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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
A lovely book that is well present to us by Christopher Tolkien. His father wrote wonderfully lyrical poems of his beloved Middle Earth. My only problem was that the prose was difficult to read through without a good amount of brain power left. Especially, as I picked this up so soon after finishing the Fall of Gondolin which is another heavy read for my tired brain. So, it took me a while to finish but I'm glad that I did. I'll be sure to have a good break before starting on the Children of Hurin.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
I just wasn't into all the explanations, more for scholarly fans. Forgot to get the page number for how far I got (at least through one retelling.
I've read at least part of this before, but I'm not sure if I finished it. It's hard to tell since little pieces of the Legendarium are scattered throughout my brain without any connection. Did I read *this* version of Luthien's story? Or just the one in... whatever the other book that has her story in is?
Yeahhh. I need to read *alll* of Tolkien's books. Some of them again, some for the first time.
update: I did read this. In 2017. *has no memory of the event*
Yeahhh. I need to read *alll* of Tolkien's books. Some of them again, some for the first time.
update: I did read this. In 2017. *has no memory of the event*
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
“Her voice such love and longing filled / he raised his eyes, his mourning stilled, / and felt his heart new-turned to flame / for her that through peril to him came.”
This is quite a different beast to The Children of Húrin, but no less enjoyable. Christopher Tolkien has once again done an excellent job of compiling his father’s writings into a single, comprehensible volume focused on the First Age tale of Beren and Lúthien. This particular story seems to have been less complete than The Children of Húrin, and so instead of following a single narrative, this book draws from several sources and traces the evolution of the story as it grew and changed. Christopher Tolkien’s commentary throughout is very helpful without overshadowing the tale itself, so the reader is still able to immerse themselves in the tale. For anyone looking for a straightforward retelling of Beren and Lúthien’s story, this may not be for you, however it is perfect for anyone who wants a deeper insight into the First Age of Middle-earth and Tolkien’s creation of it.
Beren and Lúthien itself is a story of hope in an Age of Middle-earth that is so often marked by tragedy. Characters such as Lúthien, Beren, and Huan enliven the story and add so much vibrancy to Tolkien’s world. His writing, both prose and verse, is as evocative and beautiful as in his other works. The romance between Beren and Lúthien is fierce and lovely, echoing the love between Arwen and Aragorn thousands of years later, and is ultimately the key to the salvation of Middle-earth through the Ages. It is an epic, high-stakes adventure and encapsulates so much of what makes Tolkien’s stories preeminent within the Fantasy genre. If you love Middle-earth, I cannot recommend it enough!
This is quite a different beast to The Children of Húrin, but no less enjoyable. Christopher Tolkien has once again done an excellent job of compiling his father’s writings into a single, comprehensible volume focused on the First Age tale of Beren and Lúthien. This particular story seems to have been less complete than The Children of Húrin, and so instead of following a single narrative, this book draws from several sources and traces the evolution of the story as it grew and changed. Christopher Tolkien’s commentary throughout is very helpful without overshadowing the tale itself, so the reader is still able to immerse themselves in the tale. For anyone looking for a straightforward retelling of Beren and Lúthien’s story, this may not be for you, however it is perfect for anyone who wants a deeper insight into the First Age of Middle-earth and Tolkien’s creation of it.
Beren and Lúthien itself is a story of hope in an Age of Middle-earth that is so often marked by tragedy. Characters such as Lúthien, Beren, and Huan enliven the story and add so much vibrancy to Tolkien’s world. His writing, both prose and verse, is as evocative and beautiful as in his other works. The romance between Beren and Lúthien is fierce and lovely, echoing the love between Arwen and Aragorn thousands of years later, and is ultimately the key to the salvation of Middle-earth through the Ages. It is an epic, high-stakes adventure and encapsulates so much of what makes Tolkien’s stories preeminent within the Fantasy genre. If you love Middle-earth, I cannot recommend it enough!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a somewhat scholarly examination of Tolkien’s process of writing the tale of Beren and Luthien. Unless you’re really into the details of the history of Middle-Earth and/or interested in reading different drafts and versions of the story, I would just read The Silmarillion.
Tolkien is a master of the English language — both in prose and in verse. We are fortunate that he left so much of his incomplete writings and previous drafts so that we can have a sense of his process. Christopher Tolkien has said that this is likely to be his last book. I hope that’s not true but if it is, I’m glad we have as much writing as we do to enjoy.
Tolkien is a master of the English language — both in prose and in verse. We are fortunate that he left so much of his incomplete writings and previous drafts so that we can have a sense of his process. Christopher Tolkien has said that this is likely to be his last book. I hope that’s not true but if it is, I’m glad we have as much writing as we do to enjoy.
adventurous
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
As a lover of all things Tolkien, this book fell flat for me. I guess I had a different picture of what the book was about when I started reading it. The commentary by Tolkien's son was interesting, but it didn't hold my attention well. I liked the poem like stories, but not well enough to really want to finish the book. This was a short read, so I pushed through, but not something I would normally read.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina