Mad Boy's Love Song
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Mad Boy's Love Song |
| Author(s): | bee_muse |
| Date(s): | 29 August 2011 |
| Length: | 917 words |
| Genre: | missing scene |
| Fandom: | Mary Renault |
| External Links: | (members-locked) |
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"Mad Boy's Love Song" is a short story by bee_muse based on Mary Renault's 1953 novel The Charioteer. It takes place concurrent with the events described in Chapter Eight, and concludes with the canonical first encounter between Laurie and Ralph's current lover, Bunny.
Synopsis
Having read of Laurie in Ralph's journals, Bunny is jealous and insecure after hearing that "That Boy" had turned up again. To assure himself of "His Ralph"'s devotion, he decides to prepare an especially delectable high tea for the two of them.
Background
For any piece of fan fiction to take Bunny's perspective is unusual; and "Mad Boy's Love Song" was the more so for making a serious effort to understand Bunny and his motivation for behaving the way he does. In response to a comment, the author explains her reasons for tackling the story:
I have always felt the need for some..space (for the lack of a better word) to explain the malice; it couldn't be that preordained a trait. Bunny's later and latter actions, while intensely vexing, have registered more as a sad decline than plain 'bad', if you know what I mean. I would still want to dislike him heartily, but reading him as the sole impersonal force maléfique feels cruel in a completely different way.
— response made by bee_muse on maryrenaultics to a comment by trueriver
Comments
Comments were wryly favourable:
- "This is so true. Of course, there has to be a person behind the flouncing. Drat you.."—greerwatson
- "Self-knowledge is not one of Bunny's strong points, is it?"—heartofoshun
- "Oh dear. Right. It's thoroughly shocking to have to like a character you've quite settled down to detest. It's even worse to feel bad for them, and, dear gods, don't I just. Bit ashamed of myself, too, for dismissing Boo in so high-handed a manner. [...]"—toujours_nigel