I love the fantasy genre, have read Paolini, and am absolutely in love with Katsa and Po in Graceling. I’ve read all the books in The Chronicles of Narnia, play World of Warcraft, and I rather enjoyed Goblins! An UnderEarth Adventure. So when I read about the Tolkein Readalong, I decided to Crash the Unexpected Party.
January was the month of The Hobbit with A Striped Armchair. I got a late start, so I’ve had to hurry a bit to catch up, but I’ve now finished the prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was a re-reread for me, “the third time pays for all”, as Bilbo says, and my last time on the journey There and Back Again was in early 2008, I believe. It amazes me how this book was still able to keep me in suspense through goblins chasing them, Riddles in the Dark, the sticky troubles in Mirkwood, imprisonment in the wood-elves city, Bilbo’s battle of wits with Smaug the Dragon, and through the final scene of the book, The Battle of Five Armies. I so love Tolkein, and I seem to forget how much until I read his work. Next month will be The Fellowship of the Rings with The Literary Omnivore.
So Eva at A Striped Armchair gave us the following questions:
Where are you in the story? So far, has the book lived up to your expectations (for first-timers)/memories (for rereaders)? What’s surprising or familiar?
Have you been bogged down anywhere in the book?
Let’s talk about the songs…are you skipping over them to get back to the prose? Why or why not?
What do you think of the narrator’s voice?
Does your edition have illustrations or maps? Have you been ignoring them or referring back to them?
Now it’s time to play favourites! Who’s your favourite main character? Who’s your favourite minor character (i.e.: villains, random helpers, etc.)? What’s your favourite scene? Do you have a favourite quote to share?
Okay, so here we go 🙂
1. Where are you in the story? So far, has the book lived up to your expectations (for first-timers)/memories (for rereaders)? What’s surprising or familiar?
I have just finished the book about twenty minutes ago, after tackling it in about 3 days. I was a bit burned out by the ARCs that I’ve read this month, and desperately need a fun escape in a comfort read and The Hobbit fit that to a T. I really do hope to take the next books a bit slower, because it gave me a bit of a brain-ache this way. As always, it lived up to my memories, and I’ve been running over to YouTube to watch the 1977 Cartoon version of it that I watched repeatedly at my parents naseaum as a kid. What really surprised me was that, even though I know the story, know what all’s going to happen, and know the outcomes, it can still hold me in suspense. I was biting my nails and flipping pages, even though I knew they were all going to make it through. Of course, since it was a reread, it was familiar, and maybe it is the cartoon I watched for all those years that makes it a comfort read for me.
2. Have you been bogged down anywhere in the book?
I did have trouble in the beginning of the book getting started. I kept falling asleep. However, that may have more to do with the fact that I was in a nice, warm bed at 12 o’clock at night, with the audiobook playing as I read along. There is a reason we read bedtime stories to kids to make them go to sleep, and I can tell you it works on 36-year-old moms just as well 😉
3. Let’s talk about the songs…are you skipping over them to get back to the prose? Why or why not?
Well, as I said, I read along with an audiobook, so I didn’t skip the songs this time, but I never skipped them anyway. I figure Tolkein put them where he did for a reason and read them (sang them, out loud, even if it drew stares) where he plunked them. It was a bit different hearing them from the audiobook reader, who also sang them, (but with breaks that I didn’t care for) in that his tunes for them was a bit different than the ones I had sung. Honestly, it would have never occurred to me to skip them.
4. What do you think of the narrator’s voice?
I have always loved the book’s narrator voice, and I’d have to say that I like the audiobook’s narrator’s voice, as well. I hope he’s doing the next three, as well.
5. Does your edition have illustrations or maps? Have you been ignoring them or referring back to them?
Yes, my book had both the dwarf map of the Lonely Mountain and the moonrunes that Elrond discovered (lol, I can’t read runes, though, so what does that matter?), as well as a broader map that shows the Misty Mountains, Mirkwood, and the Grey Mountains, as well as Smaug on the Lonely Mountain. They’re labelled “Thror’s Map” and “Wilderland”, and I referenced them often, especially the one of Wilderland to get a good sense of the directions they took and how far they travelled. Like Bilbo, I too LOVE maps!
6. Now it’s time to play favourites! Who’s your favourite main character? Who’s your favourite minor character (i.e.: villains, random helpers, etc.)? What’s your favourite scene? Do you have a favourite quote to share?
Ooh, favorites… I knew this question was coming, so I tried to be prepared, but I just was too into the book to remember to pick them. Let me see….
