Reading Room VI - The Lads in Other Times - The Victorian Kitchen Gardener by Lizzie

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

Title: The Victorian Kitchen Gardener
Author: Lizzie
Pairing: B/D
Link to story or zine/ProsLib info: at the Circuit Archive or at the Hatstand Archive or on the ProsLib CD or in Whatever We Are, You Made Us

Who doesn't like a Lizzie story? 

Doyle is staying with his sister and her husband, as he recovers from pneumonia. He is introduced to Bodie, a gardener at a local estate. Lizzie brings them together fairly quickly with some 'frottage in the potting cottage', and just as quickly breaks them apart with a misunderstanding on the part of both men. Doyle, wanting to help Bodie with whatever problem he is unwilling to talk about, keeps poking with a stick until Bodie finally erupts. Of course walls of anger and pride are built. Bring on the angst.

Lizzie artfully employs the sister, Frances, on Doyle's behalf and the Cook for the estate on Bodie's. Leave it to the women in their lives to know the true nature of their relationship and force them to overcome their stubborn pride. Its not easy to become attached to new characters in fanfiction, but these are two that I really enjoyed. After a particularly nasty exchange, Ray is unwilling to give up his outrage at Bodie. Frances asks Ray how long he intends to make Bodie suffer.

"He deserves it."

"Oh well, that's all right then, I take it all back!" He really was infuriating at times. Frances felt she could cheerfully have shaken him.

"He beat the living daylights out of me!"

"Yes, well...the notion has occurred to me on more than one occasion."

Ha! Now how many of us have had that same thought when the boys are being stupid? Bits of humor are present as well, for instance after their first encounter, Bodie reminds Ray that, as a policeman, he should follow his own advice.

"Which is?" "Come quietly."

I have yet to come away disappointed from any of Lizzie's stories and this historical AU is no exception. Thankfully, (for me anyway) you don't need to know much about Victorian England to get the feel for the setting of this story. Lizzie never overburdens with minutia. There is just the right amount of detail to set the scenes, making it easy to picture the gardens, the cottage, the kitchen and the assorted characters. Her writing moves smoothly between the thoughts and emotions of one person to the next.

The friendship, the conflicts, the angst and the interventions all intertwine for an enjoyable, believable AU with a happy ending! Your thoughts?

(Sorry I couldn't figure out the page split thing...)

Comments

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I do so enjoy a walk through Lizzie's world. It's always such a delight. Thanks!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree!

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

This has always been one of my favorite Pros AUs. Though there's obviously some differences, I can see "our" Bodie and Doyle quite clearly. Plus, I love long, plotty stories, so this one really fits the bill.

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

Its one of my favorites too. Their character traits are easily recognizable and the story is just the right length, with the right amount of drama to keep me interested.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ah, as you say - surely there's no one who doesn't like Lizzie fic! *g* I completely agree - the lads are the lads all the way through, the extra characters are real, and the setting is perfectly drawn, so that it's all just so B/D believable... *g* Thank you!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

This was one of the first Pros AU's I read. I remember thinking after the first read that the boys were completely in character. I don't know how she does it, but Lizzie has a knack for transplanting the boys and keeping them true to form. For me anyway. Thank you for commenting! *whew*

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

Yes, I enjoyed this a lot. I love the authorial (is that a word?) humour: 'females of the swooning variety', Sarah Hobbs 'catching hold of Doyle's arm, presumably in case he had a relapse', Bodie having to stop nuzzling Doyle because 'he suddenly realised Cook had reached the final verse', and Twirly's nickname.

And something inside me melted at Doyle's first sight of Bodie taking a slash. Lovely.

I can see a lot of Bodie and Doyle in there: they're both stubborn, Doyle inclined to rub things in (his reaction to Bodie's apology reminds me of how he treats the police in Takeaway), Bodie with a vein of compassion (the embarrassed snorer in the church), Doyle on his high horse about exploitation, Doyle a city lad (his surprise about the robin). Normally I don't, but yes, this is one AU fic I do see the lads in.

