Review: The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

[ed_rex]

Return to Middle Earth: The Hobbit

Believe it or not, Peter Jackson's latest film is only indirectly responsible for my decision to re-read The Hobbit (again). The proximal cause was Tor.com's (no-doubt entirely commercial) decision to ask the redoubtable Kate Nepveu to lead a weekly, chapter-by-chapter "re-read" of the novel in conjunction with the release of the first (of three!) movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's 300 page children's story.

My intention had been to follow along at Nepveu's chapter-a-week pace and, perhaps, to contribute to the ongoing conversation she was (and is!) sure to inspire, but Tolkien's deceptively simple prose and thematically complex fairy story swept me away (as it has a number of times before). I finished the book in a couple of days.

The short version is that The Hobbit remains a delightful adventure story and fairy tale, even if it is the work of a writer who has yet to reach the full extent of his creative powers.

That said, it also a very strange book, that strays very far indeed from a typical heroic path in favour of wandering the fields of moral complexity and (relatively) complex characterizations. The protagonists are far from perfect and even the villains show surprising signs of humanity.

A lovely book to read aloud to a child, there is every chance that you will have to read it twice, since you'll likely treat yourself to the whole thing before you sit down for Chapter Two with said youngster.

The long version lives on my site. (As usual, there are spoilers.)

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Comments

Re: I completely disagree ...

[ed_rex]

Don't apologize. I asked for it.

I am also trying to figure out how to do justice to your argument. I still disagree with you — if anything, even more now that you've expanded on your original point — but I rather suspect a proper response would require that major essay I've been (sort of) meaning to write on TLoTR for quite a few years now.

Hmm ...

I just tried an "in a nutshell" response and deleted a couple of paragraphs after realizing that, yes, a full essay is required in response.

So for now, I'll just say that I was convinced by Sam and Frodo's relationship, even if — as it did — its class-based elements made me uncomfortable. I found it full of humour and character-based humour, at that. And where you see a "patchwork quilt" I see a complex weaving of "bombast" and quiet talk, of epic battle and hard, slow slogging.

Which I guess is a very long way of saying, "I (still) think you're wrong!"

Sigh ... yet another fan's five-thousand word ode to The Lord of the Rings is a-callin'. But I won't promise a finish date.

P.S. Your mention of Peake reminds me that I really need to make the time to re-read the Gormenghast books. (TH White, not so much.)

Re: I completely disagree ...

[wytchcroft]

LOL, well, i didn't expect to change your mind, and i must admit to a creeping sense that, to continue my Beatles analogy, i just argued for Octopus's Garden over I am the Walrus... but hey ho and so it goes.

i would be very interested to read the essay when you've done,
so i hope you flag it up here.

'best,
wytch

Re: I completely disagree ...

[ed_rex]

Sorry for the delay; I've been struggling with the effects of a tenacious flu/cold/what-have-you.

Yes, I'll almost certainly flag that essay here — if I ever get around to writing it.

It's one of the labours of love that seems to be forever put off 'till a week Thursday, but who knows? One of these days, maybe ...

Meanwhile, I will be reviewing the first Hobbit movie very soon, so keep checking on the site. (Or, he suggested diffidently, still uncomfortable with anything approaching a hard-sell, you could subscribe to my newsletter. I promise not to abuse the privilege of your email address.)