My Dinner With Angelique by Linda Cornett (G)

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

Hi, folks!  I'm theladyrose, and I'll be driving the crack van for Man from UNCLE this September.

Fandom: THE MAN FROM UNCLE
Pairing: Angelique/Illya (sort of...but not really)
Author on LJ: lcorn
Author Website: Linda Cornett's Fiction Collection
Why this must be read:

When I first stumbled upon Linda Cornett's fanfic site, I basically gobbled up all of her writing in four hours because I couldn't get enough of her work.  Her genre crossovers have already been rec'd here for good reason  - her knack for strong character voices is unmistakable; I'm particularly fond of her Chandleresque detective and Italian chef.  I've been consistently impressed by her realistic female OCs; these are women who have faced the gamut of whatever life throws at them and can damn well take care of themselves, gaining experience without losing their humanity in the process.

This treatment extends to villainesses as well as innocents.  Is there any conceivable situation when we can have a sympathetic view of our fandom's favorite femme fatale, let alone a believable détente between Angelique and Illya?  The emotional stakes have never been so high in this finely calibrated cat and mouse game; by the end, I swear I felt my heart break just a little in a way I had never expected.

My Dinner With Angelique

Comments

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Yay, terrific rec! This is one of the very few versions of Angelique I find credible as a human being. Linda is such a phenomenal writer, I love her takes on both canon characters and OCs.

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've always been fascinated by the concept of Angelique, but sometimes I feel she's dragged into fanfic as a convenient, kinky villainess rather than appreciated as a complex character in her own right. I just loved Linda's insightful take on Illya and Angelique's relationship, how he's capable of turning the tables on her and yet still is capable of sympathizing with her circumstances.

Much as I enjoy her portrayal of canon characters, I find her OCs more intriguing - I love how she draws upon people from all walks of life and how the intersection of their lives with the agents' illuminate so much about all parties.

[just-katarin.livejournal.com]

Would it be possible to get this post switched to the default formatting? It's a bit tough to see on my flist

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

Sorry about that - the colors were screwed up for some reason. I hope it appears OK now to you because it's OK on my computer.