Favorite main character: Well, of course it’s probably Gandalf. Do people answer anything else? Why or how could you have any other favorite than the Wandering Wizard? Well, maybe Bilbo… since he is the one about whom the story was written. Certainly, it can’t be the dwarves, they’re a bunch of pansies who push Bilbo out in front like a Hobbit-shield. Money-grubbing, short, lazy.. grumble grumble. I know too many people like them in real life to like them much in the book, especially the pompous, self-important Thorin (though, he does redeem himself in the end).
Favorite minor character: Ahh, now this one gives us a much broader choice. My favorite minor character is, by far, Beorn. I loved Beorn! He treats his animals with care and love as if they were his own children, and watches over and guards his friends, too. Beorn could be called “The Guardian of the Wood”, I think. And I had forgotten about him until reaching his house after the Eagles had dropped them all at the Carrock. Beorn has this sense that he could be dangerous (well, and his does transform into a bear, after all), but there’s a gentleness about him at the same time.
Favorite scene: My favorite scene had always previously been the barrel-escape scene. However, this time around, my favorite scene is at the end, when Gandalf and Bilbo begin their journey home, parting company with the elvenking, and Beorn stays with them and protects them. I don’t know why I’d never paid much attention to him before!
As for my favorite quote… There were so many great lines and passages in this book, obviously! But here’s the one that struck me this time around:
“The the prophecies of the old song have turned out to be true, after a fashion!” said Bilbo.
“Of course!” said Gandalf. “And why should not they prove true? Surely you don’t disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!”
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar.
–The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, page 330
I found a deep sense of comfort in this passage this time around, and I’m not exactly sure why. Perhaps it’s the idea that I myself am “quite a little fellow” (or whatever the term for a girl fellow is) in a wide world, and it’s a comfort to know that it all will turn out okay in the end. Sometimes it feels like I’m battling the forces of darkness just to raise my kids to be honorable, integral, self-respecting, well-mannered, civilized, law-abiding, good citizens. And though it would be nice to have a wizard helping me along the way, or a bear-man like Beorn to watch over them when they’re not under my own watchful gaze, it is a comfort to know that there is Someone who does keep them, and all of us, and, though we might not understand the hows and whys, there is a Plan that is being worked out for the good of all.
This counts toward my 451 Challenge.
Filed under: 451 Challenge, Lord of the Rings Readalong | Tagged: Beorn, Bilbo, blogging, classic literature, dragon, dwarves, eagles, Elrond, elves, evil, fantasy, fiction, Gandalf, giant eagles, giant spiders, Goblins!, good versus evil, Lord of the Rings, magic, middle earth, prequel, readalong, reading, Smaug, The Hobbit, Tolkein, trolls, wizard, World of Warcraft | 3 Comments »
In the Shadow of Mt. TBR 
January Wrap-Up
Every month I intend to create a bloggie wrap-up. I swear to myself I’m gonna do it next month. Then, the first of the month rolls around and I read Fyrefly’s and DevourerofBook’s, among others, and I say, “Ah CRAP! I forgot to do a wrap-up post! Dang it! Okay, I’ll do it next month, I swear…” And you’ll know how many times I’ve actually followed through on that when I say, “Yay! This is my first monthly wrap-up post!” LOL.
K, I have ADD bad. I get distracted so very easily. Sometimes it’s TV or gardening or doing stuff with the kids, and sometimes it’s computer games like SecondLife or World of Warcraft or the latest, face book apps. SecondLife pulled me away from everything for about 5 months straight, and now I can’t remember the last time I was on. With WoW, I’d learned a thing or two from SL, and so I didn’t go so long or so deep, but still I was absent for a while, traipsing through Azeroth. Facebook games are so getting old, and I’m down to a few that have to be tended daily: Farmville, the café game and the pet games. I’m mostly still doing those because my mom is actually on facebook, SHOCK! and the kids play, too, so I play with them.
Where was I even going with that? Oh, ADD… lol, I swear, that wasn’t on purpose! Okay, I’m lost now… that was funny, and I laughed, and lost my train of thought. Oh well, must not have been too important. That’s why I like to outline things, and why I hate stream of conscious storylines. I get lost enough in my own thinking, I don’t need to do so in a book!
Moving on…
I decided during Bloggiesta, that the best way to do a wrap-up post was to write it all month long, keeping track of commentors and other things that happen, so I started this post about a week after Bloggiesta, because I got distracted and it took a while to get back to it. Maybe that’s where I was going with that up there. 😀
Maybe ADD is why I hate long paragraphs? It feels like being trapped in a room with no windows. I often skim through the middle of them, or just read the first and last lines of it and move on.
Moving on…
During the Month of January I:
Started my first book challenge, The Welsh Reading Challenge, because I wanted to read more books relating to my own heritage, but needed a little prod to do it and keep on track. The fact people joined the challenge was GRAVY 🙂
Joined a total of 13 reading challenges, 11 of which are being tracked on my Reading is Challenging! page, as well as two more at LibraryThing: The 75 Book Challenge, and the Books off the Shelf Challenge. The Sookie Stackhouse Challenge was in progress, though I don’t know if I can call it progress, since I have YET to pick up the first book. Actually, I picked it up, read 2 paragraphs, then put it back down… don‘t tell BethFish :-D. This is the most challenges I’ve ever participated in, and I don’t expect to complete them all, realistically, but I’m hoping!
Spent a total of 21 hours working on blog improvements as part of Bloggiesta. Thanks, Natasha! And after all the work everyone else did and the mini-challenges I wanted to do but didn’t get to, I now have a longer to-do list than when I started!
Created The Welsh Reading Challenge blog. After reading how other bloggers who host challenges have found a separate blog is a better way to keep it all organized, I started the blog for TWRC during Bloggiesta, and had it open and ready for visitors about a week later. We’ve also got a couple sponsors, some mini-challenges in the planning stages and some prizes on the way 🙂 Too cool!
Started a weekly award called The Kool-Aid Flavor of the Week. I’m still trying to figure out the exact criteria for this, but right now it’s been for people who are doing something to make the world better. Presenting Lenore received my inaugral award for her International Book Blogger Mentor Program, and She’s Too Fond of Books received the second for her post about Kiva.org and how micro-lending requires so little of us and can make such a difference in the life of someone overseas.
Joined the Tolkein Readalong. I’ve been wanting to read the Lord of the Rings for a long time, but just needed the push.
Books read and reviewed in January:
Of Bees and Mists by Erick Setiawan ~ A magical and fantastic adult fable about love, self-respect and self-confidence, about doing what’s right and forgiveness. I gave it 4 stars. It counted toward my ARC Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge, and POC Reading Challenge.
Fruits Basket, Volume 5 by Natsuki Takaya ~ I love the Furuba series, and volume 5 introduced Kisa, the tiger, and Hanajima’s little brother. I gave it 5 stars. It counted as a food title for my What’s In a Name?3 Challenge, Manga Challenge, and POC Reading Challenge.
Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland ~ Atrocious, far-fetched and just plain BAD. 2 stars. It counted toward my ARC Reading Challenge and New Author Challenge.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl ~ Filled me with warm feelings of childhood and chocolate, and was a pleasure to read cuddled up with Maggie. I gave it 5 stars. It counted for The Welsh Reading Challenge.
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr ~ I read this one with Mags, and since it was a re-read for me, I had Maggie sit down and write her first book review. I did help her with grammer and spelling, but the words and thoughts expressed are totally Maggie… lol… including her expressing how much she disliked having to sit and write a review on a snow day from school when she could be outside playing. Mags gave it 4 out of 5 stars. This counted towards my We Didn’t Start the Fire Challenge
Islands Apart by Ken McAlpine ~ Interesting reflection on life in our modern world and how our advances in technology are contributing to a decline in interpersonal relationships, as well as a disconnect from nature. I gave it 4 stars. This counted for my ARC Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge, and We Didn’t Start the Fire Challenge.
The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine ~ Reading this felt like a prolonged hug from creepy Uncle Stan at the family reunion, but was a necessary evil. Still, I stand by my 2.5 rating, which is based more on the writing itself than the book’s subject material. I wasn’t wowwed by Levine’s writing, though it had some beautiful moments. This book counted toward my ARC Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge, and POC Reading Challenge.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein ~ I finished off this month with a comfort read and old friend. Even though it was a third read through, not to mention the numberous times I watched the 1977 cartoon of it growing up, it still held my attention and kept me in suspense, a sure sign of a classic book. 5 stars for sure. This was for the Lord of the Rings Readalong and counts toward my 451 Challenge.
People who Commented:
Bluestocking from The Bluestocking Guide
Kathy at Bermudaonion
Wendy, the Literary Feline at Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Anna at Diary of an Eccentric
BethFish at Beth Fish Reads
Kailana at The Written World
Ita
debnance at readerbuzz
Care at Care’s Online Book Club (Hi, blogging buddy!)
