LOTR Read-Along! Return of the King Part Three
The Hobbit and LOTR Read-Along is hosted by Little Red Reviewer and Geeky Daddy
Previous Posts:
FOTR: Part One Part Two Part Three
Bonus One: Photos of Books
TT: Part One Part Two Part Three
Bonus Two: TOYS!
ROTK: Part One Part Two
Welcome to Part Three of Return of the King!
It's the end of the Read-Along! I'm sad to see it end, but it's just in time, as the holiday blog that I run with my husband is going to be taking up a lot of my blogging energy for the next month. Come visit us there: Mainlining Christmas!
Due to time and what I actually have to say, I might skip some of the prompts this week, because mostly I want to talk about the fact that we finally got to my favorite chapter. Yay!
What did you think of the very end, of the departure of the Havens?
I forgot that the Three Rings are so directly described as their bearers prepare to take ship. The whole thing is a beautiful sequence. There are a few "very end"s, though. The end of the main story, the main themes, are wrapped up with Sam's return home on the last page. However, I believe that chronologically the final event to be chronicled in LOTR is the death of Arwen in Appendix A, and that's some beautiful writing as well.
I'd like to thank everyone who's been involved with the read-along, I've had a great time!
Come back next weekend for one more Bonus: my review (it's actually been sitting in queue for a while) of the fan work which retells LOTR from another perspective: The Last Ringbearer.
Previous Posts:
FOTR: Part One Part Two Part Three
Bonus One: Photos of Books
TT: Part One Part Two Part Three
Bonus Two: TOYS!
ROTK: Part One Part Two
Welcome to Part Three of Return of the King!
It's the end of the Read-Along! I'm sad to see it end, but it's just in time, as the holiday blog that I run with my husband is going to be taking up a lot of my blogging energy for the next month. Come visit us there: Mainlining Christmas!
Due to time and what I actually have to say, I might skip some of the prompts this week, because mostly I want to talk about the fact that we finally got to my favorite chapter. Yay!
What did you think of the two weddings? Do you think Eowyn will eventually find happiness with Faramir?
I talked about this a bit last week: I think Eowyn and Faramir are well matched in background and temperament and will balance each other nicely.
Holy Cow I was not expecting the scouring of the shire. If this is your first time reading, were you surprised? And if this isn't your first time reading, does the shock get a little easier to swallow on re-read?
I love love love The Scouring of the Shire, and I don't recall ever being shocked by it, just delighted. It is one of my favorite parts of the whole trilogy, and I see it as the culmination of many of the themes and plots of the work. I love that no one recognizes the hobbits at first, I love how easily they take charge and become a strong force for good.
I talked about this a bit last week: I think Eowyn and Faramir are well matched in background and temperament and will balance each other nicely.
Holy Cow I was not expecting the scouring of the shire. If this is your first time reading, were you surprised? And if this isn't your first time reading, does the shock get a little easier to swallow on re-read?
I love love love The Scouring of the Shire, and I don't recall ever being shocked by it, just delighted. It is one of my favorite parts of the whole trilogy, and I see it as the culmination of many of the themes and plots of the work. I love that no one recognizes the hobbits at first, I love how easily they take charge and become a strong force for good.
I love that we get to really see how each hobbit's experience in war and in other lands has shaped him into a different person than when he left. I love Merry rousing the countryside with the tactics of Rohan, I love Pippin asserting himself as a Guardsman of the King, I love Sam rescuing the hearts of the people and the land itself, and Frodo as the strangely wise voice of compassion. It just honestly makes me happy to see them each come fully into their own.
As far as the end of Saurman goes, I find it appropriate.
Also there are a lot of touches in this section and the part immediately afterward to remind me of the conceit that the book that we are reading is descended in direct line from the Red Book in which the hobbits recorded these events as history. And frankly I still get a wonderful shivery feeling when Frodo reveals the final title.
As far as the end of Saurman goes, I find it appropriate.
Also there are a lot of touches in this section and the part immediately afterward to remind me of the conceit that the book that we are reading is descended in direct line from the Red Book in which the hobbits recorded these events as history. And frankly I still get a wonderful shivery feeling when Frodo reveals the final title.
What did you think of the very end, of the departure of the Havens?
I forgot that the Three Rings are so directly described as their bearers prepare to take ship. The whole thing is a beautiful sequence. There are a few "very end"s, though. The end of the main story, the main themes, are wrapped up with Sam's return home on the last page. However, I believe that chronologically the final event to be chronicled in LOTR is the death of Arwen in Appendix A, and that's some beautiful writing as well.
I'd like to thank everyone who's been involved with the read-along, I've had a great time!
Come back next weekend for one more Bonus: my review (it's actually been sitting in queue for a while) of the fan work which retells LOTR from another perspective: The Last Ringbearer.
You make the scouring of the shire far less heartbreaking. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
ReplyDeleteI guess I just never found it heartbreaking. Sad, yes, and unfortunate that it happened, but for the flow of the story, I think it's so important. It's the final step bringing home to the audience - and to the characters themselves - the impact of the hobbits' struggles.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your comments. I liked the fact that the scouring give us all a perfect setting to actually see just how much the hobbits had changed. It surprised me in that I'd totally forgotten about it!!