My precioussss...book: my book review of The Hobbit

Me holding the newest edition of The Hobbit to my collection. And yes, also my profile picture.

The first memory I have of The Hobbit was not the book. It was the 1977 animated adaptation. I can't remember how old I was, but it was definitely when I was in elementary school -- so sometime in the 90's. I specifically remember the part where...

[spoilers aplenty ahead]

...Bard takes down Smaug by firing an arrow right into the single vulnerable spot where Smaug was missing a scale. Why is this particular scene embedded into my brain even after 25ish years? I couldn't tell you. Maybe, I was impressed by Bard's mad archery skills which would explain my acquisition of a bow in adulthood. Maybe, I found it inspiring that Bard, a human, took down the mighty Smaug by finding and taking advantage of his single weakness. Maybe it's something I should explore more -- possibly in therapy. I also distinctly remember the game of riddles Bilbo played with the creature Gollum whose obsession with the ring became a significant part of The Lord of the Rings series.

Anyway... when I finally read the book in full a regretful amount of years later, I found myself throughly enjoying the detail in which the world of Middle Earth, home to hobbits, dwarves, wizards, and more, was built word-by-word. From the beginning, Tolkien wrote as if he was telling the story aloud. It was as if he was telling a story from our own history;

The mother of our particular hobbit -- what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.

It was this breaking of the fourth wall that brought The Hobbit to life. Some would say that Tolkien founded the genre of modern fantasy [1]. I would say they have a solid argument. Up until its publication in 1937, there hadn't been anything quite like it. And there certainly had not been any books that included such rich world-building. There are experts on the history of Middle Earth and those who speak elvish! Even now, few literary worlds have become so tangible to its fanbase as Middle Earth. That being said, I would say my obsession with The Hobbit is completely reasonable and not the least bit crazy.

From what I've read, the foundation of The Hobbit evolved from the stories Tolkien would make up for his children [2]. Only later did it become the beloved fantasy classic we know today. And I felt that. I felt as if I was a child again, listening to my own dad tell me a story of a notable hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who went on a grand adventure that took him far away from his home in the Shire -- a very unexpected thing for a hobbit. As a matter of fact, it was my dad who introduced me to The Hobbit and my life is much more magical because of it. I also imagine it's the reason I am obsessed with other imaginary worlds with impossibly handsome fae males; but that's definitely a post for another time.

Until then, stay bookish,

Kim

References:

[1] The literary power of hobbits: How J.R.R. Tolkien shaped modern fantasy.

[2] The Hobbit on Tolkien Gateway