The Windup Girl (K/P) and She Flies with Her Own Wings (K/P)

Hey all! forthegenuine here, in my inaugural post. I want to thank the lovely staff here at Nightlock Recs for being such gracious hosts, and for the warm welcome I've received. I will be recommending Alternate Universe Fics here at NR about once a month.

I know that there are a ton of great AU fics out right now, but I want to spotlight a couple that are perhaps not as well-known. They are both works in progress, so hopefully with a little encouragement, these authors might be inspired to let us continue reading their works.

Title: The Windup Girl

Author: otterpuke
Rating: M

Summary: I wondered briefly if I would suffer the same fate as Finnick. After all, the Girl on Fire would price a fair penny in the Capitol, and as I crossed the arena bare in shackles and filth, oh but did the lions roar as they placed their bidding.

Recommendation: "The Windup Girl" grabbed my attention from the get-go. Like any good epic, it starts in medias res (in the middle of things), and the reader is left to wonder what exactly transpired in this universe. The characterization of the characters is familiar... with the exception of Peeta. I think many of us are intrigued by "dark" Peeta stories because we're so used to seeing him gentle-like for the most part. Glimpses of his twisted, hijacked persona are deliciously portrayed in the threatening and fearful version of Peeta this author has reinterpreted. The story also incorporates canon events, although the deviations are not yet fully explained. I love the narrative style in this piece because it is very reminiscent of Collins's voice. I'm anxious to discover where this story came from, and where it's headed next. The story is dark, though, so be forewarned.

Title: She Flies with Her Own Wings
Author: RainyDaysAnyways
Rating: M
Summary: When her father moved the family from the Seam to the forests of Oregon, Katniss thought she would never again see the Boy with the Bread. Now 18, the tough logger's daughter has arranged to take over as schoolteacher at Camp 7. Her plans are thwarted when college boy Peeta Mellark, fresh off the train, gets the job instead.

Recommendation: I love how The Hunger Games's characters and plot can be translated into period pieces. This one is set in 1916, and the author reveals that it is inspired by the Anne of Green Gables series. Having never read the series myself, I don't have anything to compare this fic to, but it draws you in immediately with the earnest characterization of an early-Twentieth Century and twenty-year-old Peeta. We've yet to meet this universe's Katniss, but the author has hinted that we will have that pleasure very shortly. While the plot has yet to be developed fully, you can appreciate that the story hints of an Oregon that is at once idyllic and progressive, contains a rich family drama, is peppered with humor, and yes, quite sexy at times. This is definitely a piece that I am on the lookout for.


That's all for now, folks! I hope you enjoy reading. Cheers!