Mona Everett
Aarti at B O O K L U S T
Annette
Sally906 at Sally906’s Reading Challenges
Sharon at Ex Libris
Eibhlin
Lynda at Lynda’s Book Blog
Ladybug at Escape in a Book
Aastacia
Amanda at Life and Times of a “New” New Yorker
Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit
Susan Evans at Well-Mannered Frivolity
Melanie at Cynical Optimism
Shannon at Flight into Fantasy
Sheila at One Person’s Journey Through Books
Janet at Fond of Snape
Vasilly at 1330v
Snowbell
Jack at Slightly off-center
Debbie at Debbie’s World of Books
Amber at Mommy Mania
Zee at Notes from the North
Meghan at Medieval Bookworm
Gina at BookDragon’s Lair
Rebecca at The Book Lady’s Blog
Jennie at Biblio File
Amused at Amused by Books
Michelle at Michelle’s Masterful Musings
Rebecca at Lost in Books
Lenore at Presenting Lenore
unfinishedperson at Unfinished Person
Marie at The Boston Bibliophile
Dawn at She is Too Fond of Books
Rhinoa at Rhinoa’s Ramblings
Traci at Traci’s Book Bag
Laza at Gimme More Books!
Grad at The Curious Reader
Sandra at Fresh Ink Books
BookMoot at BookMoot
Jackie at Literary Escapism
Janelle at Brimful Curiosities
Novroz at Novroz’ Life
Jennifer at Rundpinne
DanaB at Windows Wide Open
Nisé at Under The Boardwalk
Alayne at The Crowded Leaf
Violet at Violet Crush
Angie at Annie’s Home
JDaniel4’s Mom at JDaniel4’s Mom
Ann Marie
Joy at Joy’s Blog
Stephanie at Bad Mom
Emerald Yomi at Emerald Yomi
Debbie at Wrighty Reads (go lefties!)
Pippi at Pippi’s Postings
Memory at Stella Matutina
Petunia at Educating Petunia
Sarah at SmallWorld Reads
Lisa at Online Publicist
Myriam Kross
Guatami Tripathy at everything distils into reading
Ariel at Sycorax Pine
Nicole at Linus’s Blanket
Kay at The Infinite Shelf
jo at attalife
Dawn at For the Love of… Eloquence
Kimberly at A Child of the King!
Mizhelle at Life Can’t Wait
Amateur Reader at Wuthering Expectations
Keely at The Un Mom
Rebecca Reid at Rebecca Reads
Molly at my cozy book nook
uninvoked at uninvoked
Stacey at Confessions of a Pastor’s Wife
Lisa at Lit and Life
Vicki at Reading At The Beach
Callista at SMS Book Reviews
Farmlanebooks
Meg at write meg!
Marce at Tea Time with Marce
Jenny F at Have a Happy Day
Irene at Irene’s Desk
Wordlily at Word Lily
Beth at Weavings
Laurel-Rain Snow at Laurel-Rain Snow Creations
And that’s a total of 81 commentors so far (1/25)
Other fun facts:
Kitty Litter Cake (and Cat Litter Cake), Gary Larson (and The Far Side) and qoutes for The Book Thief are the most widely used search terms that bring people by, along with Confessions of a Shopaholic and Vampire Kisses bringing in plenty, too. “erotomania” surprisingly, brings in a fair share. Uh oh, do I have a stalker?
Filed under: wrap-up | Tagged: 75 Book Challenge, ADD, Azeroth, Beth Fish, Bloggiesta, blogging, book reading, Book Reviews, Books of the Shelf, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, commenting, commentors, Devourer of Books, Erick Setiawan, facebook, facebook games, Farmville, Fruits Basket, Fyrefly, gardening, International Book Blogger Mentor Program, Islands Apart, J.R.R. Tolkein, Ken McAlpine, Kiva, Kool-Aid Flavor of the Week, LibraryThing, Lord of the Rings, Maggie, Maggie's Review, Maw Books, Natasha, Natsuki Takaya, Nim's Island, Of Bees and Mist, Presenting Lenore, Roald Dahl, SecondLife, She's Too Fond of Books, SL, The Hobbit, The Sookie Stackhouse Challenge, Tolkein, Tolkein Readalong, Welsh Reading Challenge, Wendy Orr, World of Warcraft, WoW, wrap-up post | 8 Comments »