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A review by mattleestew
Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
3.0
3.5 Stars
I'll start off by saying that I greatly enjoy the story of Beren and Luthien. I had first read about them when I read The Silmarillion a while back. I'll also say that if you're a Tolkien fan at all, then you'll definitely enjoy this book and you need go no further. I did have a few gripes about the book overall though. Compared to the narrative of The Children of Hurin, it just doesn't hold up. Where in The Children of Hurin, the story is told as well...a story. Beren and Luthien is a little different.
A more appropriate title, in my honest opinion would be "The Making of Beren and Luthien" because it is more a history about how the story has evolved over the years as Tolkien changed it. That's not to say it's a bad thing either because it was really interesting seeing how it changed over the years.
Basically what I'm trying to say is don't read this book if you're expecting something like The Children of Hurin. If you're interested in seeing how the story of Beren and Luthien started and evolved over the years, read this book. If you just want to know the story then I would recommend just reading their excerpt from The Silmarillion.
Another pro for this book is that the artwork is beautifully done thanks to Alan Lee!
Overall, a definite must read for any Tolkien fan. If you're just interested just because, just know what to expect from this book so you aren't disappointed.
I'll start off by saying that I greatly enjoy the story of Beren and Luthien. I had first read about them when I read The Silmarillion a while back. I'll also say that if you're a Tolkien fan at all, then you'll definitely enjoy this book and you need go no further. I did have a few gripes about the book overall though. Compared to the narrative of The Children of Hurin, it just doesn't hold up. Where in The Children of Hurin, the story is told as well...a story. Beren and Luthien is a little different.
A more appropriate title, in my honest opinion would be "The Making of Beren and Luthien" because it is more a history about how the story has evolved over the years as Tolkien changed it. That's not to say it's a bad thing either because it was really interesting seeing how it changed over the years.
Basically what I'm trying to say is don't read this book if you're expecting something like The Children of Hurin. If you're interested in seeing how the story of Beren and Luthien started and evolved over the years, read this book. If you just want to know the story then I would recommend just reading their excerpt from The Silmarillion.
Another pro for this book is that the artwork is beautifully done thanks to Alan Lee!
Overall, a definite must read for any Tolkien fan. If you're just interested just because, just know what to expect from this book so you aren't disappointed.