Reviews with content warning for War - El Hobbit

I finally did it. After years of saying "I will pick up the Hobbit" or "I will pick up Lord of the Rings, I have finally read both, and dare I say, shame on me for taking so long to pick either of them up. One thing I am glad that I did was read LOTR first before reading The Hobbit. It was beautiful catching moments, quotes, actions, and situations that would transpire in LOTR. It made the world so much grander.

I am looking for someone to share in adventure that I am arranging.

Tolkien knows how to write a grandeur adventure that is both whimsical and epic. I fell in love with his writing in Lord of the Rings, and reading the Hobbit is no different. I felt transported to a world of adventure, quests, meandering hobbits, and a looming war. This isn't a read you can sit down in one day and devour (though try I did). This is a book you savor over tea with the fireplace going and the Fall rain hitting the window (which may have been how I read this).

I could see myself rereading this many times in the future, just as I have Lord of the Rings. There is just something about the aesthetic of the book, the poetic writing, and the adventure that draws me in.

(p.s. - if you are picking this book up AFTER the movie, please be aware that you will see many differences and things that did not occur in the book.)

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glen3's review against another edition

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adventurous funny relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

literarypenguin's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

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

5.0

How do you review such a classic? The Hobbit was such an adventure from the perspective of one of my favorite characters in all of literature Bilbo Baggins! Bilbo was our reluctant but caring and loyal hero who goes on an extraordinary journey to slay a dragon on a mountain to win back the honor of this group of new dwarven allies. The cynical, funny dialogue only adds more to the story, and the way that this book is written reads almost like a child's bedtime story but all ages can appreciate this book I think. J.R.R. Tolkien's writing really sucked me into the story and I couldn't get enough of the book wanting to know how it ends. It was fast-paced and flowed very well unlike the movies it didn't spend too much time on certain details or parts which I didn't mind and added to the enjoyment of the story. I can't wait to read Lord Of The Rings and explore more of this mystical world of Middle Earth!

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clayby's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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? No

5.0

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.

I first read 'The Hobbit' many years ago when I was in middle-school, my maiden voyage into the written works of Tolkien. I enjoyed it greatly back then, staying up on school nights reading 'til I could barely keep my eyes open. Being older (and more prone to passing out early) now, there was none of that during this reading, but it did take over my life for a week or two.

'The Hobbit' may be a children's tale, and thus some may write it off in favor of Tolkien's other work, but it has a wonderful charm, details you may not catch at first, a sense of something grand fomenting behind the scenes. From the start it pulls you in, taking you on this beautiful journey and back again.

As a small addendum, I would also like to praise this specific edition of 'The Hobbit' (ISBN: 9780261103283) for its beautiful artwork, as well as the preface which I found very interesting.

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