Oh, I really liked this, and I’m so glad I pushed it up to the top of my reading list. ;) It was such an enjoyable read, and so very well written.
I feel as though I’ve learned a lot about this period in history after reading this fic; it was so nicely integrated into the story. I think it’s always tricky to manage that in historical writing—how to convey a different period, a different mindset, without making it feel like A History Lesson. Everything felt so absolutely real, and I definitely felt as though I was seamlessly transported back in time. Very well done.
I gather from comments you’re planning on a slashy sequel to this? I hope you’re still planning it, because after finishing the fic, I find I’m basically frothing at the mouth to read the continuation.
I absolutely agree with your categorization of this story as Gen, because as you say in author’s note, the overall thrust of the story is not on a romantic relationship but on the adventure. The romantic relationship is an important part of the story, but it does not sum up the story. This is absolutely true. Listing it as “Gen (pre-slash) with a het subplot” is entirely appropriate and fitting.
Even though you list Jensen/Alona as the pairing…it’s really not the pairing. When I think about “pairing,” I’m thinking of the couple I root for, the couple I wish will be together in the end and live happily ever after. But this wasn’t that sort of romance, and I wasn’t rooting for Jensen/Alona. Neither were they—she, especially, was beyond happy to be reunited with her husband. Had I been rooting for Jensen/Alona, I would have wanted them to fight tradition and run away together, or something—but I didn’t, and neither did they.
(It could absolutely be that I read that wrong, and they were a couple you wanted us to root for. I admit that I have a hard time rooting for historical het romances generally; I find it really hard to root for them despite so many gender inequalities and...childbirth-related medical dangers to women?)
On the other hand, I thought the Jensen/Jared(Tristan) pre-slash build-up vibes were absolutely delicious. When he caught them kissing and felt so inexplicably betrayed, my heart felt like it was breaking too! Oh god, their burgeoning friendship warmed my cold heart so much. Like I said earlier, I’m really excited at the prospect that you’ll write a slashy sequel to this.
I really loved this story. It was so unique among the genre of historical RPS. Thanks for taking the considerable amount of time I’m sure it took to write it, and to write it so well! :)
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I feel as though I’ve learned a lot about this period in history after reading this fic; it was so nicely integrated into the story. I think it’s always tricky to manage that in historical writing—how to convey a different period, a different mindset, without making it feel like A History Lesson. Everything felt so absolutely real, and I definitely felt as though I was seamlessly transported back in time. Very well done.
I gather from comments you’re planning on a slashy sequel to this? I hope you’re still planning it, because after finishing the fic, I find I’m basically frothing at the mouth to read the continuation.
I absolutely agree with your categorization of this story as Gen, because as you say in author’s note, the overall thrust of the story is not on a romantic relationship but on the adventure. The romantic relationship is an important part of the story, but it does not sum up the story. This is absolutely true. Listing it as “Gen (pre-slash) with a het subplot” is entirely appropriate and fitting.
Even though you list Jensen/Alona as the pairing…it’s really not the pairing. When I think about “pairing,” I’m thinking of the couple I root for, the couple I wish will be together in the end and live happily ever after. But this wasn’t that sort of romance, and I wasn’t rooting for Jensen/Alona. Neither were they—she, especially, was beyond happy to be reunited with her husband. Had I been rooting for Jensen/Alona, I would have wanted them to fight tradition and run away together, or something—but I didn’t, and neither did they.
(It could absolutely be that I read that wrong, and they were a couple you wanted us to root for. I admit that I have a hard time rooting for historical het romances generally; I find it really hard to root for them despite so many gender inequalities and...childbirth-related medical dangers to women?)
On the other hand, I thought the Jensen/Jared(Tristan) pre-slash build-up vibes were absolutely delicious. When he caught them kissing and felt so inexplicably betrayed, my heart felt like it was breaking too! Oh god, their burgeoning friendship warmed my cold heart so much. Like I said earlier, I’m really excited at the prospect that you’ll write a slashy sequel to this.
I really loved this story. It was so unique among the genre of historical RPS. Thanks for taking the considerable amount of time I’m sure it took to write it, and to write it so well! :)