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In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001).
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0Man, there is truly no story I love more than an unlikely hero going on an unexpected adventure and discovering more about themselves along the way! This book is exactly that, and I LOVED IT!!!
When I decided to finally read LOTR this year, my friends suggested I start with the Hobbit. For some reason, I thought Tolkien was writing these novels in the 1800s? I was sure he was a contemporary of Dickens, Austen, and the like lol. I was of course then pleasantly surprised to find that the writing was a lot easier to read that I expected! I also didn’t know that this book is a very popular children’s book. I’m sure I would’ve loved it if I had read it as a child!
Others wrote that they found Tolkien’s lengthy descriptions made the story progress slowly, but I found it to be incredibly immersive! I was constantly hunting for more time to read this book and was talking about it to pretty much anyone who would listen. I was so attached to the characters, particularly Bilbo, who I found so charming and the world they were exploring, which was so fleshed out! I am very infatuated with hobbits after reading this book - all they want to do is eat snacks and lounge, which resonates with me.
It’s hard for me to identify my favorite part of this book! Each place they went to was more interesting to me then the last. I did really enjoy Bilbo’s ingenuity, and his voice as a narrator. I did find Smaug’s death to be a little underwhelming, which is probably my only critique of the book. So much time is spent detailing how intimidating of a foe he is, but then it seemed like he was killed very quickly and with relative ease. I’m really excited to read the rest of the series!
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