You're right about the original characters, too. Frances is quite Doyle-ish in her own way: stubborn and insistent and willing to push things. Obviously family traits :)

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

When I started my review, I was going to point out Doyle being on his high horse and Bodie's compassion, considerate nature for others. The review was getting to long, so I cut those points out. I do agree with you! I like the kitchen scenes, Bodie kissing Doyle's forehead, Cook trying to feed Doyle, Bodie seeking comfort in tea and cake. I like this version of the boys, its not far off the mark.

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

The review was getting too long, so I cut those points out

Oh, you shouldn't do that! I shall be busy next week, so I was drafting mine out today, and it's huge! Now I feel bad! Feel free to say loads!

More seriously, mind you, after a couple of hours of considering mine, and much as I adore the one I am doing, I have to agree that Lizzie's boys are closer. I wonder whether it's something to do with how close to our time something is set?

I am going to have to go and look at the Birdwatcher's Guide ones again. When I first read them, I didn't think it was very Bodie and Doyle at all. I wonder if that will change on a re-reading.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

thankfully, (for me anyway) you don't need to know much about Victorian England to get the feel for the setting of this story. Lizzie never overburdens with minutia.

I agree. She manages to create a very believable Victorian England (or what *I* feel comfortable with as Victorian England as I don't know much about it) with seemingly little effort and therein lies one of her many talents....like the cartoonist Rolf Harris who can just bring a picture to life with a few flourishes of the hand, so Lizzie manages the equivalent in her writing - it just seems to *happen* almost effortlessly and the result is very enjoyable.

Its not easy to become attached to new characters in fanfiction, but these are two that I really enjoyed.

That's an interesting point, in fact I think that's one of the reasons why I like Pros fiction because I don't have to use my imagination in order to see these characters as they've already been created for me in canon. Also, I'm very comfortable and secure with the familiar and I don’t want new characters coming in and threatening that security. The one or two exceptions to this is the character of Bodie's tutor, Cambridge, in Pam Roses's Arabian Nights and Doyle's female police colleague in Heat-Trace.

A good choice for the reading room and thanks for your review!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

I like historical fiction. For novels, I enjoy the Diana Gabaldon books. In fanfiction, its nice to have a shorter version, with familiar characters to relate to. (S&H and TS being my other faves) AU's in any fandom that have my favorite people completely out of sorts, I am not comfortable with at all. New characters, that don't cause harm to the pre-existing relationship are permissible! ;-)

Lizzie does paint a pretty picture.

Victorian Kitchen Gardener

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

I thoroughly enjoy all the period detail, which is lush and gorgeous, and I think the characterisation works very nicely (though I'm not 100% convinced about Doyle's reaction to watching Bodie have a piss; I think it's a bit too physical! Could see him gazing very appreciatively, say, but actually coming? Still, maybe that's just me!)

This fic is an old friend I come back to every now and again, and I do love it - Lizzie paints such a vivid picture! - but I have a sort of niggling feeling about the obstacles she finds to throw in their way; in this period, the taboo and the very real danger of losing everything if they were discovered would surely have been of great importance, and I think Lizzie downplays them slightly in favour of the ones she invents herself - the illiteracy and Bodie's hurt pride, and then the sexual bullying at the stables (with just a hint of everybody-fancies-Ray syndrome). These obstacles do work fine, but ... sometimes I feel I can see the nuts and bolts showing through just a tiny bit.

I probably should add for the purposes of clarification that I only bloody wish I could write half as well as she does!

Re: Victorian Kitchen Gardener

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

I agree about the opening scene. I was not 100% convinced either.

I too, had a 'niggling' feeling about the taboos of the time. The illiteracy and Bodie's pride/embarassment work for me, and were not a surprise. Nor was Doyle's outrage at the expolitation of the lower classes and the stable boys situation. As for the ending, it left me wondering how two eligible men keeping company with each other would not become the targets of speculation, fear and ultimately hatred amongst the villagers. Especially if one is a schoolteacher and the vicar's BIL. There are always unanswered questions.

