Sherlock Holmes Genderswap Recs (fem!Sherlock)
Right, so I know how this seems like it’s pretty random, but there is a reason! After watching (and falling in love with) the 3-episode BBC series Sherlock (which is great except for utterly failing the Bechdel Test and also random race!fail in part 2), I started wondering where the hell all the female geniuses were. I couldn’t off the top of my head imagine that many brilliant females at all. The closest I could come to one that could possibly match Holmes’ character and brilliance was Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (etc.) series. I can think of tons of smart ladies, sure; Hermione’s very clever, for example. But a sheer brilliant female genius? Couldn’t think of one except Lisbeth. And that really started to bother me.
EDIT: The TV characters of Temperance "Bones" Brennan in the show Bones may actually qualify. She seems pretty damn brilliant/socially awkward/Holmesian. I'll need to see more episodes. The TV character of Amy Farrah Fowler in the show The Big Bang Theory may also qualify, as a brilliant, socially awkward counterpart to the character of Sheldon, but again, I haven't seen that many episodes.
I found a pseudo fix in reading Laurie R. King's The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, in which a young girl with a Holmesian intellect is taken under his wing, but he was still half the focus and for the purpose of this experiment, I wanted it all to be on her. (But I still love this series. For more, see my reviews of book 2, book 3, book 4, book 5, book 6, book 7, and the radio drama.)
And then I found fanfic in which Sherlock Holmes is a woman. Thank God for the world of fanfic, I tell you. Correcting misogyny one word at a time. Often John Watson is also a woman, but that doesn’t matter to me in this case; I want to see a dazzling female intellect wowing the average, everyday citizenry.
EDIT: Okay, so I'm coming to realize that it's not just that I want a female genius (though I'll take those!). I actually want an arrogant female genius. Someone irritating, confident, abrasive, demanding. I don't want a cute little girl who demurely and quietly provides her brain powers to the betterment of humanity; I want a woman with charisma who explodes onto the scene, verbally eviscerates everyone, and then sweeps away with her massive intellect. Yeah...in short, I want a female Sherlock Holmes. And I've found some.
Something like this would have been very helpful to me when I was searching for them, so I’ve compiled a recs list of all the ones I’ve found and loved. Please do let me know if you come across a great fic that I’ve neglected! This type of story really means a lot to me and says something important about gender and genius. Plus, you know, the idea of girl!Sherlock is just really, really hot.
:: Sherlock Holmes Genderswap Recs (fem!Sherlock focus) ::
:: Fanart! ::
: : :
More, please, pretty authors who are into this, too? *bats eyelashes*
Random edits after the fact:
Back to the Sherlock Recs Masterpost: ( Taxi!)
EDIT: The TV characters of Temperance "Bones" Brennan in the show Bones may actually qualify. She seems pretty damn brilliant/socially awkward/Holmesian. I'll need to see more episodes. The TV character of Amy Farrah Fowler in the show The Big Bang Theory may also qualify, as a brilliant, socially awkward counterpart to the character of Sheldon, but again, I haven't seen that many episodes.
I found a pseudo fix in reading Laurie R. King's The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, in which a young girl with a Holmesian intellect is taken under his wing, but he was still half the focus and for the purpose of this experiment, I wanted it all to be on her. (But I still love this series. For more, see my reviews of book 2, book 3, book 4, book 5, book 6, book 7, and the radio drama.)
And then I found fanfic in which Sherlock Holmes is a woman. Thank God for the world of fanfic, I tell you. Correcting misogyny one word at a time. Often John Watson is also a woman, but that doesn’t matter to me in this case; I want to see a dazzling female intellect wowing the average, everyday citizenry.
EDIT: Okay, so I'm coming to realize that it's not just that I want a female genius (though I'll take those!). I actually want an arrogant female genius. Someone irritating, confident, abrasive, demanding. I don't want a cute little girl who demurely and quietly provides her brain powers to the betterment of humanity; I want a woman with charisma who explodes onto the scene, verbally eviscerates everyone, and then sweeps away with her massive intellect. Yeah...in short, I want a female Sherlock Holmes. And I've found some.
