[Nation] What Waves Cannot Take

[xdiorix]

Title: What Waves Cannot Take by Hokuto
Reader: blackglass
Bingo Square(s): using a cheat to swap out "collaborate with one or more writers" for "try an accent" (emphasis on the word TRY; also, I decided that pod-together is TOO FAR AWAY, hence the cheat)
Fandom: Nation by Terry Pratchett
Pairing: Mau/Daphne
Length: 11:09
Summary: Suppose that Daphne's father didn't find the island right after the Raiders... A might-have-been.

Link to Podfic: At AO3

Comments

[fire_juggler]

This was so charming! I'm completely unfamiliar with the canon, so I just listened to it like original fic and was delighted from the beginning. I was on my (very early) morning walk and laughed out loud at the way you a read the "yes! I mean no!" part. :D

[xdiorix]

*DEEP BREATH* I don't know if you've ever read any Terry Pratchett, or even Good Omens, but Nation is one of his YA books and it is DELIGHTFUL. I always meant to write meta about it, but never got around to doing it. It's an alternate history book wherein a tsunami (the Wave) destroys much of a chain of islands in the South Pacific (based on Polynesia if I'm not mistaken) and around the same time, there's been an epidemic in England which wipes out much of the population, including most of the 100 or so nobles in line for the throne, which makes Daphne's father the new King, and Daphne the new princess. Only Daphne was on a boat to join her father in the Caribbean and got caught up in that wave, which dumps her on Mau's island.

The whole book is just...the most moving, wry, warm, and nuanced commentary on grief, the role of faith/religion in the wake of great tragedy, the debate of faith vs science (can they coexist? do they?), with a beautiful and pointed message about imperialism and colonialism without ever getting preachy or sanctimonious and I just! *clutches chest* I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUH-HUH-HUUUUUUCH. AND I LOVE MAU AND DAPHNE SO MUCH AND EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THEIR ENDING MAKES SENSE, I STILL REALLY NEED ALLLLLL THE FIX-IT FIC WHERE THEY GET TO BE TOGETHER.

[fire_juggler]

I will definitely add it to my To Read pile! I love YA in general, and I've read some Terry Pratchett when I was younger (and of course, Good Omens :D, has anyone not read Good Omens?!). Sounds lovely!

[xdiorix]

And also, I'm glad you enjoyed the podfic! :D (I got carried away by my Nation feelings there)