queennorenv's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lisafer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sallysocker's review against another edition
5.0
2022-07-19
“Tulkas laughs ever, in sport or in war, and even in the face of Melkor he laugh in battles before before the elves were born.”
I can read this book a million times and it would never grow boring. I love this story, it’s heartbreaking but still so good.
2022-02-02
“Get thee gone from my gate, thou jail-crow of Mandos”
I adore this book. So sad and hard to read, but so worth it! Love it!
“Tulkas laughs ever, in sport or in war, and even in the face of Melkor he laugh in battles before before the elves were born.”
I can read this book a million times and it would never grow boring. I love this story, it’s heartbreaking but still so good.
2022-02-02
“Get thee gone from my gate, thou jail-crow of Mandos”
I adore this book. So sad and hard to read, but so worth it! Love it!
kisthebook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
reviews_with_rach's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Even with a difficult writing style I can't help but love the lore of this world and be forever taken in by Tolkien's words.
In this I found he had such a talent at describing great evil, with some of the most impressive writing and descriptions happening when talking about the Enemy.
Of the histories covered I'd never read about the one 'of Maeglin' and of the new ones I read that was my favourite, though reading about the Noldor and their struggles was a close second.
Again, this just strengthened my love for this world and I'm so glad we have this expansion.
In this I found he had such a talent at describing great evil, with some of the most impressive writing and descriptions happening when talking about the Enemy.
Of the histories covered I'd never read about the one 'of Maeglin' and of the new ones I read that was my favourite, though reading about the Noldor and their struggles was a close second.
Again, this just strengthened my love for this world and I'm so glad we have this expansion.
yarfaqikhdir's review against another edition
5.0
The silmarilion has a reputation of being too difficult to handle or remember all the names from and regarded as a tedious work of Tolkein, however the mindset and preparation really made all the difference when I tried reading it the second time around, this time these things helped me get the hang of most parts of the Silmarilion:
- Viewing the book as a history of Middle Earth instead of a story like a novel, there are many bits and pieces of short stories here and there in the book and it’s meant to be read first in Tolkein’s Middle Earth collection to gain more knowledge of what’s happened before and what to expect, but they are mostly centered on a time before the events of the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy.
- Watching a lot of youtube videos from really good channels run by geeks that have read the books multiple times before making the videos (so basically spoil yourself).
- This book was written by a man who was a professor of Old and Middle English langauge (and literature) with myriads of enlightenment of different philosophies and old beliefs (myths too) and languages, neither of these were small feats and they have reflected not only on the depth of his world-building but also the advanced level of language he used to write his books, we see a lot of words that are no longer in use throughout the texts helping his books appear more ancient and as if they speak of a time long ago when this langauge was the norm.
In conclusion, DON’T LET ANYONE ROB YOU OF THE JOY AND FULFILLMENT OF READING THIS MASTERPIECE AFTER THE LOTR IF YOU LIKE THE LATTER!! <3
- Viewing the book as a history of Middle Earth instead of a story like a novel, there are many bits and pieces of short stories here and there in the book and it’s meant to be read first in Tolkein’s Middle Earth collection to gain more knowledge of what’s happened before and what to expect, but they are mostly centered on a time before the events of the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy.
- Watching a lot of youtube videos from really good channels run by geeks that have read the books multiple times before making the videos (so basically spoil yourself).
- This book was written by a man who was a professor of Old and Middle English langauge (and literature) with myriads of enlightenment of different philosophies and old beliefs (myths too) and languages, neither of these were small feats and they have reflected not only on the depth of his world-building but also the advanced level of language he used to write his books, we see a lot of words that are no longer in use throughout the texts helping his books appear more ancient and as if they speak of a time long ago when this langauge was the norm.
In conclusion, DON’T LET ANYONE ROB YOU OF THE JOY AND FULFILLMENT OF READING THIS MASTERPIECE AFTER THE LOTR IF YOU LIKE THE LATTER!! <3
bee22's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
This read like the driest history textbook in the world, and the narrator did not add any emotion or inflection to his reading. I couldn't keep going, even with how short each of the stories was. The writing was a lot of "And then this happened. And everyone rejoiced. Then they stopped rejoicing." and so on and so forth. Tolkien's editor should have cut out 90% of instances of the word "then" and made him rewrite it.
sebbyroth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0