straightforwardly (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
straightforwardly) wrote2013-12-29 12:51 am
straightforwardly) wrote2013-12-29 12:51 am
Entry tags:
0012 | yuletide 2013 recs post
My Yuletide recs!
Everything is alphabetical, by category & fandom. My varied levels of sleepiness while working on this... is embarassingly obvious in my commentary, but rest assured, if it's on this list, I liked it.
(To see what I got as a gift, check out my previous entry.)
Total: approximately 32 recs in 26 fandoms.
Never Look Back (329 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Characters: Sakura Kyouko, Tomoe Mami
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Character Study
Summary: Kyoko learns how to make it on her own.
I've always loved Kyouko, and this is a lovely glimpse into her mindset in the time period between when her family dies, and the start of the series.
Thick-Skinned (100 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Characters: Zelgadis Greywords
Additional Tags: Yuletide Madness Drabble Invitational
Summary: Zelgadis is learning to live with his body.
It's only 100 words, but it has some excellent imagery, and is well worth the half-minute it takes to read it.
All That Glitters (1997 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Warnings: Underage
Relationships: Claudia Kishi/Stacey McGill, Mary Anne Spier/Kristy Thomas, Stacey McGill/Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi/Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi/Stacey McGill/Mary Anne Spier/Kristy Thomas
Characters: Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi, Mary Anne Spier, Stacey McGill
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Yuletide Treat, Polyamory, High School
Summary: From the beginning, it's been Kristy and Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey, together and apart.
I don't normally read BSC fic, but this is one sexy, sexy piece, with incredibly fluid language and some nice throwbacks to certain characteristics of the books themselves.
Still in the Realm of the Sun (2197 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
Relationships: Julie Beaufort-Stuart/Maddie Brodatt
Characters: Julie Beaufort-Stuart, Maddie Brodatt
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: AU. Maddie and Julie find one another again.
I liked how things played out in the book, because it was very powerful, despite how much it hurt. That being said, I would not turn down fix-it fic, and this one in particular was well-done. In particular, Julie's reactions to the things that happen post-her part in canon delighted me.
Damask Roses (3039 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein, Rose Under Fire - Elizabeth Wein
Relationships: Julie Beaufort-Stuart/Maddie Brodatt
Characters: Julie Beaufort-Stuart, Maddie Brodatt, Jamie Beaufort-Stuart
Summary: Both Maddie and Julie said they'd never been together at Craig Castle. Jamie knows that isn't true.
Wonderful characterization, and a writing style that emulates that of the books quite well. All the relationships between characters were deftly handled, but I loved the one between Maddie and Jaime in particular.
a funny thing happened on the way to the ballot box (253 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Deathless - Catherynne M. Valente, Political RPF - Russian 21st c.
Characters: Koschei the Deathless, Koschei the Deathless (Deathless)
Additional Tags: Crack, Crossover Pairings, Political Expediency, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Yuletide Treat
Summary: This is what happens when you let your sister matchmake.
This is so ridiculous that I just can't not rec it. Plus, it's super short! What do you have to lose?
In Which Lettie Makes Demands (5690 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones
Relationships: Lettie Hatter/Wizard Suliman, Sophie Hatter/Howl Pendragon
Characters: Lettie Hatter, Sophie Hatter, Wizard Suliman, Howl Pendragon
Additional Tags: Sisters, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Summary: Lettie knows she ought to be delighted that everybody's curses are broken now, but in some ways she can't help feeling like nothing's any better than it was before.
I don't remember the book too well, but according to what I can remember, the characterization in this is absolutely lovely. Lettie is fantastic (as is Sophie), and I loved watching her figure things out. Her conversation with Wizard Suliman in particular was marvellous.
Matrimony and Dancing (2734 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Relationships: Catherine Morland/Henry Tilney
Characters: Catherine Morland, Henry Tilney
Additional Tags: Wedding Night, First Time
Summary: And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing.
I'm always a bit wary when it comes to sex and Jane Austen, and that only gets worse when it comes to Henry and Catherine, if only because it would be so easy for their characterization to get lost. This definitely does not happen in this fic— it's sweet and romantic and just that right touch of awkward, and the two of them are oh-so perfectly themselves.
From love's weak childish bow live unharm'd (1992 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare, Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Relationships: Juliet Capulet & Rosaline, Juliet Capulet & Tybalt, Rosaline & Tybalt
Characters: Rosaline (Romeo and Juliet), Juliet Capulet, Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet)
Additional Tags: Cousins, Family, Crossdressing, Backstory, Yuletide Treat, Female Friendship
Summary: Rosaline has always had too much water in her nature, and her cousin Juliet too much air. Set perhaps a year before the play begins.
This is another one where I really liked the relationships between the characters— particularly that between Rosaline and Juliet, but also the ones between Rosaline and Tybalt, and Juliet and Tybalt. Juliet is just overflowing with life, and I find it easy to see how this Juliet can make the decisions she did in the play. (Whether I agree or disagree, is another story.)
