The Hobbit

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Synopsis:

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

Review:

The Hobbit is a book that makes you want to bundle up by a fire while you sit and read about the adventures of one very unlikely hero. I enjoyed every moment of reading this novel and I have to admit that this particular time was a shameless reread. I feel like this novel really is the perfect introduction to Middle Earth because it has a good story that’s not too heavy and grand like the Lord of the Rings, but is still captivating and fun. The story isn’t too hard to follow since it is your classic adventure story about characters on a treasure hunt (I admit that may be an oversimplification considering the fact that the treasure is their lost home and heritage, but you get the point). This hunt takes you on a mini tour of Middle Earth, specifically the northeast region, and introduces you to some intriguing characters. I think one of my favorite parts of this story was reading about all of the different characters. Especially the interactions between the dwarfs and Bilbo. At first it was clear that they were all wary of each other, but eventually they warmed up and started an amazing friendship. Another aspect I loved about this novel was reading all of the poems and songs Tolkien wrote. They all matched the style he tied to particular people and their moods and demeanors so well and it was really fascinating to read all of them.

Characters:

I found myself becoming more attached the the main characters of this novel than when I last read the Hobbit. When Bilbo found his courage I would be cheering him on and when the company hit hard spots I began to sympathize with them. This is part of why I enjoyed this novel so much more than the last time I read it. This time I caught on to more details of the story and found more time and reasons to like the characters. Plus, who doesn’t like Bilbo? He’s just that character where you can’t help but like him because of how ridiculous his situation is. He was just a simple hobbit enjoying his life when fate had him stumble into an extensive treasure hunt.

Conclusion:

I am very glad I decided to reread the Hobbit because now I’ve gained more love for it. If anyone is interested in getting into Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I highly recommend this to them and hope they have a good experience with this novel as well.

Let’s Talk:

• Have you read the Hobbit or other books taking place in Middle Earth?
• Any book recommendations?
• Do you enjoy high fantasies?