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rensreading's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
i finally understand why it took me 2 years to finish this book: i liked the movies better.
now, before you all pull out your knives on me, let me explain. the way tolkien wrote the characters in this story was boring and not thought out. bilbo is a blustering homebody who decides to go on this quest with the dwarves without giving a reason why. tolkien both wrote disparaging things about the dwarves which truly showed his racism. the dwarves, in my mind, felt like poc that bilbo was helping because he was bored. all of it was very white savior and it was a pain to push myself through to the end. also, for a story about bilbo helping the dwarves, there is very little depth to the company. you would think as bilbo supposedly gets closer with the company as the journey progresses that he would have more insightful things to say about them, but that isn’t the case at all. the plot is promising but the characters? bland.
and so i must give this 3 stars, though i might come back and rate it like 2.5 stars instead, maybe. we’ll see.
now, before you all pull out your knives on me, let me explain. the way tolkien wrote the characters in this story was boring and not thought out. bilbo is a blustering homebody who decides to go on this quest with the dwarves without giving a reason why. tolkien both wrote disparaging things about the dwarves which truly showed his racism. the dwarves, in my mind, felt like poc that bilbo was helping because he was bored. all of it was very white savior and it was a pain to push myself through to the end. also, for a story about bilbo helping the dwarves, there is very little depth to the company. you would think as bilbo supposedly gets closer with the company as the journey progresses that he would have more insightful things to say about them, but that isn’t the case at all. the plot is promising but the characters? bland.
and so i must give this 3 stars, though i might come back and rate it like 2.5 stars instead, maybe. we’ll see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Racism, Confinement, and Alcohol
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Violence
Minor: War
littlecat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.25
Its been very long since I last read it, when i found a good audiobook version and listened to it. It is a nice adventure story, and I love how often there are songs, and Tolkien has a lot of fun with it and the fairy tale/children story tropes (the repeating of their names specially), but i had forgotten how much of assholes the people are to eachother here, the dwarves are constantly mean to Bilbo and another, beside Balin who is a cool guy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, War, Confinement, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
bootsmom3's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and War
mallorn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Animal death, Violence, and Confinement
ufojules's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
very glad I gave this book a second chance. Tolkien's writing is *chef's kiss*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, War, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Antisemitism
rileyeffective's review against another edition
adventurous
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Blood, and Confinement
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