Emily Butler
The Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit - a Fantastic Success or a Let-Down at Best?
Chances are, you've heard about The Hobbit - it's right up there with The Hunger Games in terms of popularity in the fantasy/fiction genre. If you haven't read it, however, you may be wondering if delving into the strange world of dwarves and elves is really worthwhile. Luckily, that can be cleared up for you right now.
Yeah, you've heard about the book, but what really is it? Well, to be completely honest, J.R.R. Tolkien manages, in a decent 300 pages, to string together a story in which a group of man-creature-things walk a bit, screw things up, and walk some more. But don't worry, it's intense walking. Seriously - as simple as that may sound, the author manages to really make something out of a plot that initially seems bland and repetitive. The repetitive aspect actually becomes an ironic symbol of our protagonist's constant treachery while out of his comfort zone. We start off reading about a world where wizards, goblins, and many other creatures - including humans - live in tense conditions cause by ancient grudges. Bilbo Baggins is our hobbit, a tiny man-like creature with a fear of adventure that is ignored by a group of dwarves and a strange wizard, who wish to whisk him away and set off on the biggest adventure possible - defeating the all-powerful and terrible dragon, Smaug. Throughout their journey, they make both allies and enemies while undergoing development as characters and as friends.
Let's start with the positive here - what does this story do well? For starters, character development is both noticeable and real, specifically Bilbo's Tolkien seems to have created a relatable character,
discovering himself and his potential, out of an impossible creature. As a reader, you'll find yourself laughing at Bilbo's cowardice and sometimes raising your eyebrows when he proves himself to be
much more useful than it initially seems. The other characters are affected by Bilbo's change and their friendship is constantly changing and growing. Overall, the characters are peculiar and memorable - they're everything you'd want out of a fantasy novel.
Not only that, but the style of writing is one that is unique. Each character's dialogue is written in a way that is specific to themselves. The author manages to write in such a way that the book isn't (despite its acclaim) thrown into the generic group of fantasy that all just sounds the same. Are Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior even different people? That's beside the point, but this book does manage to surpise the reader - I genuinely expected something more mainstream than what I was actually reading. The main idea and kinds of creatures are quite familiar to us book lovers, but it's what Tolkien manages to teach and how he teaches it that separates The Hobbit from the rest. The words are different than what books present nowadays, and the phrasing has an aura of ancient lore. It's pretty effective, as well as quite satisfying.
No book is perfect though, which means we sadly must come to the bad part.
The main issue I have with this book is that, to be honest, it's too lucky. I know. That makes no sense.
Let me try to explain without sounding the dreaded spoiler alert! Without revealing too much, I'll say that the story can sometimes be just a bit… coincidental. There are multiple "barely escaped, but made it out safe yet again" moments. If you're not the type for improbable and fairy-tale like victories - maybe you like something a bit darker - it'll be hard to get through this book.
Overall, this is definitely a book I'd consider to read over holiday break. Although it was published 79 years ago, it's always bringing something to the table by teaching us readers that we have so much more potential than we think. It has its quirks, but The Hobbit is a must-have for young adults who love the fantasy genre but want something deeper and with more authenticity. Winter's approaching, so be ready to sit by the fire all day with this captivating novel!
Yeah, you've heard about the book, but what really is it? Well, to be completely honest, J.R.R. Tolkien manages, in a decent 300 pages, to string together a story in which a group of man-creature-things walk a bit, screw things up, and walk some more. But don't worry, it's intense walking. Seriously - as simple as that may sound, the author manages to really make something out of a plot that initially seems bland and repetitive. The repetitive aspect actually becomes an ironic symbol of our protagonist's constant treachery while out of his comfort zone. We start off reading about a world where wizards, goblins, and many other creatures - including humans - live in tense conditions cause by ancient grudges. Bilbo Baggins is our hobbit, a tiny man-like creature with a fear of adventure that is ignored by a group of dwarves and a strange wizard, who wish to whisk him away and set off on the biggest adventure possible - defeating the all-powerful and terrible dragon, Smaug. Throughout their journey, they make both allies and enemies while undergoing development as characters and as friends.
Let's start with the positive here - what does this story do well? For starters, character development is both noticeable and real, specifically Bilbo's Tolkien seems to have created a relatable character,
discovering himself and his potential, out of an impossible creature. As a reader, you'll find yourself laughing at Bilbo's cowardice and sometimes raising your eyebrows when he proves himself to be
much more useful than it initially seems. The other characters are affected by Bilbo's change and their friendship is constantly changing and growing. Overall, the characters are peculiar and memorable - they're everything you'd want out of a fantasy novel.
Not only that, but the style of writing is one that is unique. Each character's dialogue is written in a way that is specific to themselves. The author manages to write in such a way that the book isn't (despite its acclaim) thrown into the generic group of fantasy that all just sounds the same. Are Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior even different people? That's beside the point, but this book does manage to surpise the reader - I genuinely expected something more mainstream than what I was actually reading. The main idea and kinds of creatures are quite familiar to us book lovers, but it's what Tolkien manages to teach and how he teaches it that separates The Hobbit from the rest. The words are different than what books present nowadays, and the phrasing has an aura of ancient lore. It's pretty effective, as well as quite satisfying.
No book is perfect though, which means we sadly must come to the bad part.
The main issue I have with this book is that, to be honest, it's too lucky. I know. That makes no sense.
Let me try to explain without sounding the dreaded spoiler alert! Without revealing too much, I'll say that the story can sometimes be just a bit… coincidental. There are multiple "barely escaped, but made it out safe yet again" moments. If you're not the type for improbable and fairy-tale like victories - maybe you like something a bit darker - it'll be hard to get through this book.
Overall, this is definitely a book I'd consider to read over holiday break. Although it was published 79 years ago, it's always bringing something to the table by teaching us readers that we have so much more potential than we think. It has its quirks, but The Hobbit is a must-have for young adults who love the fantasy genre but want something deeper and with more authenticity. Winter's approaching, so be ready to sit by the fire all day with this captivating novel!
No comments:
Post a Comment