diary_of_a_hobbit's reviews
28 reviews

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

adventurous reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Peter Pan is one of the many children’s classics that my mother read to me and my sister when we were little, but I have to admit that it is one of the ones that I didn’t feel as much of an attachment too. I believe that I preferred the Soviet musical adaptation of it, but I haven’t watched it in so long so I can’t be very sure of how I’d feel about it now.

It’s quite a short read and on the surface looks like a tale of a fun and magical adventure, but in reality has a very tragic undertone.

Except that, in spite of that undertone, this book didn’t make me feel as emotional as I would expect. Though, it certainly did make me ponder upon topics like the transition from childhood to adulthood, which made me reflect on a great deal of things.

While there were some aspects that I enjoyed, overall Peter Pan was an okay read that I might revisit sometime in the future to see if my opinion has changed.

Also, this book is definitely a product of its time, thus has some racist and prejudiced notions, so keep that in mind if you'd like to give it a chance.

Find The White Horse by Dick King-Smith

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A childhood favourite that is criminally under-rated. If you like heartwarming stories with animal protagonists that still manage to touch upon some deep themes while remaining light-hearted, give this book a chance!

Adventures in Fern Hollow by John Patience

adventurous hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Fern Hollow is such a lovely series of books! Unfortunately, the edition that I own only contains six out of the sixteen tales, but I'm sure that the rest of them are just as good as the ones I've read. 

These stories are so cosy and awaken in me a desire to move to the countryside and live in a small cottage in a little village. 

And I must give special credit to the John Patience for the wonderful illustrations, because they are absolutely beautiful! No matter how many times I go back to this collection, I never get tired of looking at them. 

All in all, if you are into children's literature and love animal protagonists just like I do, please consider checking Fern Hollow out. I'm sure you won't regret it!

The Hobbit: or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I think it's safe to say that The Hobbit is my comfort read. People who know me well enough know that I absolutely adore Middle-Earth, so it's no wonder that this little book is at the top of my favourite list. 

It's so cosy and always makes me yearn for a hobbit-hole of my own. The story itself is very engaging and really makes me feel immersed in it, as if I'm too part of the Company and share their defeats and triumphs. 

Moreover, there are so many lessons to be learnt from this tale, and so many wonderful quotes to be found throughout. 

Really recommend this to anyone who would like to give Tolkien a try but feels intimidated by the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as to any fan of fantasy books.

The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I found The Lives of Saints to be a very quick and enjoyable read. I am happy to have had the opportunity to dive even further into the Grishaverse, and learn more about it through the stories of various Saints that the people of that fantasy world revere. 

I also really love all the beautiful illustrations. The cover as well as the format gave me an old book vibe, if that makes sense, and I liked that aspect. 

Sadly, this book didn't leave as much of a mark on me as The Language of Thorns did. Moreover, I found the writing to be much drier and a bit repetitive at times. 

Overall, I do recommend this book if you would like to explore more of the Grishaverse.

CW: violence, death.

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There it is. She did it again. Leigh Bardugo carved my heart out of my chest and tore it apart in the most beautiful way. 

The Language of Thorns is an anthology of six short stories; six fairytales from the Grishaverse. Through them, the reader travels through places that seem achingly familiar if they've read the Shadow and Bone trilogy and/or the two spin-off duologies. However, they are no less enthralling if this fantasy world is entirely new to you as no context from the series is needed in order to enjoy this wonderful collection. 

As someone who's always been fascinated by myths and folklore, I found this book very well-crafted and extremely immersive. I simply couldn't put it down! 

If you, like me, are drawn to legends and fairytales, this book may be exactly what you are searching for. 

CW: violence, death.
 

Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don't often read graphic novels, but this one totally blew me away. 

I've read quite a few of Bardugo's works in the past two years, and while the Grisha trilogy has disappointed me at times, I absolutely love the Darkling as a character. He actually happens to be one of the most well crafted villains I've ever encountered in a book. 

Demon in the Wood is a sort of origin story that explores the Darkling's past and gives us more context about who he is as a person as well as what played a role in shaping him into who he has become when we meet him in Shadow and Bone. 

Personally, I found this book both tragic but also light-hearted at times. 

I would also like to praise Dani Pendergast for the stunning illustrations that brought the characters to life and helped me get immersed into the Grishaverse. 

All in all, if you are a fan of the Darkling, I highly recommend getting your hands on Demon in the Wood. 

CW: violence, death of an animal.
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence

Gilgamesh: A New English Version by Anonymous

informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

I think this is the first book in a long while that I've read that didn't make me feel any particular emotion. It was interesting enough, but it didn't leave a mark on me.
 

Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling

adventurous informative lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This book is one of my absolute favourites! I've reread it multiple times over the years and each time I am as fascinated as the first. 

Puck of Pook's Hill is a series of short stories that are set in different periods of English history. They are narrated to two siblings, Dan and Una, by either Puck, an elf, or a guest that he magically plucks out of history. 

So this book literally combines two things that I love: history and fantasy, and does it in a very beautiful way. 

If you are interested in the history of England and love fantasy, I highly recommend Puck of Pook's Hill. 

There is also a sequel called Rewards and Fairies that is also amazing. 

[Note: I read this book in Russian (that particular edition was translated by Grigory Kruzhkov)].

Tales from the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

After finishing the Six of Crows duology, I wanted to read something light and short so Tales from the Perilous Realm seemed like the perfect fit. And it totally didn't disappoint! 

It's just such a charming little book and I really enjoyed reading it for the most part. The only part that didn't click for me were some of the poems from The Adventures of Tom Bombadil but those were few and they were mostly in the beginning/middle. 

If you want to explore Tolkien's works but are hesitant to give The Lord of the Rings trilogy a try, I suggest starting with this as it is much shorter and less intimidating. Or alternatively, you could try reading The Hobbit as it is also not lengthy. 

[Note: The edition that I read didn't include Roverandom.]