Something like this would have been very helpful to me when I was searching for them, so I’ve compiled a recs list of all the ones I’ve found and loved. Please do let me know if you come across a great fic that I’ve neglected! This type of story really means a lot to me and says something important about gender and genius. Plus, you know, the idea of girl!Sherlock is just really, really hot.
:: Sherlock Holmes Genderswap Recs (fem!Sherlock focus) ::
- And Then You Wake by SomeoneElsesDream
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. A re-telling of Season 1 (and before!) with fem!Sherlock. The thing I really like about genderswapped Sherlock is her sheer arrogance. It’s something that I don’t care about much in male!Sherlock, but I like it fem!lock, I guess because of its rarity: it’s not often we get to see genius women with the egos to match their massive intellects. The Sherlock in this story is a Sherlock who corrects her school counselor’s grammar, who sneers the name of her rapist in his face. This story also features a very compelling look at John’s life as an army doctor and civilian pre-Sherlock. Trigger warnings for torture and rape, which I’m usually fairly stoic about but found rather traumatic here-and I know it bothered me more here because Sherlock’s a woman, and I’m disturbed that I have that much of a double standard when it comes to an act that would be horrific for anybody, but there it is. There are a few minor punctuation errors on this one, and I have to admit that I liked the bits where the author wrote new material over the parts where she covered canon events, but overall it’s very enjoyable. Quote: Sherlock has thrown herself onto the sofa in a truly spectacular display of pique. Somehow, and John does spend an inordinate amount of time wondering on the subject, she manages to look like a forlorn marionette the instant strings are cut, her long limbs akimbo and her dressing gown spread out like crushed butterfly wings, and yet also as though she could spring up at a moment’s notice and kill you with her brain. - Astronomy by parachute-silks
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John, fem!Mycroft, fem!Lestrade. It had been Harry's idea to take Joan on holiday. It had not, however, been Harry's idea to bring Joan's deranged flatmate, her equally alarming sister, a skull, two snakes, a box full of blood samples and a senior Scotland Yard official. This story officially has the best summary ever, and a very entertaining plot. I mainly like the very amusing banter of the...er, six ladies here (counting Harry and Anthea). Very nicely in-character and tongue-in-cheek. Also, for the record, I love the Astronomical Clock (and the rest of Prague!). It’s nice to see it in a story. Great use of setting (but it makes me desperately want one of those watches). And, oh, the hair brushing! *happy sigh* - Body of Evidence by call-me-ishmael
Genderqueer!Sherlock, guy!John, Sherlock/OC, Sherlock/Sebastian. A story about growing up as a girl and difficulties Sherlock has in becoming who he is. I think writing this story in second-person was something of a genius stroke. It makes the emotions very visceral and the constant betrayals Sherlock faces hit really close to home. Sherlock’s absolutely disgusted feelings on pregnancy and how he’s told he’ll eventually come to accept and want that were particularly well done, to me. I also really enjoyed how Sherlock is driven by the belief that people would have taken him more seriously about the Carl Powers case if he were a man. - Categories by parachute-silks
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. Summary: Joan and Sherlock try to work through their feelings for each other while catching criminals and being generally neurotic. Fun with a really nice, satisfying build-up to their relationship. What I like best about this story are how Sherlock’s gender changes things (albeit slightly) for her. Donovan feels a kind of kinship with her, for example, as the both have to tackle the frustration of being lone women in a profession dominated by men. Sebastian’s still a dick. Also, Sherlock and Joan actually talk about their feelings (*gasp*, right?) and take things slowly, which is a nice change. - Caught Up in the Speed of the Days by sciosophia (fic at lovingthevolume)
Fem!Sherlock, guy!John--it’s platonic, really. So you thought it was hard convincing people John and Sherlock aren’t a couple in canon? What about when Sherlock’s female? Yeah. Quote: Lestrade caught him staring once, had said, "You're not helping the rumours," and it had been hard to explain that watching Sherlock is like watching a nature documentary, those BBC ones where the colours are bright and the birds are magnificent. - Experimentation by Anonymous
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. Hot lesbian action fuck yeah! But it’s so much more than that. In so few words, this author manages to really set up the scene. I’d love more from this verse. I wish I could leave feedback for the author! Curse you, comments limit! Quote: …Joan had left it there, and bought new plates, and carried on behaving as if having your flatmate creating mini-bombs in the sink was an everyday experience every normal person should have. - Five Men Sherlock Dated by TheUniverseWillSing
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John, Sherlock/guy!Molly, Sherlock/guy!Victor, Sherlock/guy!Moran, Sherlock/OMC (I know it’s a lot of pairings, but look at the title). Author’s summary: And the one who was still there when they were gone. Yay, a 5+1 with John being jealous and Sherlock being at turns adorable and badass and fun. I really like her relationship with Victor especially. Warning for a character death (not Sherlock or John). - Five Times Sherlock's Gender Didn't Matter (And One Time It Did) by blind-author
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. Six really lovely situations in which Sherlock thinks she's being treated differently because of her gender, then finds herself mistaken. My favorite part of the prompt is: Cue John explaining that he didn't come after Sherlock because she's a woman, but because she's a FUCKING IDIOT AND KIND OF INSANE. - Hold a Candle by anactoria
Fem!Sherlock/fem!Molly. For the prompt of “desperate fingering in the rain,” this is a lovely character study of Molly and her longing for Sherlock, who may be with her right now but is still so unattainable. Very touching observations on Molly. She knows her place in Sherlock’s life but will take what she’s given. - How the mouth changes its shape by breathedout (havingbeenbreathedout on tumblr)
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. This is a complex and epic tale of Sherlock and Johnnie in an AU from 1943-1955, with details from Sherlock’s younger years in boarding school(s), Johnnie’s experiences as a woman during the War, and a thrilling case that allows them to delve into the butch/femme scene. The story presents an engrossing snapshot into life for British women, particularly lesbians, during and after World War II and into the mid-1950s. And the author doesn’t shirk from the nitty gritty details of how sexism, racism, antisemitism, and homophobia played a part in daily life, illustrated with OCs (or enhanced historical figures) who are simply to die for, perfectly real and engaging. But more than that, this is a passionate story of love and identity, particularly for Sherlock-for whom putting on different clothes and makeup is like donning a completely different persona-but also strongly for Johnnie, who has to learn to be okay with what she wants and how best to get it. And as if that’s not enough, let me just say that Johnnie has a motorcycle, and Sherlock rides on the back of it-isn’t that image wonderful? Oh, and did I mention the sex is hot like fire? Left me breathless. This is one of the best stories in fandom, period, and a must-read for those interested in fem!Sherlock. I can’t think of a better way to rec this than what greywash wrote in this rec. - In Arduis Fidelis by mad-maudlin (fic at 10leaguesbeyond)
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. "Statistically speaking, most murderers are male," she will tell Jane with a gleam in her eye. "Particularly the violent ones. A proper female serial killer would single-handedly revolutionize the field of criminology." God, I adore this! That IS just what Sherlock would say! I totally adore her in this fic. I also really like how the author tackles topics that might particularly affect a female doctor/soldier; it was one of the most insightful portrayals of fem!John I've read. - The Left Hand of Summer by jenwryn on dreamwidth
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. Written for a heatwave prompt; here is the summary: In which it is impossibly hot, and Sherlock doesn't see the need for trousers. And, yeah, when I say this story is hot, I mean it in at least two ways. :) Lovely atmosphere, as expected from this author, and the imagery here really sticks with you. - Like Normal People by redconverse
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John, with a twist that I won’t spoil for you. John comes home to find Sherlock, syringe in hand. Seriously, how can you not read something with a premise like that? I’m a big fan of the concision in this piece, saying a ton with very well-chosen words: the “stunned silence” when John finds her; the “wary, resigned” expression Sherlock adopts. One of the best-characterized Sherlocks out there, in my opinion; John understands the curious delicacy underneath the “intellectual hubris.” And it might just be me, but I have a definite kink for Sherlock using John as her own doctor. - Lipstick and Manipulation by slartibartfast
Fem!Sherlock, fem!John. Summary: Jane Watson is getting ready for a date. Her new flatmate seems determined to make that as difficult as possible. I adore the image of Sherlock using her makeup in experiments and advising Jane on her lipstick color. - Never Enough (High School AUs) by ladyofthelog (verity)
Fem!Sherlock, fem!John. In the author's words, "So. This is a femslash genderswap Canadian high school AU. Yup." *dies laughing* This is a very cleverly done AU in which the British Sherlock invades a Canadian high school where Joanna Watson is just trying to eat her peanut butter sandwich and dissect frogs with her ruined arm (from hockey, of course) in peace. Quote: "She's so dreamy," Molly said...."You thought Jane Moriarty was dreamy, and she tried to blow up the school." - No Bangs Without Foreign Office Approval (217,621 words) by reckonedrightly
Fem!John/fem!Sherlock, fem!Mycroft, others. Yesss, an epic new historical femlock story set in WWII! The author is fantastic at showing historical details (with explanations in the notes) that set the scene and feel like you’re there…things like how ladies could mimic stockings/pantyhose during wartime silk/nylon shortages by staining their legs with teabags and drawing on seams. I loved the exciting cloak-and-dagger spy action scenes, but the scenes of tense fear-waiting for charges to explode, noticing something not quite right about a supposed safe house-also left me breathless. Regardless, it’s really the characterizations that steal the show here: I absolutely believed Joan, Sherlock, and Mycroft as women, and a huge shoutout to Mycroft in particular. Joan and Sherlock’s burgeoning relationship is written so beautifully, showing the sensuality and intensity but also the sheer amount of fun they have with their each other-in the bedroom and out of it. - Nocturne by Anonymous
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. John fantasizes about eating Sherlock out, and then Sherlock demands that he does. Which, yeah, the more fanfic I read, the hotter I find reading about guys giving girls cunnilingus to be (see as-i-am’s filthy hot A Taste For Murder), so this, um, hit lots of my buttons. Thanks for the empowerment, fanfic! There is also a betting pool at the Yard (which John suspects Sherlock started herself), as well as wonderful characterizations (particularly of John, but as always I love cranky, demanding, wandering-about-in-nothing-but-her-robe Sherlock). Quote: It had been a sort of exquisite torture, really, dreaming of all the ways he might make Sherlock come. Just how many ways he could send her over the edge, screaming his name the whole bloody way. - Nothing But What God Gave You and its sequel The Anatomical Difference by lettered
Fem!Sherlock, guy!John pre-slash. A fascinating dynamic, but what I really like about this story is that whether or not Sherlock’s a woman, that dynamic doesn’t change too much; they’re still them. And her character is perfect in this. The sequel is The Anatomical Difference, which I love! Here’s a quote that I feel really sums up this genderswitching business: …she stood so erect and proud and uncaring that everyone around her wished she could be only a little less actual, a little less honest, a little less who she was and always would be. (And John loves her because she doesn’t change, but there’s still perfect UST.) - Op. 13 Sonata in A Minor, ‘Cantatio Ioannae’ by nox-candida (fic at multiplegrooves)
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. Quote that to me acts as a nice summary: When she wakes up, she’s groggy and Joanna is there, looking haggard and ragged, mumbling about explosions in the kitchen and her omelet-making abilities. This is one of the best, most heartbreaking re-imaginings of young Sherlock learning the violin that I’ve read. I love how drugs and music haunt Sherlock’s thoughts constantly. And twelve-year-old Mycroft’s spiteful words that girls can’t be concertmasters make me so sad. This quote from the original: “No feeling. Extraordinary technical competence, but no feeling.” really comes alive when we know the circumstances. An excellent remix of You Remind Me of a Firework, Boy by ladyofthelog except from Sherlock’s perspective instead of Joanna’s. - Perspectives on a Singuar Theme series by branwyn