Re: Victorian Kitchen Gardener

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes - I do think the illiteracy thing works (I probably didn't explain myself very well!) - it's just that the problems facing them are potentially so severe that I didn't feel Lizzie needed to bring in not one but two problems of her own devising. So I always fall out of the story a bit when we get to the stable assault; I would have liked the sexual bullying to have been built-in a little bit more (I know she does set it up earlier, but overall it feels a bit added-on - unlike the illiteracy problem, which feels like a properly integrated part of the story).

Thanks for this review, it's an interesting one to discuss!

[unoriginal-liz.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this - every story of Lizzie's that I've seen has been so warm and engaging. It's a pleasure to read and get lost in her world, and this is no exception :)

I do agree with whoever said that the obstacles she throws in Bodie and Doyle's path to togetherness strike a bit of an off-note. I mean, I think Bodie's illiteracy works and makes sense (character and plot wise) as an obstacle - but the stables and the abuse felt less organic. And even Bodie's illiteracy seems to...kind of allow the issue of homosexuality-in-a-repressive-time to get sidestepped - we don't really see the characters struggle with that (or acknowledge it much) because they're too busy dealing with the illiteracy thing.

That said, it's a really fabulous and memorable story, and one that really sticks with me :)

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

The stable abuse tangent does put a lot of people off. For a situation to arise that would outrage Doyle and Bodie's 'look the other way' attitude, its plausible for the setting. Bodie's response and Doyle leaving as a result, seems to be the end for them. Typical lads. Without the obstacles, we wouldn't have the angst!

[milomaus.livejournal.com]

I so love this story!
And you did such a lovely review, telling loads of stuff but not reveiling too much.

I do have to agree with the two comments before mine, but anyway, Lizzie paints such a beautiful picture, the flaws are very well hidden. Hardly to be recognized!

Thanks so much for this!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

Even though some aspects are glossed over, it doesn't detract from the overall beauty of the story. Thank you!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Wonderful review! I'm not a fan of AU, but I did enjoy this story. There was enough of 'my' Bodie and Doyle to make the story believable for me. And Lizzie is a terrific writer. I love the two quotes you pulled out of the story. Thanks for the rec/review - you did a great job!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the story!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I loved this story - I love Lizzie's writing and I love AUs. I agree to some extent with the comments above about the stable bullying but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the piece. Sorry to be so late commenting - I was away on 'the day' - but wanted to say thanks for the rec and review, anyway! It's always nice to be reminded of old favourites, and I hope some readers have been introduced to this for the first time and will make it one of their favourites, too!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

It is nice to be reminded of 'old favorites', especially with so many to choose from! Thank you for your comments.

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Sorry for being late! I finished reading the story this morning, and enjoyed it very much. Lizzie makes it so easy to just slip into another time and be right there with Bodie and Doyle, and a whole set of new characters. Was nice spotting Cowley as the butler there. *g*

I did think the beginning with Doyle watching Bodie piss was a little over the top, but oh well.
And I did wonder about Ray's sister being so supportive of Bodie, who did beat up her brother, and not because he was somehow hurting Bodie, but actually trying to help.
I also wondered about Bodie's compassion, in comparison to him knowing there was something going on in the stables, but completely ignoring the matter, except when it came to Ray. I understood Doyle being disgusted with Bodie right then, even though he did take his treatment of Bodie during the reading lessons way too far and was too stubborn to relent.
But then, if they were both perfect, there wouldn't be much of a story, and it was a good one!

[nypagan.livejournal.com]

It is a good one. I could believe Frances' attempt to reverse Ray's anger at Bodie for punching him. Stubborn pride on both parts. She must have figured Ray pushed just a little too hard and Bodie lashing out was well deserved. Frances was friends with the estate people and they all knew most of the hidden secrets that were part of the community. Since Ray was a guest, they, in turn, did not understand his outrage at their complacency.