Nothing But One of Your Nine Lives (1794 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet), Juliet Capulet
Additional Tags: Backstory, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Tybalt has a secret.
This idea probably shouldn't work with the play as well as it does, but it does. This is, as the summary implies, mostly a Tybalt character piece, and it does that fantastically well. Juliet's role in this may have been minor, but it was definitely enough for me to be enamoured with how her and Tybalt's relationship was handled as well.
Four Times Rolan Spoke For Valdemar, and Once He was Speechless For Himself (1884 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey, No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Talia (Valdemar), Rolan (Valdemar), Talamir (Valdemar), Dirk (Valdemar)
Additional Tags: Soul Bond
Summary: Rolan is not like other Companions. He Chooses again.
This fic made the part of me that really, really loves Talia just melt. On top of that, it's also an interesting look into what it means to be a Companion who will Choose over and over again.
Steady Until (428 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Characters: Original Characters
Summary: The Companion was shaking from wound fever and, paradoxically, from the biting winter cold. He had willed himself still while his Herald was near. She might guess, having seen the state of his injury, but he kept his outer self and his shared emotion steady until she was well along the northern path deeper into Valdemar.
There was a lot of time to think while he was resting to heal in the plank-walled small stable. He would survive this.
In some ways, this fic is a look at the opposite of the above— it focuses on what it means to be a Companion who "Chooses" a Herald who they know will one day be Chosen again as Queen's Own. This is a short piece, and most introspective, so I can't go into too much detail without spoiling it, but suffice to say I enjoyed this take on the subject, especially the last two paragraphs.
Nymphs and Bacchantes (1668 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Villette - Charlotte Brontë
Relationships: Ginevra Fanshawe/Lucy Snowe
Characters: Ginevra Fanshawe, Lucy Snowe
Summary: After a costume ball, Ginevra comes to visit Lucy.
This is a wonderful, well-characterized piece that highlights my favorite relationship in the novel. Despite this being pairing-fic rather than friendship, the dynamic is very much the same as it is in the novel, and it is a delight to read. It being in Lucy's point-of-view— including a mention of Reason— is a delightful addition.
the glass slippers (5394 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Cinderella (Fairy Tale)
Relationships: Cinderella/Prince (Cinderella - Fairy Tale)
Characters: Cinderella (Fairy Tales), Prince (Cinderella - Fairy Tale), Stepmother (Cinderella - Fairy Tale)
Additional Tags: Undercover, Dancing, Falling In Love
Summary: What if Cinderella's adventures at the ball had gone a slightly different way?
This has some delightfully crafted characters, characters who have real chemistry with one another. It has the flavour of a fairy tale, while still being its own, original piece.
Stepsister (100 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Cinderella (Fairy Tale)
Characters: Ugly Stepsisters
Additional Tags: Drabble, yumadrin
Summary: Why would anyone want to marry a prince?
Oh, this drabble has a real punch to it, and manages to sketch out a believable personality for one of the stepsisters with a small number of words.
Rosy-Fingered Selene (1002 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Literary RPF, Greek and Roman Mythology, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Relationships: Aphrodite/Sappho
Characters: Sappho (fl. 600 BC), Aphrodite (Greek and Roman Mythology)
Summary: They say, then and later, that madness and magic come in the month of Boedromion. The sea cooks and boils. The air singes and curls. In the nights, gods walk the earth beside men. The fair-haired goddess, laughter-loving Aphrodite, comes to her then, sitting in the courtyard, weaving with her hands as her mind flies free.
I usually don't do RPF (though, judging by my reading this Yuletide, I'm not sure how long that'll continue, at least in a historical context), but the idea of the pairing drew me in. There will probably be people who dislike the style, but as for me, I think it manages to be lyrical and rich, without being overdone. In particular, the way the characters spoke really captured me.
Doppelganger (1129 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Brave (2012)
Characters: Merida (Brave), Elinor (Brave)
Summary: One day, Merida meets her doppelganger in the woods. But this doppelganger is not quite like Merida: she's neater, calmer, carries no bow, and she sparkles. Just like the Merida Elinor always wanted...
If you want to laugh, read this fic. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say I was giggling my whole way through. The explanation for how the doppelganger (which is basically the redone Disney princess version of Merida) comes to be makes perfect sense, and Merida and Elinor's reactions are also perfect.
Expertise? (1114 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Brave (2012)
Characters: Merida (Brave), Hamish (Brave), Hubert (Brave), Harris (Brave), Fergus (Brave)
Summary: Merida didn't try to become an expert in dealing with the supernatural.
I know I've been saying this quite a bit, but this fic really has wonderful characterization. It's a charming piece, with an interesting, Brave-esque take on various mythological creatures. I was grinning the whole way through.
