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Fic Rec Fridays 2019 - part 34
Aug. 23rd, 2019 10:56 pmChapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Éowyn/Faramir
Characters: Éowyn, Faramir
Additional Tags: Gender Issues, Genderqueer Character, Pegging, Gender Roles, Romance, Genderfluid Character
Summary:
‘Whatever I understand, I know that you have won renown and glory on the field, and shown yourself to be mighty in arms, and fearless, and fair. And I know that you are a lady of great heart, and that it is softer than you have made it. And that I would not for my life have you made less than you are. And I would wed you, and live with you in peace, as Éowyn, or Dernhelm, or whoever you wish. And what I do not yet understand, I will learn, and gladly.’
I went to reread this for a thing I’m writing myself (which will have much more thirst and far less character development…), and liked it so much on a second (third, fourth, nth) reading that I had no choice but to share.
What you’ll notice within the first page -- no, first paragraph -- is the beautiful writing: the prose flows gracefully with a mythopoeic, Tolkienesque cadence and the dialogue -- the dialogue is so effortlessly golden, in character and layered with meaning that I’d fill this review by happily quoting whole great swathes of it. But I won’t. Because spoilery.
And what is told through all those lovely words is a perceptive and moving story of two people navigating an issue that their circumstances or background has not prepared them to handle and that has the potential to be relationship-destructing -- yet they manage to craft themselves an even stronger bond in the process. It makes for some truly wonderful character arcs, and for an understated, deep-felt romance.
As for the part that gains this the M rating… well, let me just quote the author’s comment: negotiation and self-realisation are sexy, and leave you to find out the rest for yourselves ;)