Reviewing The Hobbit

Welcome to book review Tuesday, where each week, we will be reviewing a book from our bookshelves to talk about you, our beautiful listeners, readers and writers. The purpose of this is it promotes books we love and show support for our favourite authors. This blog section is also an offshoot of the podcast's section called the bookshelf. So enjoy this review as we dive into:

The Hobbit By J.R.R.Tolkien

Synopsis:

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable and quiet life. His contentment is disturbed one day when the wizard, Gandalf, and the dwarves arrive to take him away on an adventure. Smaug certainly looked fast asleep when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance. He was just about to step out onto the floor when he caught a sudden thin ray of red from under the drooping lid of Smaug's left eye. He was only pretending to sleep! He was watching the tunnel entrance! Whisked from his comfortable hobbit-hole by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves. Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

Favourite Character: Thorin Oakenshield

Thorin is in many ways a typical member of his race: brave, stubborn, proud, and greedy for gold. Though his birthright and noble bearing initially make Thorin seem like a fairly heroic figure, the dwarf's status quickly declines as Bilbo's rises. Soon after Gandalf leaves the party, it becomes apparent that Thorin is not a true leader: he is incapable of formulating a plan, makes hasty and poor decisions, and generally relies on Bilbo to see him through his adventures, all the while treating Bilbo like an insignificant underling. Once Thorin gets his hands on Smaug's treasure, he becomes irrationally greedy and obsessed with wealth, to the extent that he would rather wage a violent war than give the men from Lake Town their fair share of the treasure. Thorin is partially redeemed by his dying apology to Bilbo, but not even this act of remorse can fully redeem him. In general, the arrogant Thorin works as a foil for the unassuming Bilbo, setting off Bilbo's best qualities and creating a leadership void that provides Bilbo the chance to seize the initiative and become a true hero. ( Thank you to Sparknotes for this amazing description)

We give this book a rating of 9 out of 10

Tolkien once again brings us into the world of middle earth in probably one of the best smaller novels of the entire middle earth anthology. The characters were memorable and distinct even though there were so many of them. The plot was terrific, and the book's twists kept us engaged the entire time.