How to even begin to write about Truth and Measure by Telanu – the greatest piece of women loving women (wlw) fanfiction ever written? When it comes to reading I regret two things: that I haven’t read Truth and measure sooner (I read it about six months into my fanfiction journey), and that I can’t read Truth and Measure anew. Every time I recommend it to people, I am always awash with envy that they get to experience it for the first time. And then right after recommending it, I schedule my yearly re-read of this story.
For those who are still to experience the marvel that is Truth and Measure by Telanu, it is a story that legitimately COULD have happened after The Devil Wears Prada movie ends. It slots into the DWP universe perfectly, giving the characters of the movie a wonderful journey and a perfect ending.
Miranda Priestly, the Dragon Lady and Snow Queen of the Runway Magazine, returns from Paris as a temporary winner in her war with the CEO of the company that owns her magazine, Irv Ravitz. But why is she not happy with winning the battle? Why is she drawn and even more unreasonable and demanding and are those dark circles under those brilliant blue eyes? The horror sends her assistants scattering and scrambling for reasons behind their mercurial boss’ mysterious behavior.
Andy Sachs, after almost throwing her phone into the Parisian fountain, decides to stay and prove her cold unreachable boss that there are ways of being both successful and kind. And also because the rare glimpse of vulnerability in those aforementioned blue eyes awoke something in Andy’s heart.
What follows is a ride that spans over 270,000 words (along with the several follow-up additions that Telanu generously provides us) that had me staying up for 48 hours hanging on every word.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Oh, where to start.
My favorite parts? Does “absolutely every part” count as an answer?
The Truth and Measure universe is so satisfyingly rich. Doesn’t it just makes you sad when you love a story and it is rather short and you think, if only it was 200,000 words or so? Well, Truth and Measure leaves no such questions.
I got to spend days enjoying the structure, the flawless build-up, the titles of the chapters. Everything is precise, the tempo, the timing, the choice of words, of introductory quotes, the title itself. It’s all perfection.
The chemistry that builds and builds, and despite the two leads finally coming to an understanding of sorts about 40% into the story, thus ending Andy’s pining and moping, the story never feels like a slow burn. The progression is seamless, logical, intuitive. And because once it burns? It scorches.
Miranda and Andy are flawed, naive, kind, savvy, wise, reckless, mean, sexy, brilliant, cold, selfish, loving, selfless, deep… The characters are painfully alive. They live and breathe among the pages. They grow, they fail, they live, they rise, they beat all odds, they feel real and they are what drives the story. You see them, you understand them, you know them.
The communication. Andy and Miranda TALK. They communicate. They are refreshingly candid with each other, about who they are, who they will become. They know each other. They see the good, the bad and the ugly. And they learn to accept and love for all those flaws and all those imperfections.
The characters stay true to themselves. No matter what happens, Miranda Priestly is Miranda Priestly. She is unapologetically herself. She shows her true colors and shows her heart, sure, but she is also just plain herself throughout it all. Well, as if there is anything plain about the most iconic Ice Queen.
In romance literature characters who are initially viewed as villains, or as possessing villainous traits (and don’t get me started on DWP casting Miranda as the villain, when it’s that good-for-nothing boyfriend that was the villain all along), tend to change when confronted with the pure love of the angelic other protagonist. Well, Miranda Priestly changes for no one. And that is okay. Andy’s love isn’t shallow, or naive, no matter how naive Andy herself at times is. Her love is strong and steady and just that rock that give Miranda the foundation to go and do what she does best – take on the world and win. And then bring everything that world has to offer to Andy’s feet. Because even here Miranda Priestly is true to herself, once the Snow Queen falls, she does so without holding anything back.
Cons And Heads Up
Nary a one. Zero, zip, zilch. It’s perfection from the first word to the last. Including the add-ons. Though the story told by Archer Paul Priestly, The Parting Glass, made me sob. Without spoilers, just watch for the tags for that one.
