of complicated emotions to deal with. A lovely epistolary-and-journal story, full of beautiful language and a deeply-felt love between Arabella and Emma.
Oneiria and Insomnia, by qkind, The Night Circus
After the end of the book, there are some new additions to the Circus. Lyrical and dreamy and unsettling in the best spirit of the original.
bounded in a nutshell, by Lilith, October Daye
Unsurprisingly, pretty much all of the October Daye stories this year deal with the fallout from Sleep No More/The Innocent Sleep. In this one, a sadder, wiser, and more contrite Raysel settles into her new home. It's a lovely depiction of Toby's little found-family crew, full of all the quirky warmth that you'd hope to see; but the standout moment is Raysel's conversation with Quentin, in which they connect through their shared struggle to atone for their past deeds.
has the train left the station? by dalia, One Last Stop
A lovely glimpse of Jane's POV during her long stretch of time riding the train, full of poignant emotion and beautifully vivid details.
Known, by Kass, When the Angels Left the Old Country.
Snippets of Uriel's thoughts post-canon as it grapples with its new identities and emotions. This book was one of my favorite reads of the last year, and story reminded me all over again about why I loved it: it's gentle and kind and deeply infused with Jewish thought.
A Few Days After the War, by twistedchick, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking.
Mona is appointed to the Duchess's council, and tries to continue doing good in the same humble heroic way - including memorializing the bravery that others showed. Sweet and touching - I got teary more than once.
TV and Movies
Housekeeper in a Spin, by torakowalski, All Creatures Great and Small (2020) The Skeldale House crew can tell that something is bothering Mrs. Hall, and everyone pitches in to help, but only Siegfried can help her get to the heart of how she's really feeling. Fun ensemble scenes, a lovely reinforcement of the friendship between Siegfried and Audrey, and kindness all around, in the best spirit of the show.
but then the earth comes back to life, by rib14, Casablanca
A beautifully subtle and authentic depiction of Ilsa's complicated conflicted feelings after escaping Casablanca and making it to America.
she's a hot knife, by timkon, Clueless.
What if Cher turned out like a different cheery blonde popular devastatingly fashionable California girl? In which, post-canon, Cher gets chosen as the next vampire slayer, and was trying to hide it from Josh…until she has to rescue him. Snappy dialogue in the best tradition of the original, and some genuine sweetness in the relationship between Cher and Josh.
The Visitation, by badritual, The Lion in Winter
Even after Henry dies, he can't bear to stay away from Eleanor - and their cycle of love and hate and intimacy continues. Excellently snappy dialogue, and a perfect balance between humor and tenderness.
myriad sensations compounding, by eudaemonia , Wheel of Time
A little time has passed since Moiraine Bonded Lan, but they're still so closed off from each other that they barely even talk. It's Siuan who helps them sort out their feelings. A lovely bit of Moiraine/Siuan, and the seeds of that wonderful intimacy between Moiraine and Lan that I love so much about the TV version of the story.
Flaming Lies and Explosive Secrets, by lurking_latinist , Yes Minister
A hilarious answer to the question "What would happen if the Department had to deal with supernatural phenomena?" The voices are all note-perfect in their details, packing a ton of plot and humor into a wonderfully economical story, exactly like the original.
Music and Other Media
Three Wishes for Christmas, by Calacious, Piano Man
For most of the year, Bill's piano playing just makes exceptional music, but around Christmas, he can use it to grant wishes to the lonely people in his bar.
(research notes for) My Essay on Snake Fighting Through the Ages, by Quasar, FAQ: The Snake Fight Portion of Your Thesis Defense
A student calls on Chat-GPT to help write an essay on snake fighting, and it just gets weirder and more wonderful and more hilarious with every attempt at a question - the kind of sublime surreality that you can only find at Yuletide.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-18 02:53 pm (UTC)(I did read the Yes Minister fic, though, and that was sweet.)