Last recs set before the Yuletide reveal

[rushthatspeaks]

The Betrothal Visit-- Victorian Romance Emma. Dancing girls POV! Eeee! I've always wanted the dancing girls' POVs in Emma; frankly I've always thought they should have their own manga. And this is a plausible inside to them, a real plural viewpoint: intelligent, bored, willing to behave well according to their rules and to other peoples' but possibly not to both at once. Also William and Emma are very cute here, as it should be. But! Dancing girls! Lovely!

Houses and Rain-- xxxHolic. There are several very good xxxHolic fics this year. I think this is my favorite. The ame-warashi, and the zashiki-warashi, and things that can and can't be had. Funny where it isn't beautiful, aching where it isn't sweet. "I asked her once why she lived on a mountain instead of a house, and she'd said that's where all house-spirits without homes lived, because the mountains are the house of God. "

Sefirot-- Angel Sanctuary. My housemate Thrud says that she found Angel Sanctuary very confusing until she read an untranslated Latin manuscript footnote to-- oh, which foundational work of Catholic theology was it again?-- anyway, it was at the Vatican-- and then suddenly she knew enough about the lore of angels for the whole thing to make sense, every character's every alias predictable (and she kept getting them right in advance). I just thought you all might like to know that. Anyway, there was more than one very good Angel Sanctuary fic this Yuletide, too, and this is my favorite. I have a weakness for the Kabbalah, and this is Lucifer and Alexiel weaving in and out of each other and the tree of life: language and structure and sensory overload. The fic I expect to reread most from this year (except the one that was for me); there will always be something new and interesting. Also, best summary of the year. Seriously.

Those Who Favour Fire-- Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke. I think I always wanted it to go this way, really, after the end of the book; this is a beautifully crafted jab to the heart. '"When I die," he said, "Don't take that as an excuse, all right?"'

Ducenti Quinquaginta-- Dorothy Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey books. Just post the end of Gaudy Night: da mihi bascia mille, but maybe not actually in a boat. It's very hard to get the tone of Sayers, and this has all the joy it ought to. As a bonus, gives good Bunter.

And that's my last set till the reveal. Happy Yuletide, everybody!