Yuletide Recs!
Dec. 30th, 2010 05:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lanoyeeYup, finally, here's my recs post for stories I enjoyed this Yuletide. It was a good one! First, I want to rec the two wonderful stories that were given to me this year. Because they are wonderful. ♥
Persuasion to Joy
Fandom: Huâ Mùlán | Mulan (2009)
A wonderful take on what happens after the movie, through the eyes of the Princess of Rouran, or the new Empress of Wei. We get a beautiful insight into her character, how she deals with her new life and how she relates to the other characters. It rings so true and complements canon perfectly. ♥ I particularly loved her sassy maid and the end scene. Ohh, the end scene.
This is definitely everything I wanted for Yuletide.
Two Wet Swallows
Fandom: Kaze Hikaru
This is a lovely little piece, an in-between scene between Sei and Okita. It's so sweet and so them and so adorable... and it has a picture by Utamaro! "Kamiya-sannn, you're so mean to me" will NEVER get old. ♥ I am so happy that I got this as a treat.
And now on to the others:
21st Century Girls
Fandom: Nijusseiki Shounen | 20th Century Boys (Manga)
I don't even know the canon of this very well, but it works perfectly well with just a knowledge of the basic premise. It's a story of very life-like recollections of girlhood, interwoven perfectly with an oppressive present, with the revelation of all truths carefully pieced together like a puzzle. Great storytelling, and a great take on how girly things can save the world even without superpowers.
On the Moonlit Road of Dreams
Fandom: Heian jidai | Heian Period
Heian Period RPF, you say? Hell yes! In this story, Sei Shōnagon and Murasaki Shikibu must save Her Majesty the Empress. They do so very expertly in a very court-lady way, managing to put aside their rivalry for the duration of the plot. Delightfully amusing.
Brush Talk
Fandom: Heian jidai | Heian Period
And more of that; this time, a quieter tale of an unexpected meeting in a remote temple. I was very amused by how much of a fangirl Sei Shōnagon is and how Murasaki Shikibu steadfastly tries to resist the adorable -- but of course, she must succumb. ♥
Gingerbread Betrayal
Fandom: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Hänsel und Gretel | Hansel and Gretel (Fairy Tale)
The aftermath of a fairy tale isn't always happy ever after, and it certainly isn't for Gretel. The ending is especially haunting.
A Dance in Iron Shoes
Fandom: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms
Snow White doesn't get to live happily ever after, either, in this story, but she does get to be resourceful as hell. This is based on the darker original fairy tales and puts a modern spin on it by letting the princess be her own rescuer.
Monkey pays for Hot Cake
Fandom: Xî yóu jì | Journey to the West - Wú Cheng'en
The premise of Journey to the West as told by a seller of hot cakes. This left an impression on me due to the very strong narrating voice.
That Dare Not Speak
Fandom: Juuni Kokki | Twelve Kingdoms
This is an engaging, bittersweet take on Gyōsō/Taiki as seen by an older Taiki.
Persuasion to Joy
Fandom: Huâ Mùlán | Mulan (2009)
A wonderful take on what happens after the movie, through the eyes of the Princess of Rouran, or the new Empress of Wei. We get a beautiful insight into her character, how she deals with her new life and how she relates to the other characters. It rings so true and complements canon perfectly. ♥ I particularly loved her sassy maid and the end scene. Ohh, the end scene.
This is definitely everything I wanted for Yuletide.
Two Wet Swallows
Fandom: Kaze Hikaru
This is a lovely little piece, an in-between scene between Sei and Okita. It's so sweet and so them and so adorable... and it has a picture by Utamaro! "Kamiya-sannn, you're so mean to me" will NEVER get old. ♥ I am so happy that I got this as a treat.
And now on to the others:
21st Century Girls
Fandom: Nijusseiki Shounen | 20th Century Boys (Manga)
I don't even know the canon of this very well, but it works perfectly well with just a knowledge of the basic premise. It's a story of very life-like recollections of girlhood, interwoven perfectly with an oppressive present, with the revelation of all truths carefully pieced together like a puzzle. Great storytelling, and a great take on how girly things can save the world even without superpowers.
On the Moonlit Road of Dreams
Fandom: Heian jidai | Heian Period
Heian Period RPF, you say? Hell yes! In this story, Sei Shōnagon and Murasaki Shikibu must save Her Majesty the Empress. They do so very expertly in a very court-lady way, managing to put aside their rivalry for the duration of the plot. Delightfully amusing.
Brush Talk
Fandom: Heian jidai | Heian Period
And more of that; this time, a quieter tale of an unexpected meeting in a remote temple. I was very amused by how much of a fangirl Sei Shōnagon is and how Murasaki Shikibu steadfastly tries to resist the adorable -- but of course, she must succumb. ♥
Gingerbread Betrayal
Fandom: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Hänsel und Gretel | Hansel and Gretel (Fairy Tale)
The aftermath of a fairy tale isn't always happy ever after, and it certainly isn't for Gretel. The ending is especially haunting.
A Dance in Iron Shoes
Fandom: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms
Snow White doesn't get to live happily ever after, either, in this story, but she does get to be resourceful as hell. This is based on the darker original fairy tales and puts a modern spin on it by letting the princess be her own rescuer.
Monkey pays for Hot Cake
Fandom: Xî yóu jì | Journey to the West - Wú Cheng'en
The premise of Journey to the West as told by a seller of hot cakes. This left an impression on me due to the very strong narrating voice.
That Dare Not Speak
Fandom: Juuni Kokki | Twelve Kingdoms
This is an engaging, bittersweet take on Gyōsō/Taiki as seen by an older Taiki.
