Book Review - The Hobbit

I'm starting out with a book that I know well (because, yikes, it's my first review!  *insert panic here*)  I've loved Tolkien's works ever since my mom read the Hobbit out loud to us when we were about nine or ten.  I then had the chance to watch a theatre production of the Hobbit, which was the best way ever to study the characters!  (Sidenote: I will not be mentioning the movies and their flaws.  It'd take too long.)  The best facet of Tolkien's work, in my opinion, is his talent for bringing characters and settings to vivid life.  The Hobbit is a classic example of the "untalented" character having a lot more to him than is first evident.  Bilbo Baggins is not a strong, perfect hero, but he is a realistic, relatable person (fine, hobbit.)  Gandalf is the wise shepherd who occasionally just can't stand the dwarves one moment longer.  And the dwarves?  They seem a little bit like a very large homeschooling family.  . . . 
Anyway, now that I've met my quota of controversial sayings, let's move on to the review.


Loved:
I adore the characters!  Even Gollum holds a special place in my heart.  All of the dwarves, even if they aren't extremely significant, have personality.  Of course, the Orcs, Wargs, and various assorted villains are rather one-dimensional, but we can't have it all.  Beorn makes up for any shallow characters, as do Thorin and Bilbo.  They're all so fussy and quirky and true to real life.  (I have a post on characters in the works right now, so stay tuned.)

The plot is amazing.  Tolkien gave the quest storyline a whole new twist, and the sundry difficulties along the way only make it realistically hard.

Finally, the setting is probably the best in fiction.  Throughout the story, the terrain shifts as the characters travel, provides obstacles, and becomes a character in its own right.  I can actually picture Middle-Earth, (not movie Middle-Earth!) and it's always consistently misty green for The Hobbit.  In Lord of the Rings, it gets very grey and foggy, but that's just me.  However, the entire world is so very realistic that it makes the book more inviting.

Hated:
Um, nothing!  Who's even putting this category up??!  They should be terribly ashamed of themselves.

Meh:
As I said earlier, the villains aren't as well-developed as they could be.  Also, the story can sometimes get a little long/slow.  My main gripe, though, is the ending.  I know it makes sense, but . . . I'm still wounded deep down.  (It's much better than the movie, though!)

Everything Else - A Summary:

Well, I'm rather biased toward this book, of course.  However, I am in total awe of Tolkien's genius with words and composition.  His works are a pleasure and a joy to read.  That said, I have heard people complain about them, saying things like: "There's too much description."  "It's too long."  "It's boring."  Obviously, Tolkien may not be for everyone, but they're entitled to hold their wrong opinions.   

Actually, I understand that people may not, for some odd reason, like The Hobbit or the three following books.  And that's okay.  Everyone has different tastes, but for fantasy lovers and avid readers, I could not recommend this more highly.  Happy reading!

Brianna

So, did you like it? 

What could I improve?

Have you ever read The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings?  Did you like them?  (The answer is yes.)