Fem!Sherlock. Aside from having absolutely lovely writing (and literary comparisons! My English major-y heart loves it), this series does an excellent job of acknowledging that while Sherlock is a brilliant woman, things would certainly have been different if she were a man. Her unearthly beauty would be less of a problem for her, she’d be less likely to be a target of sexual predators, people wouldn’t see her first as a woman and then as a genius, and Mycroft would be less protective of her (well, maybe). This is one of the first genderswaps I’ve read where Moriarty also plays a role, which I appreciate. Be sure to mind the warnings on the second story, though; they might be triggering. Quote: [Mycroft] reflects, with keen and quiet despair, that there is a reason Sherlock is unique, because none of her extraordinary gifts remotely resemble survival traits. - Routine Maintenance by daasgrrl
Fem!Sherlock/Mycroft. When Sherlock’s body’s desire for sex starts to infringe on the Work, she goes to Mycroft for some scorching hot release. This author really, really gets what’s so wonderful about Holmescest, perfectly treading that “half-mocking, half-sincere” line that colors Mycroft and Sherlock’s interactions, even during such an intimate act. And I love Sherlock here, so bratty and desperate. But what I really adore are the little hints of genuine, deep love that occasionally peek through. (Also, this story may give you a clothing fetish.) Obvious warning for incest. - Rhythm With No Metronome by sinuous-curve
Fem!Sherlock, fem!John. More steaming hot lesbian John/Sarah than anything, but fem!Sherlock does make an appearance. Quite enjoyable, and did I mention hot? - A Room Untended by redconverse
Female-to-male!Sherlock, guy!John. A second-person perspective on Sherlock exploring some of the “coping mechanisms that are statistically over-employed by those who are unable to transition,” i.e. anorexia and cocaine, before sealing off his heart and doing what he knows is right for himself. In the meantime, Mummy is unsupportive and Mycroft is both helpful and maddening in his interference with Sherlock’s life. The entire story is rather sad but ends on a wistful note with the possibility that Sherlock might one day be able to tell John about who he used to be (even if he’s currently denying it, we all know John is not to be underestimated). - Seems So Easy For Everybody Else by etothepii
Female-to-male!Sherlock. Gorgeous, crisp, powerful writing, perfect character descriptions and motivations, a respectful and informed treatment of the FtM transition-in other words, exactly what we’d expect from a piece by etothepii. I adore every work this author has written. - She Doesn’t Know What She’s Missing by snowishness
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John, American high school AU. Short, sweet, and adorable. I’ve never read an American high school AU before, but what can I say? When they’re in character, they’re in character, and this worked really well for me. I think my favorite bit was the fact that if prom turns out to be too boring for her, Sherlock figures she’ll just get high. Quote: “I’m not wearing a dress,” Sherlock told Mycroft, rather than mentioning that she needed pockets to hold the cocaine in. - Sisterly Duties by radioactivepiss (Ayries)
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John, fem!Mycroft. Sheridan asking her sister Myra for advice on dating John! The unfamiliarity of seeing Mycroft as a woman makes this one very special. Quote: There's a waiter who looks like he's about to try and give them a bill, until Myra raises an eyebrow and he loses his nerve. LOL! Can you not just see that?! - A Something Kind of Love by Anonymous
Fem!Sherlock, guy!John. Sherlock is a woman and John is a gay man, but somehow they will make it work. Short and lovely little fic. - Suite for Strings and Steel series by pendrecarc
