A review by vimcenzo
The Hobbit Illustrated by the Author by J.R.R. Tolkien

5.0

This is a perfect book.

On the whole I’ve heard it described as a kid’s book, and content-wise I suppose I can’t object save for some pithy fantasy violence and mentions of alcohol, but in terms of keeping up with the complexity and the characters, I would think it best to read it as an adult.

Though much time is taken in describing a long journey—the kind of adventure one dreams about in childhood—the comforts of hearth and home are still frequent and provide frequent reprieve. It’s interesting how little happens; you could summarize it in an hour, but it’s the detail and the attention to things like songs and fictional culture that let you dawdle and feel lost. It is a pleasure to read and all should make an effort to do so.