It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #38 · 8:28pm Dec 8th, 2021
Continuing the focus on newer authors, I'm going to swing us in a melancholy direction today. These three stories share the Sad tag, though I'll note that they have their more shining moments, too.
We'll lead with the oldest of the accounts this month - Purple Seacow, who got their first publish in September with Unburying.
Conceptually, this one runs a similar thread to the deservedly famed Five Hundred Little Murders: Fluttershy dealing with the fact that death is part of the cycle of life. (I make the mention not to try and directly compare the two as that's very unfair, but because I know somebody else will bring it up if I don't.)
One of the rabbits under her care doesn't show up to be fed one day. The second, she gets concerned. By the fourth day, she knows and fetches her spade.
This story approaches the subject introspectively: touching not just on the process of unearthing the animal and Fluttershy's thoughts, but also her own dealing with the subject. It's a somber piece, taking its time and trying (like Fluttershy) to focus on the little details of the scene. The ending - the aftercare - is probably my favorite part of this scene. Just because the deed is done doesn't mean the emotions are past, after all.
Next up we have what I think is the brightest of today's stories: A Thousand Words by Silver Mint.
Told primarily through the medium of short letters between Sweet Biscuit and Jasmine Leaf, it tracks through their relationship. I won't go deeper since it's only 1000 words exactly (as the title states), but the fact that I placed it in this set implies plenty.
It's sweet. It's touching. It's bittersweet and just... meaningful. The story does a lot with very, very few words and I can appreciate that. It's a wonderful little capsule of two deeper lives and gives us a wonderful glimpse into who the two characters are. Prime stuff.
And lastly today, we have Requiem for Sonata by Summer Solstice. The author's profile mentions that their focus is in Hurt/Comfort fics, and this fits that bill well.
This two scene piece set it well: first with Sonata Dusk at the aquarium. It's an obvious place of comfort for her, talking to a seahorse and remembering her own days in the ocean long, long ago. The second scene has Aria find her at home, staring at a blank TV while holding a stuffed animal. And Sonata says, simply: "I miss home."
Now, I'll open with that the Sirens are some of my favorite characters because there's so much you can do with them, and this is just what I mean. They can be cruel. They can be predatory. They can just as easily be tragic and pitiable. Even though they did terrible things, there's still tons of room to humanize them - and Summer Solstice does just that here in a little tale that adds depth to them. And not simply Sonata either - Aria does well here too, fulfilling a role she doesn't want and isn't good at but still steps up when Sonata needs her. There's a lot of character chemistry packed into a little space here, and it was wonderfully enjoyable to read.
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I enjoyed "Requiem for Sonata" a lot, especially seeing how the characters are interpreted and developed, and how they interact.
......
Well I'm gonna spend the next few hours rolling around on the floor in a slightly emotional state.
You liked the aftermath!
That was the hardest part to get to feel right!