A review by peonierose
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

5.0

I first read the Lord of the Rings trilogy when I was twelve. I think I average rereading once every five years. The Two Towers has always been my least favourite. But on this read, the complexity and tragedy of Gollum’s internal struggle, Frodo’s lagging strength but definitive compassion and Sam’s struggle for clarity and courage really shone through. I think there is a deep grief in this part of the trilogy like Good Friday … the reality of loss and death, the sense that failure is a very possibility and evil may win. Its settings and landscapes are stark and h forgiving. I have finally fallen in love with the is instalment of the trilogy rather than racing through it to finally get to the Return of the King