where was this fic hiding from me all these years???...

[floatingleaf]

So, I've been going through the list of mome_awards nominations, not really expecting much, because, you know, it's a multi-pairing event, and I honestly only care for one pairing (or two, if you separate FPS from RPS) - so whatever was nominated in that category is usually known to me already. Well... not so this time. I actually might have discovered the most unbelievably glorious A/L fic of all time. Leaves of Gold by lady_elina. Now please don't laugh at me, because it's a classic, written in 2004, and I am probably the last one in fandom to unexpectedly stumble upon it - but I'm sure I haven't read it before, because such heart-stopping beauty could never be forgotten. It is crafted with such loving attention to detail - every sentence is perfection. And the depth of characterization is amazing too. It is also absolutely heartbreaking, because it stays true to canon - and we A/L lovers know only too well what that means (in my case, a HUGE box of Kleenex... LOL). Which is why some readers/writers with fragile emotional constitution tend to escape into the realm of happy fluff to balance it out and keep their sanity. Not that I'm pointing my fingers here or anything.:P But, you know, some say that happy!fic simply doesn't work for this pairing, that it's not believable. And maybe they're right. But the reason I crave that happy fic is not because I don't appreciate meaningful, well-written angst. It's because there's only so much my heart can take before I feel like throwing the windows open and howling at the moon. Which probably wouldn't be a good idea right now.;)

But I digress again. The point is, if by any chance you haven't read Leaves of Gold, you're missing out on some seriously outstanding writing. If there's ever an obligatory reading list for people who want to do academic research on our fandom, that story should be on it. Just make sure to keep plenty of tissues handy before you dive in.:P

Oh, and btw - this is a great opportunity to use my brand new official fic rec icon, made by stormatdusk.:)

Comments

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel better - I know the story but haven't read it. I skipped to the last chapter and noticed the character death. And because I *know* Elina is such a good writer, I knew I'd be a soapbox by the time I finished reading it. So I chickened out:(

Regarding recs: I'll just - very impolitely - pimp my rec blog here:) I post A/L stuff from time to time, as I come across it: http://recs.naiceanilme.com

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know what you're saying. Sometimes I do that too. Or just look at the warnings and say: "No, I am not reading THAT". Which usually applies to either character death or non-con (or any other form of physical/emotional torture). But occasionally, if the author is really good, I would brave it - and then curl up in a ball and sniff like a sulking child, grumbling at the author for 'doing this to me' (of which the author is, of course, unaware, because they could in all fairness tell me that I had been warned). And then I would usually go on a desperate search for happy fluff as an antidote (or start writing some myself, if it can't be found fast enough... lol).

But all great literature (or most of it, anyway) is filled with pain... so sometimes it's worth it to overcome my fears. Sometimes it isn't (I remember reading some endless A/L saga years ago, where Legolas just kept getting raped and abused over and over again, and I just kept reading on and hoping for Aragorn - or anyone, really - to make it better, because I do have a thing for hurt/comfort... but then the story was never finished and the long awaited comfort never came... or maybe I just couldn't take it anymore and gave up reading at some point - anyway, I still resent that author, even though I can't remember her name :P). In Elina's case, it definitely was.

Anyway... sorry for the lengthy ramble, and thanks for the rec! I'll definitely check it out.:)