A Princess and a Warrior Walk into a Tower (3707 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Disney Princesses, Mulan (1998), Aladdin (1992), Tangled (2010)
Characters: Fa Mulan, Jasmine (Aladdin), Rapunzel (Tangled), Mushu, Pascal (Tangled), Crickey, Rajah (Aladdin), Khan (Mulan)
Additional Tags: Tea, Tower Rescue, Adventures, First Meetings, Stockholm Syndrome, Animal Companions
Summary: Things are not all that they seem when Mulan and Jasmine find a strange tower on their travels.
This is absolutely delightful. I particularly loved the interactions between the animal characters, mostly Mushu and Pascal and Crickey. Mulan, Jasmine, and Rapunzel's interactions with one another were also enjoyable, and I enjoyed how the writer paid attention to detail in regards to Mulan and Jasmine's backgrounds, and how that would affect the way they viewed Rapunzel's tower.
we must strive for perfection (2560 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Characters: Kronk (Emperor's New Groove), Yzma (Emperor's New Groove), Kuzco (Emperor's New Groove), Pacha (Emperor's New Groove)
Additional Tags: Baking
Summary: It figured that the week Kronk decided to really concentrate on his baking would also be the week that everyone decided they wanted to see him.
Picture all the best parts of the movie in your mind. This is that fic. The character voices, especially Kronk's, are absolutely fantastic, and the writer completely nailed the humour of the film. A definite must-read, if only for that perfect ending.
The Harmony of You and Me (1391 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Mulan (1998)
Relationships: Fa Mulan/Li Shang, Li Shang/Ping
Characters: Fa Mulan, Li Shang, Mushu
Additional Tags: Pegging, ancient chinese dildos
Summary: In which a case of early-morning mistaken identity goes very, very right.
Yes, I'm reccing pegging fic. To be honest, I... really liked all the Mulan pegging fic Yuletide provided this year, but I decided to rec this one in particular because of the fantastic character voice, particularly Shang's.
Promises Made (5087 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Relationships: Haku/Ogino Chihiro
Characters: Ogino Chihiro, Haku (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), Nigihayami Kohakunushi
Summary: Chihiro tasted the rain cool and sweet on her lips, and remembered, fleetingly, what clouds had tasted like as she flew through them.
If you're like me, then you can never be 100% satisfied with any fic for this fandom, if only because the movie itself is so frustratingly perfect. That being said, this fic? Is probably my all-time favorite Spirited Away fic I've ever come across. I love how both Haku and Chihiro's reunion and the life Chihiro builds post-film are handled, and details of the setting are also lovely.
The Naming (and Unnaming) of A Wandering Star (2333 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Solar System (Anthropomorfic)
Relationships: Neptune/Uranus
Characters: Neptune (Astronomy), Uranus (Astronomy)
Additional Tags: Unrequited Love, Yuletide Treat
Summary: In the year 1846, it was the style on the planet Earth to saddle heavenly bodies with the names of gods – thus was the newly discovered giant named for the King of the Seas: Neptune.
This is one of those fics I really, really love, but don't know exactly how to describe why I love it without diving into spoilers. Let's just say I really love the concepts handled in this and how Neptune and Uranus are characterized, and encourage you all to go check this out yourselves.
Cast A Cold Eye -- On Life -- On Death -- (1191 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Solar System (Anthropomorfic), Astronomy (Anthropomorfic)
Relationships: Neptune & Uranus
Characters: Neptune (Astronomy), Uranus (Astronomy), Comets (Astronomy), Asteroids (Astronomy), Humanity (Astronomy), The Universe (Astronomy), Kuiper Belt, Kuiper Belt Objects, Triton (Astronomy)
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Astronomy, astrophysics, Some Attempts At Science Were Made, I'm Sorry Neil deGrasse Tyson, POV Second Person, Artistic License, Time - Freeform, Time Is A Big Ball Of Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff
Summary: Dare to disturb the universe.
You don't need to love fanfiction to love this. It's such an intensely poetic piece, and, I think in some ways, a wonderful love letter to outer space.
Off-Grid (3008 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Minesweeper
Characters: Mine #65, The Sweeper, Curt Johnson, Robert Donner
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Artificial Intelligence, Deformity, Self-Destructive Impulses, Unlikely moments of compassion, Mentions of slavery and child selling, Fanart
Summary: Centuries after the devastation of humanity's final war, a still sentient cluster of AI-enhanced explosive devices encounters a stranger.
I don't know about you, but when— if— I think about the possibility of Minesweeper fanfiction, I think interesting, not moving. But while this definitely contained shades of the former, it's the latter characteristic that exemplifies it for me. The ending in particular deeply touched me, and what moved me from "hey, interesting, I like it" to "MUST REC", so if you're unsure of it at first, I heartily recommend you stick to it until the end.
