Scan barcode
A review by alana_ellsworth
Mr Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien
5.0
Written by the same man and in the same style as the one who reformed the genre of fantasy, Mr. Bliss echoes many of the same themes and superb storytelling elements that Roverandom and Smith of Wooton Major possess. There is something unique about Tolkien's short stories that I have yet to find anywhere else. There is humor and there is heart; there is grand imagination and there are ordinary characters. Glimpses of it are seen in his creation of hobbits--the loyal, stout-hearted, and often overlooked race that set The Lord of the Rings apart. Mr. Bliss has all the same feelings as those works and was so evidently crafted with same care, especially considering it was only ever meant to be an illustrated children's novel for his own children.
Mr. Bliss follows the title character, a man with an affinity for very tall hats who desires to buy a yellow motorcar ("Bright yellow--inside and out!"). The story follows his oblivion, typical of some of Tolkien's more humorous main characters, to having not actually paid for the car and instead driving it off in order to visit the Dorkinses and the trouble that ensues. There are many bears, cabbages, bananas, and most curious, a girabbit. The characters, including Mr. Bliss himself, are all absurd, easily offended, and preoccupied with the most trivial things.
To write and illustrate a novel for one's own children with this much attention to detail shows how much Tolkien valued story. I listened to the audio version for this book and am eagerly waiting for the day I can finally get my hands on an illustrated hardback copy. (I feel it important to note the importance of the illustrations to understand what a "girabbit" is). I laughed out loud for some time at moments, and felt incredibly comforted by the existence of Tolkien's masterpieces such as this in others. All I will end with is that forty-five minutes is far too short a time to spend among such fine characters.
Mr. Bliss follows the title character, a man with an affinity for very tall hats who desires to buy a yellow motorcar ("Bright yellow--inside and out!"). The story follows his oblivion, typical of some of Tolkien's more humorous main characters, to having not actually paid for the car and instead driving it off in order to visit the Dorkinses and the trouble that ensues. There are many bears, cabbages, bananas, and most curious, a girabbit. The characters, including Mr. Bliss himself, are all absurd, easily offended, and preoccupied with the most trivial things.
To write and illustrate a novel for one's own children with this much attention to detail shows how much Tolkien valued story. I listened to the audio version for this book and am eagerly waiting for the day I can finally get my hands on an illustrated hardback copy. (I feel it important to note the importance of the illustrations to understand what a "girabbit" is). I laughed out loud for some time at moments, and felt incredibly comforted by the existence of Tolkien's masterpieces such as this in others. All I will end with is that forty-five minutes is far too short a time to spend among such fine characters.