The Hobbit is such an interesting book. I read it for the first time when I was in high school, which was over ten years ago. I remember thinking it was incredibly slow and a little bit monotonous. As an adult, I think I still agree with that assessment. However, I also appreciate the different elements of Bilbo's adventures. I make that plural because while he technically went on one long adventure, he had so many "smaller" ones along the way. Some of them were fascinating and action-packed. Others were less interesting and I found my mind wandering. One thing I will say is that I believe I would've given this only three stars had I not listened to the audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis. There's nothing quite like listening to the book read by Gollum/Smeagol himself. That was a lot of fun!

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. 

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.)