Fic Rec: All Our Gifts At Once

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

Title: All Our Gifts At Once, or, the Young Sea-man
Author: tiltedsyllogism
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: approx. 47,500 words
Rating: teen
Warnings:none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: John Watson, storyteller and shipwright's son, walks way from his entire life in Portsmouth to follow the mysterious Sherlock Holmes to London.
a realistic retelling of The Little Mermaid. Victorian AU.

Reccer's comments: The author’s summary pretty much sums up the essence of the story. But in transporting the tale to reality, although a historic reality, she’s given the tragic tale a wonderful twist. She’s really been incredibly creative in translating the magical world of the fairy tale to a world better known to us. In doing so she’s met many challenges, obviously, but these she’s all resolved with great inventiveness. Meanwhile the characters remain perfectly IC throughout. And there’s a starring role for Harry, who doesn’t understand her brother, but is determined to help him, against all the odds.

To add to the pleasure the story is filled with many details that perfectly help recreate Victorian times, or perhaps I should say, what we think that period in history was like. The language, a tad old-fashioned, yet flowing easily, greatly helps with that.

If you love the story of The Little Mermaid and the series as much as I do, I’m sure you’ll be as delighted with this story as I am.

Comments

[cherrytide.livejournal.com]

I love this fic! The way it retells the tale and ties it in with 18th century naturalism is so clever :) I enjoyed Harry's role in it too.

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! I confess to normally not being that interested in Harry but here she shone for me.

[ntjnke.livejournal.com]

I've avoided this story because I suspect the ending is sad, especially if it's a retelling of the originally Little Mermaid story where she turns into foam.

Does this story end sadly?

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

That depends on what you consider to be a sad story. As you may remember the fairy tale doesn't actually end with the little mermaid turning into sea foam. Here the author has come up with a likewise solution.

It really is a beautiful story.

[chapbook.livejournal.com]

It's not the tragic ending of the fairy tale, nor is it the romantic ending of the Disney film. However, If you adore SH/JW, and I do, I suspect you'll find it an unsatisfying ending, perhaps even OOC. I know others really like the twist, but if you have strong feelings about SH/JW it's best to be prepared emotionally before reading. I say this because, even if I disagree with an author, I don't want the author to be treated rudely by an unhappy reader. Of course, I don't mean that I think that's what you would do, but I'd rather put in a reminder just to be safe.

author here

[tiltedsyllogism.livejournal.com]

I think the ending is a mixture of sadness and happiness. I based this story on the full ending, which ends in a much more positive place than the truncated version (which is in much wider circulation that I had ever realized!) in which the mermaid simply perishes at the end.

it really depends on whether or not a story in which Sherlock and John don't end up together is too intolerably sad. I mean, it definitely is sad; I wrote this fic, in part, to push back against the overwhelming current I see in fanfiction, which suggests that true love will conquer all, if only it is sufficiently strong and sincere. Both my observations and my experience have taught me that this isn't the case; it's totally possible to have a bond with someone that is strong and good and real, but which still cannot (for whatever reason) survive. So it was really important to me to tell a story which recognizes this truth about the world - that good, true things sometimes cannot endure - but still portrays it as a place full of goodness, which sometimes comes to us in unexpected forms.

edited to add: here is a link to the complete text of the HCA story (where the mermaid simply perishes at the end) if you'd like to take a look at the ending. The last 4 paragraphs are the part that may be new to you.

Re: author here

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

As you may remember I actually commented I didn't think the ending sad enough. But then I don't mind major character death if well written and convincingly done.
Anyway, I really loved your story and I hope the rec will send some more readers your way. :D

Re: author here

[tiltedsyllogism.livejournal.com]

hahaha yes I absolutely remember. I was totally geared up to field comments about how the story was too sad, but I was less prepared for someone saying "I wish the ending had been more tragic." because, well, you weren't wrong! In many ways, it's a very happy and hopeful ending, against the backdrop of a tragic world.

but I think that's still too sad for a lot of people. I wish that weren't the case, but oh well.

Re: author here

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

Sometimes live is sad. But then I like nothing better than crying over a book. :)