This is an absolutely fabulous rendering of the Winchesters and the time period. I especially loved how the boys spoke-- that extra level of formality that gave it the proper Edwardian flavor, and yet beneath that was still the Winchester-ese we all know and love. And Tessa! So cool!
I've read very little steampunk, so I expected a more difficult read, but you did a great job making the story comprehensible for the inexperienced reader. I really enjoyed the little tweaks that made it an alternate-history as well as an alternate-universe story.
One teensy, tiny quibble, though . . . in part 4, when the newspaperman is sending Sam and Dean to see his former wife?
"I’m not sure I'm doing her any favors," he said, "but it's Mrs. Helen Reilly." Dean raised his eyebrows. "My ex-wife."
That form of address would actually indicate a widow rather than a divorcee. A divorced woman of the time would be referred to as "Mrs. {maiden name} Reilly." Given the amount of detail that seemed historically accurate in the story, I thought perhaps you might like to know. ( Though I'm sure that only I and Miss Manners would have noticed, and I doubt that she's reading SPN Big Bang stories on her day off. ) Hope I did not offend!
Again, FANTASTIC story that made a boring day at work much more enjoyable!
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Date: 2009-06-29 07:58 pm (UTC)I've read very little steampunk, so I expected a more difficult read, but you did a great job making the story comprehensible for the inexperienced reader. I really enjoyed the little tweaks that made it an alternate-history as well as an alternate-universe story.
One teensy, tiny quibble, though . . . in part 4, when the newspaperman is sending Sam and Dean to see his former wife?
"I’m not sure I'm doing her any favors," he said, "but it's Mrs. Helen Reilly." Dean raised his eyebrows. "My ex-wife."
That form of address would actually indicate a widow rather than a divorcee. A divorced woman of the time would be referred to as "Mrs. {maiden name} Reilly." Given the amount of detail that seemed historically accurate in the story, I thought perhaps you might like to know. ( Though I'm sure that only I and Miss Manners would have noticed, and I doubt that she's reading SPN Big Bang stories on her day off. ) Hope I did not offend!
Again, FANTASTIC story that made a boring day at work much more enjoyable!