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JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

September 25, 2015

Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien

September 25, 2015

While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach at Filey in Yorkshire. To console him, his father, J.R.R.Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal.

This is a really sweet tale about a bewitched dog, and was written by Tolkien long before he wrote The Hobbit.

Rover is transformed into a toy dog after he disrespects a wizard, and this story is about him being forced to seek out the wizard so that he can be turned back into his proper form.

Tolkien writes with his trademark wit, imagery and long, flowing sentences. He uses fantastical elements to give personality to objects and characters that otherwise wouldn’t have a personality. Tolkien gives such detailed description of the world and the adventure that it’s easy for the reader to imagine it.

This book is quite witty and humorous, and has a light-hearted writing style as seen in The Hobbit. All of the characters introduced were likeable, and there is a lot of similarities between the wizards in this story and Gandalf in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Even though this story is short, it does tend to drag a bit. I read it in one sitting, but for a young child or for someone reading it to a young child, I’d imagine you’d need to break up the story over a couple of different readings sessions. The edition I had was only 150 or so pages, so it’s quick to read and great for children and adults. It would be great for an adult to read to their child – the story has such bold, individual characters that radiate from the page. This is a light fantasy story aimed for children, but adults who have read Tolkien’s other works will enjoy it as well.

My Score: 6/10

Leave a Comment · Labels: 6/10, Book Reviews, Fantasy Tagged: book reviews, childrens, fantasy, jrr tolkien, roverandom

May 8, 2014

The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

May 8, 2014

I realise that most of the novels I’ve reviewed so far have been given high scores. But, most of the novels I want to read are the ones that I’ve heard of from other writers. They’re either a classic, or they will be a classic, or they’re just amazing in a ‘that’s such a good idea for a novel. Why didn’t I think of that?’ kind of way.

This review is no different. Tolkien could do no wrong. I love The Lord of the Rings almost as much as I love Harry Potter. Although it took me until I was 21 to read the series. I must’ve tried to read The Fellowship of the Ring about 20 times when I was younger, to the point where I had Bilbo’s birthday speech memorised. Sometimes it’s hard to read the book when you’ve seen the movie so many times. And, it just killed me when I realised that most of the female characters in The Lord of the Rings films were created by Peter Jackson, and actually didn’t exist in the novels.

The series – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King – follows Frodo Baggins as he tries to destroy the ring of power, which was forged by Sauron in the depths of Mount Doom. Frodo originally sets out with nine companions, but they soon separate and multiple journeys are documented. Unlike the prequel (The Hobbit) where I felt the journey was rushed, each novel in the series is well paced and the character’s actions are realistic. The setting is described well and can be imagined easily, and the dialogue is representative of each character’s role within the novel. When the journey finally ends, it’s doesn’t feel like one of those TV shows where it’s dragged on (Prison Break and Lost). It’s bittersweet, and Tolkien did the story justice.

My Score: 10/10
The Next Novel on my List? Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind

7 Comments · Labels: 10/10, Adult Fiction, Book Reviews, Fantasy Tagged: adult fiction, book review, fantasy, jrr tolkien, lord of the rings

Welcome to Jess Just Reads, a book review blog showcasing the latest fiction, non-fiction, children's and young adult books.

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