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A review by elctrc
Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
3.0
Tough review to make. I am a huge Tolkien fan. I have read LOTR twice, the Hobbit a half dozen times, and The Silmarillion. That said, it's been a while!
In this latest volume, the story of Beren and Luthien is retold a half a dozen times, in different prose forms and from different points of view. It is a story touched upon in the Silmarillion, but here it is enriched with detail, sorrow, and multiple endings.
I will admit that I struggled with the retellings, as each one did not always reveal an interesting side to the tail (more often it simply provided alternate scenes and a slightly different journey. However, some elements did stand out - the story of the great Cat King, which, when compared to its alternate adversary, Sauron, who tortures his victims, provides a softer, more fablelike tale than the rest.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it's retellings, but was not blown away by the prose or storytelling. It is worth it for the small insights Christopher reveals about his father's process, and for that I was satisfied.
"Now shalt thou through the gates of pain
the land though askest grimly gain
thou shalt to the moonless mists of hell
descend and seek thy Eilinel."
In this latest volume, the story of Beren and Luthien is retold a half a dozen times, in different prose forms and from different points of view. It is a story touched upon in the Silmarillion, but here it is enriched with detail, sorrow, and multiple endings.
I will admit that I struggled with the retellings, as each one did not always reveal an interesting side to the tail (more often it simply provided alternate scenes and a slightly different journey. However, some elements did stand out - the story of the great Cat King, which, when compared to its alternate adversary, Sauron, who tortures his victims, provides a softer, more fablelike tale than the rest.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it's retellings, but was not blown away by the prose or storytelling. It is worth it for the small insights Christopher reveals about his father's process, and for that I was satisfied.
"Now shalt thou through the gates of pain
the land though askest grimly gain
thou shalt to the moonless mists of hell
descend and seek thy Eilinel."