Fic Rec: It's Not Pretty

[frozen_delight]

Title: It's Not Pretty (or on AO3)
Author: sariagray
Pairing: None
Length: 1,100 words
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC

Author's summary: A train leaves London for Leeds at 1:42pm. Two men are on it. This is a brief moment between them.

Reccer's comments: This beautiful little fic incorporates everything that is a hallmark of sariagray's writing: It's rich in culture, full of well thought-out little nods and references, it creates a unique, somewhat enchanted and timeless atmosphere and it manages to present a profound character study in just a couple of lines.

Sherlock and John are sitting on a train, talking. Nothing much happens. And yet it's utterly irresistible and magical. This is the first story I've encountered where John starts to make deductions about other people - or rather randomly makes up stories about them, which is probably what Sherlock's deductions look like to the rest of the world anyway - and Sherlock actually indulges him and plays along. It's fascinating to see where John's imagination takes them and how ultimately they end up talking about much, much more than what's simply being said. This is subtle, quiet and tender writing at its best.

As the author herself says, it may be read as gen, established, or pre-slash, so any fan of Sherlock and John should be very happy with this story and how it presents their relationship.

Comments

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed that -- thought-provoking and mundane all at once. A very nice slice of life. Thanks for the rec :)

[frozen_delight]

You're welcome, I'm so glad you enjoyed it and exactly for the reasons you mentioned.

[reixilu.livejournal.com]

I love how sariagray wrote a perfectly lovely and somewhat melancholy story off a perfectly strange and melancholy poem.

And I wish, for the daughter's sake, that John's story was true :-}

[frozen_delight]

Oh yes I agree with all of that. :)