Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep on day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible … All those, young or old, who love a find adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.”
The Hobbit is an all-time favorite of one of my closest friends. I spent a long time hating on it out of teasing but after I moved away, I actually gave it a chance.
I can’t say I loved it or that it’s a favorite but I do think it’s a story everyone should at least try to read. I say try because Tolkien’s work can be tough to get through. His imagery is beautiful but also incredibly overwhelming. There were so many times I had to flip back and remind myself what was actually happening in the plot.
With all the ideas out there about Tolkien’s inspiration and philosophy, I will defer to more researched Tolkien-ites. I did find it weirdly dark for such a fantastic novel and the level of effort Tolkien gave to his works is evident in The Hobbit. , The Hobbit is worth reading because, if nothing else, it’s a testament to how thorough and complex English literature can be.
Photo and synopsis retrieved from Bookshop
Quote from New York Times via Bookshop
H O L L Y + O A T E S 