| Author: JRR Tolkien Book Review By: Sanchana Raman Class: 7 |
The Hobbit
I learned about the Hobbit when my family watched the first film. Some folks hated the movie and complained so much that I decided to read the book by JRR Tolkien. It was a great choice because I enjoyed Tolkien’s writing.
The Hobbit has many things for a reader, including fantasy and adventure, villains and heroes, excitement and treasure. It was hard to put down, and I got into a lot of trouble because of it.
The main character is a hobbit named Bilbo. Since Hobbits are half the size of people, they are also known as halflings. They live in the Shire in Middle Earth. Hobbits are known for their love of their country. Bilbo loves his home but secretly wants to know what the world is like outside the Shire. One day, he is visited by Gandalf, the wizard. Even though Bilbo doesn’t say anything, Gandalf brings adventure to him. Bilbo asks Gandalf to come for tea and cakes. He is confused and surprised to see dwarves walking in, one by one as if he invited them to a party.
The dwarves gobble up the cakes quickly making Bilbo annoyed. But he is more annoyed when the chief of the dwarves says he’s not sure Bilbo can be a good burglar. Now Bilbo wants to join the adventure. Gandalf selects him as the burglar to help Thorin Oakenshield and his dwarves take back their mountain home from the terrible dragon, Smaug.
The dwarves still have lots of doubts if Bilbo can do the work. Bilbo doesn’t feel or act like a typical hero. He is a halfling who has many doubts about what he is supposed to do, but he is clever and fast when he meets trouble. As they make their way to the Lonely Mountains, they meet all kinds of fantastic creatures, including trolls, goblins, elves and a man called Beorn. The most exciting part comes when Bilbo gets lost in the tunnels and meets the creature called Gollum. The two of them play a game of riddles and luckily, Bilbo wins the magic ring. (The same magic ring and Gollum are in the next book, The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien).
The magic ring tilts the story in Bilbo’s favour. He finds a way out of every obstacle that comes their way until he finally meets Smaug and defeats him. But he does something so unexpected in the end that it leaves Thorin unhappy with Bilbo. Read the book to find out why.
When I put the book down, I was left amazed by Tolkien’s imagination and attention to detail. He came up with so many events and characters. Not one of those is dull. He is supposed to have borrowed from Norse mythology, but even then, he has woven all these threads together beautifully. At first I found the use of songs a bit odd but over time, I noticed that it added to the story telling. I think we all secretly wish for some adventure in our lives. Adventure includes danger. Would we take the risk? I would, especially if I had a Gandalf in my corner!
It is easy to watch fantasy movies, but reading the books helps us use our imagination to see the places and the characters. I recommend that you read the book first and then watch the films. You will enjoy the story but also develop an appreciation for the author’s writing.
Read more here:
Read other book reviews from the 2024 contest:
