A review by maxsebastian
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
5.0
With the number of times I've read this story, I feel complicated about reviewing it. Instead, I just wanted to highlight three things that stood out to me this time around.
This was my first time listening to The Hobbit, and I found Andy Serkis's narration utterly charming. While his Gollum is iconic, I loved his takes on the rest of the cast as well. Serkis is really talented at both differentiating each character's voice while making the story not feel over the top.
The Hobbit's episodic nature stands out to me more every time I read it. The fact that nearly each chapter feels like its own vignette makes for the perfect bedtime story.
The humor in this book is fantastic. Bilbo's asides are hilarious as are the actions and songs of the dwarfs. Humor is central to how Tolkien establishes his characters, and it works wonderfully in this story.
This was my first time listening to The Hobbit, and I found Andy Serkis's narration utterly charming. While his Gollum is iconic, I loved his takes on the rest of the cast as well. Serkis is really talented at both differentiating each character's voice while making the story not feel over the top.
The Hobbit's episodic nature stands out to me more every time I read it. The fact that nearly each chapter feels like its own vignette makes for the perfect bedtime story.
Spoiler
As per usual, my favorite scenes have to be "An Unexpected Party," "Riddles in the Dark," and "Flies and Spiders."The humor in this book is fantastic. Bilbo's asides are hilarious as are the actions and songs of the dwarfs. Humor is central to how Tolkien establishes his characters, and it works wonderfully in this story.