Zodiac: Your Guide to Fighting the Demon Invasion in Twelve Easy Steps (3477 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Zodiac Cycle - Julie Dillon
Characters: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius - Character, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer - Character, Leo, Virgo, Libra - Character, Scorpio - Character
Summary: There's more than one way to win a war.
Of all the fic I've read this year based on artwork, songs, etc where you basically need to make up the canon, this is the one that struck me the hardest with the yearning of, why isn't this a novel? I honestly cannot think of a single thing I don't like about this fic— the world-building, the characters, all of it is so incredibly compelling. I just want to bury myself into it.
Ain't Gonna Waste My Pleasures (4401 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Appalachian Murder Ballads
Characters: Darling Cora (Appalachian Murder Ballads), Pretty Polly (Appalachian Murder Ballads), Willie (Murder Ballads), Narrator (Darling Cora)
Additional Tags: Canon Typical Violence, Ghosts, Moonshine, Appalachia, Folk Music, Inspired by Music, Murder
Summary: Cora and Polly and Willie, and how stories turn in to songs.
Cora was tough as nails and could shoot with a dead-eyed accuracy that put down whatever she aimed at. He’d seen her shoot a man with the same coolness she used to shoot squirrels, and she could handle any sort of gun, from a pistol to that ancient shotgun she kept behind the cabin’s door, long and narrow as Cora herself. It seemed easier to believe she might have acquaintance with ghosts than that she was some sort of secret poet.
This has wonderfully vivid language that does a perfect job in forming the setting. This piece just has so much color to it— I really can't think of another word that suits it.
Poor Architects of Fortune (5131 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Drowned Lovers, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Relationships: William/Margaret
Characters: Elinor (Margaret's mother), Alys (William's mother), Margaret, William
Additional Tags: Tragedy, Suicide, mentions of past rape, Murder, every character dies, Not A Happy Ending
Summary: The music and noise of the town met them at the gate, and they swept up the main street towards the square. There were jugglers on corners, musicians playing for pennies with wide wooden bowls at their feet, bright streamers strung across the width of the road. They reached the square, and across it, Elinor saw sweet, sad Mistress Alys, her arm tight and possessive in her son’s while Margaret stiffened to alertness beside her, and all the long years of anxious secrecy were nothing, because of course he’d grown up handsome, just as Margaret had grown up fine.
This is such a complete, satisfying story— if I don't go back to reread this many times in the future, I'll eat my nearest available game system. This has such beautifully compelling characters, and a story that, despite the utter tragedy of it all, has a completely satisfying ending.
Burn Like Stars in the Fires of Fall (1115 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Follow Me Down (song) - Seanan McGuire
Relationships: The King Who Is Buried In Winter/The Lady of Springtime
Characters: The King Who Is Buried in Winter, The Lady of Springtime
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Winter is reborn, again and again, and with each life comes her lady, her love.
This is such a beautifully lyrical piece, full of both inevitability and hope. I loved it quite a bit.
Summer Rain (9652 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Jolene (Song) - Dolly Parton
Relationships: Jolene/Narrator ("Jolene"), Narrator ("Jolene")/Man ("Jolene")
Characters: Jolene, Narrator ("Jolene"), Man ("Jolene")
Additional Tags: Mercenaries, Warring Factions, Applied Politics, High Fantasy
Summary: Even before Jolene ran into an assassination attempt in a dark alley, it had been a long evening and an even longer day.
Jolene. *_* The writer has created such a richly compelling character in Jolene, with wonderfully drawn relationships with the rest of the cast. The lovely world-building and satisfying conclusion don't hurt my love for this either.
The Monsters Under the Bed, and Other Friends Sadie Made (3716 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Princess Princess (webcomic)
Relationships: Amira (Princess Princess)/Sadie (Princess Princess)
Characters: Amira (Princess Princess), Sadie (Princess Princess), Claire (Princess Princess), Oliver (Princess Princess)
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Post-Canon, Childhood, Pets, pets with very sharp teeth, supportive girlfriends, cross-species communication
Summary: Sadie's world is full of monsters, but monsters don't seem quite so monstrous once they become your friends.
I promise I'll stop babbling about characterization soon, but Sadie's characterization in this. She's just so perfectly Sadie, in every way, and I loved watching her grow throughout the fic.
he ain't heavy (1643 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Characters: Gigi Darcy, William Darcy, Fitz Williams
Summary: Fitz opens his first email with, "Hey! GGD!" and Gigi loves it. No one has tried to nickname her since she was three and couldn't pronounce her own name.
In which Gigi and Fitz plan their very first scheme.
I'm not sure what I love more in this fic— the relationship betwen Darcy and Gigi, or the one between Gigi and Fitz. Both are wonderfully done, and the whole fic leaves me with the general feeling of, yes, this is how it all went.
