Rec: Roses of Picardy (now complete)

[emmagrant01]

I know I've recced this before, but now that this fic is complete, I'm reccing it again. Because it needs to be read, possibly published, and definitely made into a film. (Preferably with the sex scenes intact and the original actors cast, but hey I'll take what I can get.)

Title: Roses of Picardy
Author: splix
Fandom: War Horse (But really? This is practically original fic. You don't have to have read the book or seen the film to read and enjoy this.)
Rating: Explicit (Y'all know what I like, right?)
Pairing: Jamie Stewart/Jim Nicholls
Length: 76,330 words
Links: On AO3 | On LJ (link goes to a tag with all posts, so scroll back to the first)

Why I fucking adore this fic: God, where do I begin? Splix takes two characters who have very little screen time and fleshes them out completely. The story picks up in the aftermath of an early ill-fated battle in WWI, then continues through the war and after, following the love story between these two men. It's so completely embedded in the time and place and culture of WWI Britain that I now have an insane fetish for anything I can get my hands on about that era. She deals with issues of being homosexual a century ago, living in fear of being discovered, the horrors of war, and the strength of love to pull people through hell. She takes us through the cultural changes that followed WWI and the way these two found a way to make a life together despite a gulf of class and entrenched homophobia. MY FEELS for these two, god, I can't even. The fic deserves its own fandom. If you haven't read it, go, now. It's brilliant.

Feel free to repost this:

Comments

[hechicera.livejournal.com]

Never read anything in this fandom, but based on this rec I will absolutely read this.

I never cease to be amazed at the brilliant writing that is freely available on the internet.

Literature is never going to be the same.

[bluebellanon]

Sounds very interesting, adding this to my memories for when I actually have time to read!

[geneva2010.livejournal.com]

Wow, sounds really fascinating. Thanks for the rec.

[splix.livejournal.com]

This is so sweet of you. Thank you, thank you!

[dracavia]

I haven't seen/read War Horse yet (though I am interested, and it is on my 'to watch' list), and even when I do eventually I doubt I'll do more than scratch at the surface of the fandom (if that). That said, your description of what you love about this story... (plus my general interest in the actors that play those two characters) Yeah, it's made it on my 'to read' list for when my new Kindle arrives (had to send the old one in for a warranty swap).

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

Absolutely agree. This was a delight to read.

[swissmarg]

Thank you so much for this rec. I would have never read it otherwise, because I have no interest in the movie. But this was such a wonderful story. You are right, the language and immersion in the era is entrancing. It's such a well-rounded story too, not just focusing on the romance but bringing in all the issues of the politics of war, PTSD, societal upheaval, etc. Just a fabulous story.

[dracavia]

I finally read it yesterday/today and I can't thank you enough for rec'ing this, I absolutely adored it.