Reviews with content warning for Stalking - The Two Towers

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The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

8 reviews

squinnittowinit's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Andy Serkis as the narrator makes this book bearable for me. Tolkien is the master of "tell, don't show". I love the story of Lord of the Rings so much, yet this book was a slog. I actually really enjoyed the first book in comparison because it felt like more happened in it. Or maybe the things that happened in the first book were just more interesting. If I didn't already know how this series ended, I would abandon it after reading The Two Towers. The filmmakers should be praised beyond measure for taking this book and turning it into such an interesting movie.

2.5 stars mostly because the writing is so unengaging. Plus, it's racist and sexist, as can be expected of its time. The rating would have been lower if not for Andy Serkis, he's that good of a narrator.

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lorriss's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

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pokecol's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I'm not all too certain what I should say about Two Towers. Its both an improvement and step-back from the previous novel. I went in with much greater ease and the flow off from the conclusion of the Fellowship of the Ring makes it really easy to immediately engage with but the total pace whiplash when switching to Frodo and Sam at the half-way mark made it exceptionally difficult to truck on straight away.
Overall I think the book is, as a story, better. It flows forward well and allows a story to take hold with more impact from the individual actions of characters. And by this, the characters become a WHOLE lot more like characters. Where characterisation in the previous book was done through (seldom) quips or tone of remark, there is actual distinction to what each party member offers in conversations because they are not rebuked in quantities that divide the present party by those that agree and disagree. With the initial focus on Pippin and Merry we get to see how they both act differently in their tangle of mess. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli get to show more distinction in how they act when connected to a smaller cast and the long awaited return of Gandalf gives and continues to leave just enough breathing room for everyone to elevate in a format similar to the prose in the Shire.
Sam and Frodo, and Gollum, even better. While there is some issues of the scene translation after such a huge swing in Rohan it is challenging to find comfort in Frodo and Sam straight away, and I fear as far as actual storytelling goes, Emyn Muil is not very interesting. But when things began to roll it felt like the steam-engine was fueling itself - Sam was truly a character, Frodo was truly a character and the nuance of Gollum is excellently portrayed from scene to scene. They act just so much more THEM than they did before by choosing to say and do what they might. Sam especially is impeccable, he becomes outspoken and upset against Gollum often, protective and loyal to Frodo, defensive and a mix of sane as well as loose-lipped in the presence of additional individuals.

My favourite chapter was strangely enough probably 'Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit', which isn't what I expected and seems no-one else shares this view.
It was a brilliant resettlement of things, a darling view of Ithilien, the witticism of Sam against Gollum on full-blast, the slowing down of everything within the net of tension. Truly excellent stuff.

By the end of both parts we've set ourselves on a running course and there was room for excellent moments in both. Merry & Pippin coming back to the group, Gandalf on full-display for the riddermark and Rohan's prep for the terrors to come with the foreboding storms.
Sam in Shelob's lair pulling all courage he could in the face of terrible danger in a way that gave me chills - as, even with how unlikely it was, it was portrayed in such a possible and earnest way. Which few, if any stories really, manage to make possible with differences in worldly power.

A few criticisms. The biggest problem with The Lord of the Rings in my opinion is the set-pieces. We go from all these very varied different places nigh on every chapter throughout the Fellowship's lifespan and immediately slow to around a third of that across the remaining two parts. While the first part sees Fangorn, Rohan and Orthanc, it's all still roughly in and around Rohan - and is about 3 different set pieces total. On the Ring Journey side we only get the wasted lands outside the gates of Morannon which is mostly blasted grey landscape across Emyn Muil, the Dead Marshes and the Plane of Dagorlad. And then Ithilien and Cirith Ungol. Markedly fewer than Fellowship.
It basically feels like the variety of the world slows, which in a sense makes sense, as we close in on the end destination. But with how varied and fantastical places are to be shown across the start of the journey it makes the rest seem lackluster in variety specifically.
However, there is also good to this. The narrative pacing is markedly improved. The Fellowship of the Ring has a lot of flow forward with very little extrapolation on the what/why. It feels like the world is just using the Fellowship as pawns for the needed story rather than a story that happens to take place in this world. This inverts FAST with Two Towers, as there is much less focus on each location and more about what the characters are doing in the locations. Additionally, while there were few places, Ithilien was specifically a blast - it was so lovingly described without being bloated and was fantastical and wonderful without needing to be magically defined like Lórien.