And now I've finally finished this, I am heading to bed.
Everything is alphabetical, by category & fandom. My varied levels of sleepiness while working on this... is embarassingly obvious in my commentary, but rest assured, if it's on this list, I liked it.
(To see what I got as a gift, check out my previous entry.)
Total: approximately 32 recs in 26 fandoms.
Anime
Never Look Back (329 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Characters: Sakura Kyouko, Tomoe Mami
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Character Study
Summary: Kyoko learns how to make it on her own.
I've always loved Kyouko, and this is a lovely glimpse into her mindset in the time period between when her family dies, and the start of the series.
Thick-Skinned (100 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Characters: Zelgadis Greywords
Additional Tags: Yuletide Madness Drabble Invitational
Summary: Zelgadis is learning to live with his body.
It's only 100 words, but it has some excellent imagery, and is well worth the half-minute it takes to read it.
Books & Plays
All That Glitters (1997 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Warnings: Underage
Relationships: Claudia Kishi/Stacey McGill, Mary Anne Spier/Kristy Thomas, Stacey McGill/Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi/Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi/Stacey McGill/Mary Anne Spier/Kristy Thomas
Characters: Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi, Mary Anne Spier, Stacey McGill
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Yuletide Treat, Polyamory, High School
Summary: From the beginning, it's been Kristy and Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey, together and apart.
I don't normally read BSC fic, but this is one sexy, sexy piece, with incredibly fluid language and some nice throwbacks to certain characteristics of the books themselves.
Still in the Realm of the Sun (2197 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
Relationships: Julie Beaufort-Stuart/Maddie Brodatt
Characters: Julie Beaufort-Stuart, Maddie Brodatt
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: AU. Maddie and Julie find one another again.
I liked how things played out in the book, because it was very powerful, despite how much it hurt. That being said, I would not turn down fix-it fic, and this one in particular was well-done. In particular, Julie's reactions to the things that happen post-her part in canon delighted me.
Damask Roses (3039 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein, Rose Under Fire - Elizabeth Wein
Relationships: Julie Beaufort-Stuart/Maddie Brodatt
Characters: Julie Beaufort-Stuart, Maddie Brodatt, Jamie Beaufort-Stuart
Summary: Both Maddie and Julie said they'd never been together at Craig Castle. Jamie knows that isn't true.
Wonderful characterization, and a writing style that emulates that of the books quite well. All the relationships between characters were deftly handled, but I loved the one between Maddie and Jaime in particular.
a funny thing happened on the way to the ballot box (253 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Deathless - Catherynne M. Valente, Political RPF - Russian 21st c.
Characters: Koschei the Deathless, Koschei the Deathless (Deathless)
Additional Tags: Crack, Crossover Pairings, Political Expediency, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Yuletide Treat
Summary: This is what happens when you let your sister matchmake.
This is so ridiculous that I just can't not rec it. Plus, it's super short! What do you have to lose?
In Which Lettie Makes Demands (5690 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones
Relationships: Lettie Hatter/Wizard Suliman, Sophie Hatter/Howl Pendragon
Characters: Lettie Hatter, Sophie Hatter, Wizard Suliman, Howl Pendragon
Additional Tags: Sisters, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Summary: Lettie knows she ought to be delighted that everybody's curses are broken now, but in some ways she can't help feeling like nothing's any better than it was before.
I don't remember the book too well, but according to what I can remember, the characterization in this is absolutely lovely. Lettie is fantastic (as is Sophie), and I loved watching her figure things out. Her conversation with Wizard Suliman in particular was marvellous.
Matrimony and Dancing (2734 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Relationships: Catherine Morland/Henry Tilney
Characters: Catherine Morland, Henry Tilney
Additional Tags: Wedding Night, First Time
Summary: And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing.
I'm always a bit wary when it comes to sex and Jane Austen, and that only gets worse when it comes to Henry and Catherine, if only because it would be so easy for their characterization to get lost. This definitely does not happen in this fic— it's sweet and romantic and just that right touch of awkward, and the two of them are oh-so perfectly themselves.
From love's weak childish bow live unharm'd (1992 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare, Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Relationships: Juliet Capulet & Rosaline, Juliet Capulet & Tybalt, Rosaline & Tybalt
Characters: Rosaline (Romeo and Juliet), Juliet Capulet, Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet)
Additional Tags: Cousins, Family, Crossdressing, Backstory, Yuletide Treat, Female Friendship
Summary: Rosaline has always had too much water in her nature, and her cousin Juliet too much air. Set perhaps a year before the play begins.
This is another one where I really liked the relationships between the characters— particularly that between Rosaline and Juliet, but also the ones between Rosaline and Tybalt, and Juliet and Tybalt. Juliet is just overflowing with life, and I find it easy to see how this Juliet can make the decisions she did in the play. (Whether I agree or disagree, is another story.)
