A review by lau3rie
The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous dark informative sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I really loved how the narration of the audio book was done, it helped bring the critical sections of the book to life, and the prose style really lends itself to being spoken rather than read, drawing as it does on oral epic traditions.

It's always a little disappointing to be reading a fragmentary tale knowing how good Tolkien's finished works could be, but it was also fascinating to learn about the evolution of the tale over time. 

The story itself is beautiful and harrowing, and I found myself wondering if it could only have been written by someone with a very visceral experience of war. 

Well worth checking out, particularly the audio version.