“some are satin some are steel/ some are silk and some are leather/ they’re the faces of a stranger”

[larryhammer]

I’ve not had the chance to explore more than a small corner of Yuletide 2024, but I’ve already come across a handful worth rec’ing.

Though having said that, almost all the stories for Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic books were good. I'll just put down special mentions for:

those who [can] do (1929 words)
Rating: Not Rated
Relationships: Trisana Chandler & Daja Kisubo & Briar Moss & Sandrilene fa Toren, Pasco Acalon & Sandrilene fa Toren, Kirel & Daja Kisubo, Evumeimei Dingzai & Briar Moss, Trisana Chandler & Glakisa Irakory
Additional Tags: Teaching, Families of Choice, Growing Up, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Summary:

4 times the circle kids tried to impart an important lesson, and one time they knew they still have a lot to learn themselves

Teaching forces you to keep learning yourself.

Discipline of the Stars (3042 words)
Rating: General Audiences
Characters: Sandrilene fa Toren, Daja Kisubo, Briar Moss, Trisana Chandler
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Space
Summary:

Discipline was not the kind of spaceship Sandry usually traveled on.

The spaceship AU I didn’t know I wanted.

silence & solitude (1807 words)
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Trisana Chandler & Daja Kisubo & Briar Moss & Sandrilene fa Toren
Additional Tags: Postseries, Slice of Life
Summary:

There aren't very many ordinary days in Cheeseman Street.

Because yanno, mages as strong and important as these four would be of interest to spies.

A Selection of Letters from the Desk of Duchess Sandrilene fa Toren (2120 words)
Rating: General Audiences
Characters: Sandrilene fa Toren
Summary:

When it comes to threading the needle of statehood, who better than a stitch witch? Or: Sandry Does Politics.

Specifically, Sandry having won the inheritance struggle after the duke’s death does politics—with suitable subtlety. Excellent voice here.

And then there’s the Lord Peter Wimsey fic I loved:

Tea for Two (1951 words)
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Harriet Vane & Mary Wimsey
Additional Tags: Bechdel Test Pass, Female Friendship, Not Beta Read
Summary:

"I was complaining to my brother about how few friends I had, and he suggested that you might be an interesting person to know."

After Harriet is exonerated, she and Mary Wimsey meet for tea.

There are two fics exploring Harriet’s relationship with Mary Wimsey Parker, and while The Company of Women is also great, I loved this one more, possibly because of its tighter focus (the grain of salt: this takes place soon after Strong Poison, which I just finished rereading).

Meanwhile, I’ll keep exploring—I mean, I haven’t even gotten to the Persuasion fics yet. If anyone has recs for things that play to my interests, please share.

---L.

Subject quote from the Stranger, Billy Joel.

Comments

[movingfinger]

There's a very fine Miss Marple fic if you like those:

Lucy Eyelesbarrow and the Olympian Task

Spot-on with the tone, the problem, the solution, and the characters!

[larryhammer]

It’s in my TBR list.