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4.46 AVERAGE
4.46 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-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
GOAT
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Words can't explain this trilogy; a true masterpiece I have read multiple times. Should be required reading on the high school and/or college level.
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
When I watched Lord of the Rings for the first time, I was completely blown away and they’re one of my all time favourite films- however, I’d never read the book before. I feel the best way to review this monolith is breaking it into two sections: the story and the writing.
In regard to the story, I could say so much, and therefore, I’ll keep it very simple: it is without doubt the greatest fantasy book of all time. An absolutely staggering accomplishment. Nothing has, or probably ever will, quite match it. It’s a book which completely defines its genre.
However, the style of writing really caused conflict. Tolkien produces so many moments of beauty- I particularly adore this passage here:
“𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚,” 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙤. “𝙎𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙄,” 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙛, “𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨.”
However, this is in conflict with- and it feels sinful to say it- moments of pure tediousness. There were some passages that were a slog, and where the pacing felt incredibly off.
For example, it’s really surprising how more pages could be designated to the Fellowship walking along a scenic mountain route, rather than a world-defining battle. I know most people would advise to keep books and films distinct, but when the films are so entwined with my my feelings for the story, I can’t separate them. Therefore, when I compare the sheer enormity and magnitude of some of the action scenes across these films and how relatively ‘undersold’ they were in the books, it feels the weighting was wrong ( though I completely understand that this is the source material I’m criticising!).
Overall, I think the question is what do I prefer- book or film? On a book review account, it feels incredibly controversial to admit this… but in this case, I feel the film made me fall more in love with the story in ‘LOTR’ than the actual book.
In regard to the story, I could say so much, and therefore, I’ll keep it very simple: it is without doubt the greatest fantasy book of all time. An absolutely staggering accomplishment. Nothing has, or probably ever will, quite match it. It’s a book which completely defines its genre.
However, the style of writing really caused conflict. Tolkien produces so many moments of beauty- I particularly adore this passage here:
“𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚,” 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙤. “𝙎𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙄,” 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙛, “𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨.”
However, this is in conflict with- and it feels sinful to say it- moments of pure tediousness. There were some passages that were a slog, and where the pacing felt incredibly off.
For example, it’s really surprising how more pages could be designated to the Fellowship walking along a scenic mountain route, rather than a world-defining battle. I know most people would advise to keep books and films distinct, but when the films are so entwined with my my feelings for the story, I can’t separate them. Therefore, when I compare the sheer enormity and magnitude of some of the action scenes across these films and how relatively ‘undersold’ they were in the books, it feels the weighting was wrong ( though I completely understand that this is the source material I’m criticising!).
Overall, I think the question is what do I prefer- book or film? On a book review account, it feels incredibly controversial to admit this… but in this case, I feel the film made me fall more in love with the story in ‘LOTR’ than the actual book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
After four years, thanks to the magic of audiobooks, I managed to make it past the second half of the Two Towers xD
Beautiful, and a classic, but not one I'd read again soon. It made me appreciate the movies even more, so many clever decisions were made in adapting it.
After four years, thanks to the magic of audiobooks, I managed to make it past the second half of the Two Towers xD
Beautiful, and a classic, but not one I'd read again soon. It made me appreciate the movies even more, so many clever decisions were made in adapting it.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-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