Thursday 9 August 2012

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein

I posted earlier in the week about my initial experience with Lord of the Rings, how I found it slow paced and too broad after falling in love with the films.  With this reread, I approached the book differently and stopped expecting it to have the same qualities as the film.  I was expecting a slower pace and actually, I was looking forward to finding out all the little facts about Middle Earth and it's history that Tolkien likes to sprinkle through his books.

Most people are familiar with the story, so there will be spoilers in this post.  In The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of Lord of the Rings, Frodo the Hobbit is left a powerful ring by Bilbo.  Gandalf the wizard thinks he has an idea of what the ring is but is captured by the person he seeks advice from.  This leaves Frodo and his friends with the responsibility of getting away from Sauron's servants, who want to claim the ring for their master.  On their way, they are helped by a "fellowship" of creatures, most notably Aragon, a man descended from Kings.  But the ring begins to cause tension in the group and ultimately it is Frodo alone who must decide what to do with his burden.

My first reaction on finishing the book was "I missed so much last time!".  I honestly think I spent too long hoping for action that I missed much about the characters and messages of the book; I rushed it when really this is a book to read slowly.  Although there is a story and the characters are engaging, this novel is all about the world that Tolkien has created.  Reading slowly, I could picture all of the wonderful settings (Lothlorien especially) and in that sense, it was a magical experience.

There's a lot of wisdom in this book, and a lot of messages that are great to learn.  Fellowship is about trying your best even when the chance of success is slim and doing the right thing in difficult circumstances.  It's about accepting that life isn't fair and that even though many things are beyond your control, you can choose the right course and make the most of what you have.  It's about adventure and openness and above all, being a decent human being.  Some of my favourite parts:

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." (Haldir).

" 'I wish this need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo.
'So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times.  But that is not for them to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.' "

I wasn't expecting this fantasy book to make me think so much about life, but it did.  It made me think about doing the right thing, about being able to look myself in the mirror at the end of the day and be proud of the choices and decisions I have made.  The easy way isn't always the right way.  So although I had some criticisms of the book (not enough focus on characters, it took too long for the hobbits to reach Rivendell), I loved the essence of it, if that makes sense?  I'm very glad I picked it up again and took the time to read it properly.

But the songs - still not for me!  I tried, I really did, but in the end I had to skip a few.  Sorry Tolkein fans!

Source: Personal copy
First Published: 1954
Score: 4.5 out of 5

14 comments:

  1. Glad to see that it turned out better this time ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've read LOTR at least five times, and every time I think I pick up some new things.

    Don't worry at all about not reading all the songs. I think my most recent reading two years ago was the first time I read all the songs. Each time I read the books, I get more familiar with all the myth and history, and the songs get better for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Teresa, I'm sure that will be my experience with this book too if I ever decide to read it again. I'm excited to start the next book in the trilogy although I am going to give myself a little break first.

      Some of the songs were beautiful, but as soon as they started appearing in Elvish, Tolkien lost me.

      Delete
  3. I'm new on your site - love it, by the way.

    I read your earlier posts on LOTR and the accompanying comments, so read this post with interest. I read The Hobbit at eight, and gobbled it up. Started LOTR for the first time at 15 and got stuck just before they reach Rivendell. Tried again and got stuck at the same place a couple of years later. It turned into a bit of a joke, because I tried again annually and kept hitting the same spot and sticking...I think I'd jinxed myself. Finally broke it in my mid 20s. Since, I've re-read it many times, each time gaining something else. It's something I do about every two years or so now when I am in the mood for a solid read that I can put down and come back to - good when the rest of life gets ridiculously busy.

    I think that these are books that require growing into for most people to some degree - particularly now that the films have been made, which do, as you say, move at a rather faster pace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting Kaz :)

      The hobbits do spend a long time in Rivendell. Even though I knew good things were coming (the council at Rivendell was my favourite part of the book), I wanted them to just get there already! Coincidentally, I am in my mid-20s so that must be a good age for rediscovering Tolkien!

      Delete
  4. Many years ago, long before the films came out and when I was still at school I started reading Fellowship of the Ring. I had been urged to read it from my Mum and after finishing The Hobit. However, it remains one of the few books I've never been able to finish! I just found the the opening so slow - as far as I can remember I got about 120 pages in and they hadn't left the shire yet! All that had happened was Bilbo said goodbye and Gandalf had visited.... I thought about trying again when the film came out but never got round to it. Maybe I'll have more patience if I try again now - with lower expectations! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mel, the opening is slow. It's well over half the book before they reach Rivendell (don't know if you've seen the film so know what happens next?). All I can say that their time at Rivendell was my favourite part of the book and the action picks up once they get there. There are lots more characters and storylines and the book starts to feel like an epic. In my opinion, it's worth getting past the slow start.

      Delete
  5. It's so interesting that books affect us in different ways at different points in our lives.
    I have to admit that I haven't read any of the LOTR books yet, but I'm thinking I will pick up The Hobbit soon. I've heard it's the easiest place to start.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsey, I struggled with The Hobbit so much as a child. I must have read the first twenty pages countless times before giving up each time. But everyone else I have spoken to had the opposite experience, apparently it is much more fast paced than Fellowship. I plan to read it before the film comes out :)

      Delete
  6. This is one of the vesy few novels I couldn't finish.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am really glad you mentioned your experience of reading this vs. the movies. I love the movies, and cannot count how many times I've watched them... but I haven't read the books yet. I plan to read The Hobbit before that movie releases though... and in reading your comment above- I tried it many times as a child too, and couldn't get into it at all (to my dad's major disappointment). So hopefully I'll have better luck this time - as I'd like to read the whole series! - Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  8. I consider myself a pre-movie-Tolkein fan, and I don't like the songs either. I have an aversion to poetry in general, and I... just couldn't. I read this so long ago, that all I can say is the books left such an impression on me. I should really re-read them sometime. Though, at this point, I think I'll wait to share them with future children.

    Lastly - if you think they took too long to get to Rivendell, just you wait for Two Towers... "...and they walked..." (a semi-direct Tolkein quote)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I haven't read LOTR, and never watched the movies. Maybe it's because the fact that LOTR is a fantasy, while I don't like that genre (well, except Harry Potter, who doesn't like it anyway?). But after reading your thoughts after re-read it, I might try to read it anyway and will try to find the wisdom as you mentioned, from the beginning. I hope I can enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete