I am so happy to see that you've returned and brought along another wonderful work of fiction. As a fan of Deja Vous and your other works, it was a joy to read this. I have an absolute love for Evelyn and Rick, and your way of expressing them as characters is truly captivating. Thank you so much for such wonderful storytelling, and I look forward to your next chapter of Deja Vous!

It's so good to see you writing again! I just happened to be checking my old e-mail, and when I saw that I had an Eve story alert I rushed over to read it.

And boy am I glad I did! It's been a long time since I've read Mummy fic, but I'll always love Rick and Evy (and Jonathan, too). You fleshed them out so beautifully, really delving into their lives and establishing motives for their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Not to mention the story was just plain adorable. I love Rick figuring out that maybe she's not the completely innocent, prim-and-proper girl he thought she was. This is usually my favorite time-frame for Mummy fic, after their Hamunaptra adventure, when there's so much potential for where their relationship is going. You definitely filled the potential with this story.

I hope to see more from you, and soon!

Very much enjoy your storytelling and this particular story. Looking forward to the next one.

Hey Eve, it’s great to have you back! I was starting to mourn such a tragic loss to fanfiction, but it seems I was somewhat premature in ordering the black armbands ;-)

I have been dying to see an update to Deja Vous, but I understand if you can’t go back to a story you started so long ago, especially when you’re bound to have changed as a person since then. But I’m glad to see your writing style hasn’t changed too much, because this is another great story! I absolutely love the way you write from Rick’s POV – I’ve never seen anyone do him quite so much justice as you. The initial argument between him and Evy was brilliant, and seeing it from his perspective made it even more frustrating and plausible. Men never do say what they think, do they?

You’ve also captured Jonathan perfectly. The line that really made me pause and reflect on how well you understand his relationship with Evy was this one:

“Bad manners, old dear,” he chided, indicating the book. “I raised you better than that.”

No one else ever seems to mention the fact that Jonathan is considerably older than Evy (by at least 10 years I should think) and probably had something to do with her upbringing. The way that Jonathan can suddenly switch from being the irrepressibly charming yet irresponsible brother to this caring paternal figure is very endearing.

That’s not to say there aren’t things about him that irk me. There aree some anachronisms in terms of his attitude, particularly towards her relationship with Rick –

“Look here, madam, there’s no need to be stroppy with me because your boy-friend kept you up all hours of the night.”

This is not something I would expect any (vaguely) respectable man of the 20s to say to his sister. Respectable young ladies did not have ‘boyfriends’ they had gentleman callers, or suitors. And I doubt very much that jonathan’s principle reaction to the thought of someone putting his tongue down his sister’s throat would be mere distaste. Surely even Jonathan would see that the two of them should not be behaving that way?

Also, I wasn’t sure about his discussion with Evy about the Great Gatsby. I never really thought of Jonathan as someone interested in anything of a serious or academic nature, and I can’t imagine him considering a book as viable entertainment while cooped up on a boat. Drinking? Yes. Gambling? Most assuredly. Reading...? Hmm. The whole academic debate seemed a little like a literary essay put into the mouths of the characters as a clever period reference (and jonathan can probably be likened to the Great Gatsby in some ways) rather than because it was something that was likely to happen.

But I love the humour Jon provides, which you expertly execute in little light touches of wit such as:

‘He thought he was hiding his shock rather well, until he realized he was buttering his napkin.’

And I’m absolutely loving the image of Jon and Rick smoking on deck, especially when you embroider the picture with imagery like this:

“And good morning to you, Madam,” Jonathan called, cordially. Perhaps it was the influence of the cigarette, but he was feeling the heady confidence of a matador—which was good, because Evie looked as though she were about to gore him.

I practically snorted at that (making my colleagues somewhat suspicious that I’m not, in actual fact, perusing accounting spreadsheets as previously thought).

And the way he was determined to keep hold of his cigarette even if it meant being throttled... brilliant :-)

‘Author’s note: to avoid scandalizing anyone, ‘to knock someone up’ in English slang means to knock on their door and wake them up’

Perhaps this meaning of the phrase was more common in the 20s because I don't know anyone who uses it in that sense, and I'm as English as tea and scones and clotted cream!

Hmm... not sure how I feel about the whole premarital shenanigans thing... I mean you justified it well, and it didn’t seem particularly out of character, until you showed Evie waking up and complaining about being sore because he is ‘quite a large man’ – something about that just seemed a little... in poor taste. Not very romantic. In fact their whole rather salty post-coital conversation rather spoilt the fic for me I'm afraid. Everything after their making up scene was a little unneccesary in my eyes, going over the events of the film again and signposting all the moments of attraction between them.

Still, for all my nitpicking (which is essentially just saying I would have done it differently, not necessarily that you did it wrong) I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I’m glad you’re back and look forward to reading many more of your fics – the Mummy category has been bereft of your talents for far too long :-)

Words cannot express my excitement at your return! you have been greatly missed. Another excellent fic.