Nothing But One of Your Nine Lives (1794 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet), Juliet Capulet
Additional Tags: Backstory, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Tybalt has a secret.
This idea probably shouldn't work with the play as well as it does, but it does. This is, as the summary implies, mostly a Tybalt character piece, and it does that fantastically well. Juliet's role in this may have been minor, but it was definitely enough for me to be enamoured with how her and Tybalt's relationship was handled as well.
Four Times Rolan Spoke For Valdemar, and Once He was Speechless For Himself (1884 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey, No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Talia (Valdemar), Rolan (Valdemar), Talamir (Valdemar), Dirk (Valdemar)
Additional Tags: Soul Bond
Summary: Rolan is not like other Companions. He Chooses again.
This fic made the part of me that really, really loves Talia just melt. On top of that, it's also an interesting look into what it means to be a Companion who will Choose over and over again.
Steady Until (428 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Characters: Original Characters
Summary: The Companion was shaking from wound fever and, paradoxically, from the biting winter cold. He had willed himself still while his Herald was near. She might guess, having seen the state of his injury, but he kept his outer self and his shared emotion steady until she was well along the northern path deeper into Valdemar.
There was a lot of time to think while he was resting to heal in the plank-walled small stable. He would survive this.
In some ways, this fic is a look at the opposite of the above— it focuses on what it means to be a Companion who "Chooses" a Herald who they know will one day be Chosen again as Queen's Own. This is a short piece, and most introspective, so I can't go into too much detail without spoiling it, but suffice to say I enjoyed this take on the subject, especially the last two paragraphs.
Nymphs and Bacchantes (1668 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Villette - Charlotte Brontë
Relationships: Ginevra Fanshawe/Lucy Snowe
Characters: Ginevra Fanshawe, Lucy Snowe
Summary: After a costume ball, Ginevra comes to visit Lucy.
This is a wonderful, well-characterized piece that highlights my favorite relationship in the novel. Despite this being pairing-fic rather than friendship, the dynamic is very much the same as it is in the novel, and it is a delight to read. It being in Lucy's point-of-view— including a mention of Reason— is a delightful addition.
Fairytales & Mythology
the glass slippers (5394 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Cinderella (Fairy Tale)
Relationships: Cinderella/Prince (Cinderella - Fairy Tale)
Characters: Cinderella (Fairy Tales), Prince (Cinderella - Fairy Tale), Stepmother (Cinderella - Fairy Tale)
Additional Tags: Undercover, Dancing, Falling In Love
Summary: What if Cinderella's adventures at the ball had gone a slightly different way?
This has some delightfully crafted characters, characters who have real chemistry with one another. It has the flavour of a fairy tale, while still being its own, original piece.
Stepsister (100 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Cinderella (Fairy Tale)
Characters: Ugly Stepsisters
Additional Tags: Drabble, yumadrin
Summary: Why would anyone want to marry a prince?
Oh, this drabble has a real punch to it, and manages to sketch out a believable personality for one of the stepsisters with a small number of words.
Rosy-Fingered Selene (1002 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Literary RPF, Greek and Roman Mythology, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF
Relationships: Aphrodite/Sappho
Characters: Sappho (fl. 600 BC), Aphrodite (Greek and Roman Mythology)
Summary: They say, then and later, that madness and magic come in the month of Boedromion. The sea cooks and boils. The air singes and curls. In the nights, gods walk the earth beside men. The fair-haired goddess, laughter-loving Aphrodite, comes to her then, sitting in the courtyard, weaving with her hands as her mind flies free.
I usually don't do RPF (though, judging by my reading this Yuletide, I'm not sure how long that'll continue, at least in a historical context), but the idea of the pairing drew me in. There will probably be people who dislike the style, but as for me, I think it manages to be lyrical and rich, without being overdone. In particular, the way the characters spoke really captured me.
Movies
Doppelganger (1129 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Brave (2012)
Characters: Merida (Brave), Elinor (Brave)
Summary: One day, Merida meets her doppelganger in the woods. But this doppelganger is not quite like Merida: she's neater, calmer, carries no bow, and she sparkles. Just like the Merida Elinor always wanted...
If you want to laugh, read this fic. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say I was giggling my whole way through. The explanation for how the doppelganger (which is basically the redone Disney princess version of Merida) comes to be makes perfect sense, and Merida and Elinor's reactions are also perfect.
Expertise? (1114 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Brave (2012)
Characters: Merida (Brave), Hamish (Brave), Hubert (Brave), Harris (Brave), Fergus (Brave)
Summary: Merida didn't try to become an expert in dealing with the supernatural.
I know I've been saying this quite a bit, but this fic really has wonderful characterization. It's a charming piece, with an interesting, Brave-esque take on various mythological creatures. I was grinning the whole way through.
A Princess and a Warrior Walk into a Tower (3707 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Disney Princesses, Mulan (1998), Aladdin (1992), Tangled (2010)
Characters: Fa Mulan, Jasmine (Aladdin), Rapunzel (Tangled), Mushu, Pascal (Tangled), Crickey, Rajah (Aladdin), Khan (Mulan)
Additional Tags: Tea, Tower Rescue, Adventures, First Meetings, Stockholm Syndrome, Animal Companions
Summary: Things are not all that they seem when Mulan and Jasmine find a strange tower on their travels.
This is absolutely delightful. I particularly loved the interactions between the animal characters, mostly Mushu and Pascal and Crickey. Mulan, Jasmine, and Rapunzel's interactions with one another were also enjoyable, and I enjoyed how the writer paid attention to detail in regards to Mulan and Jasmine's backgrounds, and how that would affect the way they viewed Rapunzel's tower.
we must strive for perfection (2560 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Characters: Kronk (Emperor's New Groove), Yzma (Emperor's New Groove), Kuzco (Emperor's New Groove), Pacha (Emperor's New Groove)
Additional Tags: Baking
Summary: It figured that the week Kronk decided to really concentrate on his baking would also be the week that everyone decided they wanted to see him.
Picture all the best parts of the movie in your mind. This is that fic. The character voices, especially Kronk's, are absolutely fantastic, and the writer completely nailed the humour of the film. A definite must-read, if only for that perfect ending.
The Harmony of You and Me (1391 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Mulan (1998)
Relationships: Fa Mulan/Li Shang, Li Shang/Ping
Characters: Fa Mulan, Li Shang, Mushu
Additional Tags: Pegging, ancient chinese dildos
Summary: In which a case of early-morning mistaken identity goes very, very right.
Yes, I'm reccing pegging fic. To be honest, I... really liked all the Mulan pegging fic Yuletide provided this year, but I decided to rec this one in particular because of the fantastic character voice, particularly Shang's.
Promises Made (5087 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Relationships: Haku/Ogino Chihiro
Characters: Ogino Chihiro, Haku (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), Nigihayami Kohakunushi
Summary: Chihiro tasted the rain cool and sweet on her lips, and remembered, fleetingly, what clouds had tasted like as she flew through them.
If you're like me, then you can never be 100% satisfied with any fic for this fandom, if only because the movie itself is so frustratingly perfect. That being said, this fic? Is probably my all-time favorite Spirited Away fic I've ever come across. I love how both Haku and Chihiro's reunion and the life Chihiro builds post-film are handled, and details of the setting are also lovely.
Other
The Naming (and Unnaming) of A Wandering Star (2333 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Solar System (Anthropomorfic)
Relationships: Neptune/Uranus
Characters: Neptune (Astronomy), Uranus (Astronomy)
Additional Tags: Unrequited Love, Yuletide Treat
Summary: In the year 1846, it was the style on the planet Earth to saddle heavenly bodies with the names of gods – thus was the newly discovered giant named for the King of the Seas: Neptune.
This is one of those fics I really, really love, but don't know exactly how to describe why I love it without diving into spoilers. Let's just say I really love the concepts handled in this and how Neptune and Uranus are characterized, and encourage you all to go check this out yourselves.
Cast A Cold Eye -- On Life -- On Death -- (1191 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Solar System (Anthropomorfic), Astronomy (Anthropomorfic)
Relationships: Neptune & Uranus
Characters: Neptune (Astronomy), Uranus (Astronomy), Comets (Astronomy), Asteroids (Astronomy), Humanity (Astronomy), The Universe (Astronomy), Kuiper Belt, Kuiper Belt Objects, Triton (Astronomy)
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Astronomy, astrophysics, Some Attempts At Science Were Made, I'm Sorry Neil deGrasse Tyson, POV Second Person, Artistic License, Time - Freeform, Time Is A Big Ball Of Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff
Summary: Dare to disturb the universe.
You don't need to love fanfiction to love this. It's such an intensely poetic piece, and, I think in some ways, a wonderful love letter to outer space.
Off-Grid (3008 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Minesweeper
Characters: Mine #65, The Sweeper, Curt Johnson, Robert Donner
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Artificial Intelligence, Deformity, Self-Destructive Impulses, Unlikely moments of compassion, Mentions of slavery and child selling, Fanart
Summary: Centuries after the devastation of humanity's final war, a still sentient cluster of AI-enhanced explosive devices encounters a stranger.
I don't know about you, but when— if— I think about the possibility of Minesweeper fanfiction, I think interesting, not moving. But while this definitely contained shades of the former, it's the latter characteristic that exemplifies it for me. The ending in particular deeply touched me, and what moved me from "hey, interesting, I like it" to "MUST REC", so if you're unsure of it at first, I heartily recommend you stick to it until the end.
