Book Cover

Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway.

# Review

The story follows Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit (a short human with hairy feet), who is swept up into an adventure with a group of Dwarves to reclaim their kingdom from a dangerous dragon. The story features interesting characters such as Gandalf, a Wizard, and showcases the fantastical world of Middle-earth filled with lore and culture.

Tolkien crafts a charming tale of bravery and adventure. The characters are endearing and likeable; I especially enjoyed the character development of Bilbo. Being a philologist, Tolkien makes excellent use of language within the book; for instance, different species have different songs and the songs reveal not only the culture of said species explicitly but also through the sound. Tolkien uses more euphonious language for the graceful Elves and more cacophonic language for the brutish Goblins.

The target audience is childish but I enjoyed the book regardless.

# Conclusion

An exploration of a fantastical world.

# Overall rating: 8.3

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