It feels like overall the narrative is a lot more well-rounded. It is as though Tolkien veritably improved with writing as the story continues. As far as story steam, value and speed goes, it is a huge wave of up-and-down in the Fellowship, it spikes and pits all over the place. And in Two Towers it is equalised a lot more, that could be to the detriment of story interest but as it settles into place it makes the incline of narrative stakes and progress much more direct and meaningful.

A few minor problems across the board. There is still some strange use of words from time to time. It's kind of weird when reading SUCH a prolific novel like this to note small issues, but they are present and bother me enough in the quality of presentation. The big one is near the butt-end of the book: Sam is listening in to the talks of the Uruks as they have abducted Frodo, one of them says in the slew of conversation 'Put your thinking cap on' - which is just so bizarre it flung me out of the immersion of the book completely. You're telling me that an elementary-school teacher's lingo for dealing with toddlers and very young kids, which is derived from a learning hemisphere in our world is somehow common contextual dialogue for the Uruks and Orcs - murderous cruel purely evil darkland dwellers - in Mordor's military ranks? What? It's just such a strange and frankly stupid choice of words that I don't understand how it got a pass.
There are also a number of strange times words you wouldn't quite expect are used. Frodo calls Sam an 'ass' in Chapter 1 of Book IV, which is, odd. Not as bad as the above identified issue but still a little unexpected.
I feel like I'm the only one for this, but Gimli and Legolas' relationship feels forced. I cannot point to any moment that makes sense for them to suddenly have been buddy-buddy as they now are beyond that Gimli respects the elves now thanks to Galadriel. But... that's all? No point is made of that journey to friendship thanks to this, at some point the book just says 'Gimli and Legolas are good friends' (paraphrased) - which I find difficult to accept, even as someone who loves their friendship from the films.
Sometimes the descriptions do carry, an issue that the less inclined towards Middle-Earth often say is the prose is over-burdened with intensive description. I don't really find it to be the case in the way others say, but I do find that - as I said with the previous book - things are described lopsidedly. There will be really intricate and delightful descriptions for the landscape and certain scenarios but the minutiae of a location I always really struggle to understand because it isn't ever laid out properly. Much like stage, Tolkien writes to set the stage then leaves it be, there'll be times when people continue to interact with an area or space but I barely know what this same spot is supposed to look like and unless I can swing on my imagination getting carried away, I just keep re-picturing the same motion or spot or small thing over and over again in place of the progression that is supposed to be happening because it isn't commodified for the moment as well as it should be.

Overall I think I liked Two Towers better as a story and less as a Middle-Earth piece. The homeliness and tight nature of Book I is something I sorely miss. It would not be well-placed in Two Towers but portions of Book IV remind me of that time which brings great comfort.
I think the most excellent thing of Two Towers is that the world truly feels different in the way it appears. Once we've cross the Misty Mountains into Rhovanion and beyond it genuinely feels like a different place. The nature of the places in and around Gondor feel so genuinely departed from the locales of Eriador it is sometimes challenging to remember they are the same books. Which is something I really love about Lord of the Rings overall and wasn't certain would come through well in the original books, but it does, and it is excellent.

I'm very much looking forward to what extra changes, measures and narrative diversity comes in the Return of the Kind and the climax having been delicately worked towards should make it very satisfying. The progress of story improvement and everything else makes it feel as though what is to come should - in narrative - be the best part.

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orchidlilly's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The books just get better the more I read them. I was nervous to read this one because of Shelob and I’m an arachnophobe, but it was much better than aragog in Harry Potter. However, I don’t think her scene was really important beyond including peril.

I love Sam and Frodo and how their relationship continues to develop as well as Legolas and Gimli. Mary and Pippin have a bigger role in this book and they do a fabulous job.

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ran_sophia's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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amanda_mh's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

So I finished it yay! I love the world I really do, the characters are great. The way the story is constructed not my favourite in how we followed the fellowship and then never Frodo until the very end, but I enjoyed it. It took a while to get me into it but I do really enjoy the journey. So I will be finishing the series whether that be sooner or later

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traciereads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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