This is probably the best book from the trilogly (yes I know it's technically one book, please don't come for me Tolkein stans). 

Might bump this up to 4.5 stars later, I still can't make up my mind 😅

Such a great end to a fantastic trilogy. Lotr has been so daunting to read, but after doing it I don’t know what I was scared of. (Yes I do, the size). I listened on audiobook the Robert Ingles version and thoroughly enjoyed myself. 

Frodo and Sam’s endings make perfect sense for their characters and how they developed along the way. I could honestly say that about every single character. I will always love Merry and Pippin and SURPRISE they aren’t twins but they are cousins. 

The writing of Gandalf as a mentor is so good I understand now why people love him so much. It is annoying at time when he leaves because as the reader you are like “bro! You are leaving at the most random times!” However, it is all in pursuit of the other characters growing and learning. 

Favorite Quotes: 
“Dead men are not friends to living men and give them no gifts 

Wild men are wild, free but not children

And she spoke as one who did not like what was said

The houses of the dead are no place for the living 

I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.”

Definitely made me cry at the end with  

the parting of the hobbits.

It was inspiring and worth the long journey. This last book was faster paced than the others, but still slow. Loved the characters and it felt like you knew them as a family by the time you were done.

Honestly, as good as expected! Much quicker than the previous book and for the better. I found myself super engaged with the story even though I knew what was going to happen. The story is just so interesting and well written, plus reading all the appendices helped deepen the entire book.

Although, I will say the second to last chapter was odd to me. It was weird to kind of make the Hobbits fight another fight, just to show how they have developed. Just seems to interrupt the flow of the end of the novel. Thus the 4.75.

Honestly, glad I read but I would not recommend this book or the others to anyone looking for a light read! Be ready to buckle in and really spend sometime getting to know a different world and a timeless story.