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A review by vanilla_chief
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Comparable to classic collections of religious mythology (Bible, Edda, Legends of Greeks) as it is a collection of books and stories that inform the society of that world. The plot is told in broad strokes as the book is not much longer than the Hobbit but spans millennia.
I wouldn't say that I understood everything, but I tried to go with the flow of the story, and sometimes I really enjoyed the self-contained myths even though I didn't know how all of those people were connected to each other. It helped me to make more sense of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I just saw the movies and was disappointed by the world building, and therefor was not motivated to read the books. But now I really feel prepared to dive deep into those stories, also because I learned to enjoy the writing-style of Tolkien.
I wouldn't say that I understood everything, but I tried to go with the flow of the story, and sometimes I really enjoyed the self-contained myths even though I didn't know how all of those people were connected to each other. It helped me to make more sense of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I just saw the movies and was disappointed by the world building, and therefor was not motivated to read the books. But now I really feel prepared to dive deep into those stories, also because I learned to enjoy the writing-style of Tolkien.