Conclusion
I heard Truth and Measure be called the Lesfic Bible. I can’t say for certain, but I think it was Lee Winter who coined the phrase (apologies, Lee, if I’m wrong). I think it is singlehandedly the most talked about and recommended piece of wlw fanfiction out there. It ages like fine wine, being published on AO3 in 2013.
I read it many times, and yet I still find little tidbits that make me smile, or wonder at the turn of the phrase, or nod, or laugh out loud, or go a little gooey. Telanu’s writing is brilliant. It’s engaging, it keeps the reader on their toes, and yet it’s also comforting, you can trust it, it won’t let you down. Telanu will take you through the wringer, but you will love every moment, every sentence, every chapter. But then Telanu will deliver you to the happiest of endings, in tears, and in smiles.
True talent shines, true talent calls out, true talent resonates through years and through thousands of people who read the story. Telanu is that kind of talent. Rare, brilliant, unique.
I, and the whole wlw fiction community, breathlessly await for the publication of the Truth and Measure novel by Roslyn Sinclair. It will be amazing!
Oh, and you know, if Snow White was part of the DWP fandom… Heck, even her annoying presence would not have managed to ruin the masterpiece that is Truth and Measure.
Excerpt from Truth and Measure by Telanu
Another week passed. Miranda took to sending Emily home and keeping Andy late at night, as if she’d decided she didn’t need two assistants dancing attendance on her at one in the morning. Andy watched jealously as Emily went home at nine o’clock sharp, while Emily looked hatefully at Andy for being so much in Miranda’s good graces. Nobody won. Except Miranda, of course.
Andy was used to waiting around for the book anyway, so this wasn’t such a big deal, but it was odd to have Miranda there too, every single night. When Miranda kept hanging around for the fourth night in a row–and wouldn’t let Andy go home, even after the book had arrived–Andy started to suspect that Miranda wasn’t so much busy as she was lonely. Well, no, Miranda was always busy, but no busier than usual, and nothing was going on that would require her to remain in the nearly-empty offices with her exhausted second assistant.
Andy wasn’t sure that Miranda was getting all that much out of her company, either. Miranda never talked to her, except to issue orders. There was no conversation, no chit-chat. Andy hadn’t expected anything else, of course. They weren’t friends.
In fact, as far as Andy could tell, Miranda didn’t really have friends. She had colleagues, like Nigel; she had business acquaintances, like Irv and Glenda; she had her social circle, like all the people she hung out with at parties and fundraisers. But Andy’d had a pretty good look into Miranda’s social life by now (it was hard not to, considering), and as far as she could tell, Miranda didn’t have anything like a real buddy. Fair enough: Andy couldn’t imagine anybody wanting to be Miranda’s buddy, either. Nigel was the closest thing to it, and look how he’d gotten burned.
She glanced over at Miranda, just in time to see her remove her glasses and rub her hands over her eyes. Her shoulders had a slump that put Andy’s best efforts to shame. She looked utterly miserable, in a Miranda-ish way.
Andy cleared her throat. Miranda started and looked up. “Um,” Andy said, wondering why the hell she’d even opened her mouth, “d-do you want me to get you some coffee?”
Great. No, stupid. Stupid. If Miranda wanted coffee, she’d ask for it. You never offered to do things for Miranda. She didn’t want to hear the sound of your voice when she was trying to—
“Decaf,” Miranda said, and looked back down at the photos on her desk as if Andy hadn’t spoken at all.
Andy made it back to the office in record time. New York sucked in a lot of ways, but you could always find something that was open for twenty-four hours, including Starbucks. When she got back, Miranda didn’t look at her, but reached up and took the coffee directly from her hand. Her fingers brushed against Andy’s, but she didn’t appear to notice.
Andy’s own fingers tingled as she quickly returned to her desk. Her stomach squirmed uncomfortably, because she couldn’t help wondering how long it had been since Miranda had actually touched somebody, and if she’d done it on purpose or not.
Find the full story here
Bits And Bobs
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Length: 271,584
Author: Telanu
Rating: E
Rating Guide: G= General, T = Teen and up, M=Mature, E = explicit
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