Divided Halves by Victoria Martin (PG-13)

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: ambiguous - Napoleon/Illya, depending on your interpretation
Author on LJ: azdak
Author's Website: See her LJ.
Rating: PG-13 because of the emotional content.
Why this must be read:

Angst over the loss or the potential loss of a partner in this fandom is nothing new.  While many authors have skillfully explored the emotional fallout and resulting revelations (the St. Crispins universe, shayheyred's Phoenix, Patricia Foley's Partners and Taliesin's Revenant series are but a few of the previously rec'd that come to mind), one would think that in all the combination and permutations of fanfic out there the subject has been covered to death (apologies for that poor unintentional pun).

Thankfully azdak has convinced me otherwise.  Ice Prince Illya masking a bleeding heart is a cliche that I'd like to bury with all the Thrush goons who didn't succumb to sleep darts, but our author is too skilled to fall into such a simplistic character trap.  I love her portrayal of a coolly professional, older Illya coming to terms with the possibility that not all is what it seems with the demise of Napoleon Solo.  We have some illuminating commentary from other UNCLE HQers past and present - her OC Sam Parks is hilariously believable but no mere comic relief.  But what stands out most are the brief interactions between Napoleon and Illya that tell us so much more than what some authors take entire fics to say.

Please waste no time in reading Divided Halves.

Comments

[franciskerst.livejournal.com]

I read it when it was first posted and loved it, the style as much as the story line. And now I am going to read it a second time, thanks to you. Also thanks for mentioning Pat Foley, who has been my favourite "non-slash" author ever.

You're very much welcome!

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

I really love how she's used the external atmosphere of UNCLE to illuminate the understated emotional dynamics of the agents' partnership. We get so many perspectives on NS and IK's relationship - through the lens of Waverly, through the newbies in HQ and through the guys themselves. The public is very much the private in their line of work, and I find it fascinating how Napoleon and Illya still have this intimate bond that expresses itself in ways that they themselves can't quite describe but understand at some core level. It really is timeless, and azdak expresses it in this beautifully unclichéd way.

I have to thank this community (perhaps it was one of your recs?) for introducing me to Pat Foley, whose epics basically leave me in awe of their complexity. I must confess my love of Illya's college essay in the Red Retriever Affair; I worked in college admissions and I only wish I had the chance to admit someone like that!

[rawa-02.livejournal.com]

That was perfect.

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

She's an amazing writer, isn't she? I'm just amazed by how easily I can imagine this situation really happening, and somehow she manages to capture all of these characters, our main agents and the folks from HQ, without short-shrifting any of them.