Fem!Sherlock and fem!John. Jo Watson/OMC, Sherlock/expensive violins. Summary: In which Jo Watson tries to take this therapy business into her own hands, London produces enough crimes of interest to satisfy even Sherlock Holmes, and the Bechdel test doesn't know what hit it. Game on. This is the longest, plottiest genderswitch fic I’ve read in the verse. Plot, action, mysteries, and gorgeous characterization abound. Also art!, as this was written for the sherlockbigbang. (My only complaint was that I really wanted femmeslash at the end of this. And me wanting femmeslash is so out of the ordinary that I don’t know what to think. The Jo/OMC felt a little random. But whatever, I’m so Sherlock-biased that I just want him/her to have sex all the time with whomever.) - The Sweet Logic of Bullets by jenwryn on dreamwidth
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John, rather angsty. Jo Watson deals with Sherlock’s asexuality. The atmosphere in this short piece is very gripping. - The Syntax of Things by what-alchemy
Female-to-male!Sherlock/guy!John. Sherlock here has previously taken hormones but has no desire for surgery. I adore everything by this author and was really interested in her take on FtM!Sherlock-and was just blown away. He’s perfect: prickly and snarly and vulnerable and intensely private about certain things while being that maddening, sexy genius. Plus, there is awesome casefic with some sweet deductions, sex where Sherlock is desperately trying to conceal stuff from John, delicious hotness when he isn’t, Mycroft’s intensely complicated relationship with his brother, and Mummy. You just feel how much more comfortable Sherlock is as a man, and how perfect John is for him, even when things are complicated. The whole thing is wonderfully in-character, especially the little details that really make it work. - Take Me To Bed (Or Lose Me Forever) by violet_pencil
Pre-Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. An unsuccessful sexual assault prompts Sherlock to think more seriously about sex with John. I really enjoyed the atmosphere here--one of the tags is "romantic comedy," and I think that quite apt, despite the seriousness of a potential assault in the beginning. I love fem!Sherlock, of course, but for me it's John here who steals the show with his humorous yet careful study of his own feelings and Sherlock's. Quote: Typical soldier, John thinks with a quirk of his lips. All she wants is one last fling before shipping out. Well, first and last, in Sherlock's case, but it's the same idea. - Transparent by Anonymous
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. For the prompt Girl!Sherlock doesn't believe in wearing bras. IT'S FUCKING DISTRACTING. Superb fill, both amusing and hot. - Trichophilia by parachute-silks
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John, very mild D/s tones. Joan Watson does up Sherlock's dress and brushes her hair. It's ridiculously hot. - Under Your Skin by sciosophia (fic at lovingthevolume)
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John. This story had me at Sherlock playing Hey Jude, but it's got a wonderfully tense atmosphere with the threat of Moriarty and a victim that looks so like Sherlock they could be twins. Quote: He knows that she's far old enough, if occasionally a little incapable, of looking after herself, but he finds himself fighting with the urge to be protective, a mixture of instinct and living with a woman who might well love danger more than she loves him. - The Upper Hand by archea2
Fem!Sherlock/guy!Mycroft. Author’s summary: Five times Mycroft Holmes spanked his younger sister, and one time he kissed her instead. A sensual and interesting account of Mycroft and Sherlock’s relationship from childhood to adulthood (and Reichenbach) through the spanking ritual that brings them together. Whoa, this was beautiful-not something I was anticipating from a story with a spanking theme! The love between them becomes clearer as the story progresses, and I really enjoyed the end as well. Warnings for implied drug use, incest, spanking a child. - What Comes Undone series by songlin (greencarnations on tumblr)
Fem!Sherlock/guy!John, fem!Moriarty, fem!Moran. An epic, fascinating, and brilliantly written story where Sherlock is a pregnant BAMF. The series really makes you think about little day-to-day nuisances of Sherlock being female-like: who does the laundry? What about birth control? What would the newspapers call her? (I personally like “The Girl with the Deerstalking Hat.”) What happens if she gets pregnant and suddenly needs to regularly eat/sleep? Most of all I love that this is very well plotted, the first fem!Sherlock story I’ve read to do such a thorough re-telling of Reichenbach (and well beyond), and one of the first to have a female Moriarty and a female Moran. Occasionally with