Zodiac: Your Guide to Fighting the Demon Invasion in Twelve Easy Steps (3477 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Zodiac Cycle - Julie Dillon
Characters: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius - Character, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer - Character, Leo, Virgo, Libra - Character, Scorpio - Character
Summary: There's more than one way to win a war.
Of all the fic I've read this year based on artwork, songs, etc where you basically need to make up the canon, this is the one that struck me the hardest with the yearning of, why isn't this a novel? I honestly cannot think of a single thing I don't like about this fic— the world-building, the characters, all of it is so incredibly compelling. I just want to bury myself into it.
Songs & Poetry
Ain't Gonna Waste My Pleasures (4401 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Appalachian Murder Ballads
Characters: Darling Cora (Appalachian Murder Ballads), Pretty Polly (Appalachian Murder Ballads), Willie (Murder Ballads), Narrator (Darling Cora)
Additional Tags: Canon Typical Violence, Ghosts, Moonshine, Appalachia, Folk Music, Inspired by Music, Murder
Summary: Cora and Polly and Willie, and how stories turn in to songs.
Cora was tough as nails and could shoot with a dead-eyed accuracy that put down whatever she aimed at. He’d seen her shoot a man with the same coolness she used to shoot squirrels, and she could handle any sort of gun, from a pistol to that ancient shotgun she kept behind the cabin’s door, long and narrow as Cora herself. It seemed easier to believe she might have acquaintance with ghosts than that she was some sort of secret poet.
This has wonderfully vivid language that does a perfect job in forming the setting. This piece just has so much color to it— I really can't think of another word that suits it.
Poor Architects of Fortune (5131 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Drowned Lovers, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Relationships: William/Margaret
Characters: Elinor (Margaret's mother), Alys (William's mother), Margaret, William
Additional Tags: Tragedy, Suicide, mentions of past rape, Murder, every character dies, Not A Happy Ending
Summary: The music and noise of the town met them at the gate, and they swept up the main street towards the square. There were jugglers on corners, musicians playing for pennies with wide wooden bowls at their feet, bright streamers strung across the width of the road. They reached the square, and across it, Elinor saw sweet, sad Mistress Alys, her arm tight and possessive in her son’s while Margaret stiffened to alertness beside her, and all the long years of anxious secrecy were nothing, because of course he’d grown up handsome, just as Margaret had grown up fine.
This is such a complete, satisfying story— if I don't go back to reread this many times in the future, I'll eat my nearest available game system. This has such beautifully compelling characters, and a story that, despite the utter tragedy of it all, has a completely satisfying ending.
Burn Like Stars in the Fires of Fall (1115 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Follow Me Down (song) - Seanan McGuire
Relationships: The King Who Is Buried In Winter/The Lady of Springtime
Characters: The King Who Is Buried in Winter, The Lady of Springtime
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2013, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Winter is reborn, again and again, and with each life comes her lady, her love.
This is such a beautifully lyrical piece, full of both inevitability and hope. I loved it quite a bit.
Summer Rain (9652 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Jolene (Song) - Dolly Parton
Relationships: Jolene/Narrator ("Jolene"), Narrator ("Jolene")/Man ("Jolene")
Characters: Jolene, Narrator ("Jolene"), Man ("Jolene")
Additional Tags: Mercenaries, Warring Factions, Applied Politics, High Fantasy
Summary: Even before Jolene ran into an assassination attempt in a dark alley, it had been a long evening and an even longer day.
Jolene. *_* The writer has created such a richly compelling character in Jolene, with wonderfully drawn relationships with the rest of the cast. The lovely world-building and satisfying conclusion don't hurt my love for this either.
Webcomics
The Monsters Under the Bed, and Other Friends Sadie Made (3716 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Princess Princess (webcomic)
Relationships: Amira (Princess Princess)/Sadie (Princess Princess)
Characters: Amira (Princess Princess), Sadie (Princess Princess), Claire (Princess Princess), Oliver (Princess Princess)
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Post-Canon, Childhood, Pets, pets with very sharp teeth, supportive girlfriends, cross-species communication
Summary: Sadie's world is full of monsters, but monsters don't seem quite so monstrous once they become your friends.
I promise I'll stop babbling about characterization soon, but Sadie's characterization in this. She's just so perfectly Sadie, in every way, and I loved watching her grow throughout the fic.
Webseries
he ain't heavy (1643 words) by Anonymous
Fandom: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Characters: Gigi Darcy, William Darcy, Fitz Williams
Summary: Fitz opens his first email with, "Hey! GGD!" and Gigi loves it. No one has tried to nickname her since she was three and couldn't pronounce her own name.
In which Gigi and Fitz plan their very first scheme.
I'm not sure what I love more in this fic— the relationship betwen Darcy and Gigi, or the one between Gigi and Fitz. Both are wonderfully done, and the whole fic leaves me with the general feeling of, yes, this is how it all went.
And now I've finally finished this, I am heading to bed.