fem!Sherlock, I can only read a few stories at a time before I start missing Sherlock, like feeling that I’m reading about a really cool female genius who happens to be named Sherlock Holmes but isn’t actually, usually because she’s not abrasive/prickly enough for me. I never felt that with this series. I love Sherlock’s characterization in this, especially with regards to Mycroft and Sherlock dressing up/putting on makeup and especially every delightful time she says “Wrong,” but really I feel like John is doing his best to steal the show, too. Quote: It was staggering, daring to hope that Sherlock Holmes considered him worthy of remembering, that in her mind, John Watson took precedence over the very stars in the sky. - Wing(wo)man by AraSigyrn
Fem!Sherlock, fem!John, guy!Molly. How Molly’s infatuation with Sherlock might be viewed differently if their genders were flipped. I found this short little story actually intensely disturbing. I mean, it allows for us to see what a BAMF Joan is, how much Sherlock needs a wing(wo)man on her side, but still. This story really packs a punch. - You Can Tell From The Scars On My Arms That I’m Not The Carefullest of Girls and its sequel What If This Storm Ends by postcardmystery
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John, fem!Mycroft, guy!Harry, guy!Molly, fem!Moriarty; seriously, most of the cast is genderswapped. Cool! Shoshana Holmes and Joss Watson bicker and mislead people about the nature of their relationship. Sound familiar? But seriously, this is a very amusing, plotty, action-packed take on the theme with-I kid you not-perfect characterizations of the whole cast. One of my absolute favorites. Quote from Jocelyn’s blog because really, how can I be expected to resist this? Shoshana is the name of my new flatmate. I think she might be a bit unhinged, actually, no, as I'm certain that she's reading this, you, Shoshana, are totally and utterly batshit insane. And take the ears out of the freezer. They frightened the life out of Mrs Hudson. - You Remind Me of a Firework, Boy by ladyofthelog (verity)
Fem!Sherlock/fem!John. Summary: Joanna Watson has had a lot of girlfriends, and they've all had different soundtracks. Oh, I so enjoyed this! Such a lyrical story (and pretty art!). I especially liked Sherlock’s explanation for why she isn’t a concert violinist and Johanna’s experience with people telling her she couldn’t join the army because she was a woman. Plus, I always like a few hurt/comfort elements. Excellently remixed in Op. 13 Sonata in A Minor, ‘Cantatio Ioannae’ by nox-candida, which is from Sherlock’s perspective.
:: Fanart! ::
- There is an entire tumblr dedicated to Sherlock Holmes genderswap, complete with superb art. Thanks to pendrecarc for pointing this out!
- I also like this Ask Femlock tumblr, which is about fem!Sherlock's life and has pretty art.
- I enjoyed the genderswap art by against-stars (um, not work-safe!), specifically this confrontation between fem!Sherlock and fem!Mycroft. Very cool. I love Sherlock's hair best.
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More, please, pretty authors who are into this, too? *bats eyelashes*
Random edits after the fact:
- Guys, I think basically my work here is done. Now instead of just being a handful of genderswap fics, there are a ton! More than I can count! *happy dance* I strongly suggest you check out Key of X.org's Sherlock-is-female-or-transgender category (run by foxestacado, to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude). The whole website is really great for Sherlock Holmes fic recommendations!
- Apparently there is at least one officially published Sherlock genderswap: Honour Among Punks: The Complete Baker Street Graphic Novel by Guy Davis. Looks cool.
- And there's a series of short stories freely available about one Miss Madelyn Mack, Detective, who is apparently very similar to Sherlock. Check out here and here for details if you're interested.
- Ha, there is a TV adaptation with fem!Sherlock: a Canadian TV series called The Adventures of Shirley Holmes. Now, unfortunately it is not actually genderswap of the original Sherlock Holmes; it's about his great grand-niece. Still, at least Shirley is in the Holmes family.
- So apparently abundantlyqueer has written Fem!Sherlock snippets. No, I'm sorry, your argument is invalid.
- OMG PERFECT FANCASTING by notsosilentwallflower on tumblr!!! Eva Green as Sherlock, Carey Mulligan as John, and Ruth Wilson as Moriarty (hey, I predicted this one!). Awesome gifsets.
Back to the Sherlock Recs Masterpost: ( Taxi!)