NIKKI BYRD — writer, thinker, lover

Note: This content was written entirely by me and was not generated, edited, or researched using AI.

REVIEW

Lo and behold, as averse as I am to folklore and fantasy, I reckon I had to give ‘The Hobbit’ a fair try for its longstanding reputation in the fantasy community. I knew of the book, as I’d heard of the movie; neither one was I familiar with. Alas, this tale was one of a grand, unexpected adventure with Mr. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit in the hole, as the protagonist, who was mighty comfortable in his homely, repetitive days of taking tea and entertaining guests.

It wasn’t until he was dragged out beyond the hills of Hobbiton by Gandalf the Wizard and Thorin and Company (thirteen dwarves) that he truly found out that his Tookish ways were more prevalent than he thought (that’s his mother’s side, a bloodline of adventurers). Although written in 1937, the story itself has a glorious charm that transcends time, with surprisingly complex characters and lore for a children’s fairy tale. Bilbo’s adventures with the dwarves underscore morally gray characters and focus on themes like heroism, greed, friendship, and brains over brawn.

There were things about Bilbo that surprised me; I conjectured that he was your typical underdog who becomes a mighty warrior through brutish, medieval combat (an assumption I make when the title of the book is the protagonist and you know dwarves are involved). However, Bilbo surprised me with his remarkable will and wits, demonstrating exceptional problem-solving skills under pressure and earning the highly respected title [informally] of Perpetual Lifesaver from Thorin and Company, redefining what it means to be a hero. Absent from greed and inherently loyal, Bilbo’s simple life freed him of covetousness and the need for deception, allowing him to remain shrewd and objective in the face of danger, his only desire peace among turmoil.

[To Bilbo] There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

Tolkien’s ability to create morally ambiguous characters lets readers decide who the heroes and villains are, while the boundaries of friendship become very fine among the chaos that ensues.

Due to pacing and my natural disinterest in fantasy writing, I can’t say it’s one of my favorites, but I do see why ‘The Hobbit’ is critically acclaimed, especially as a children’s novel; it’s the gateway into a whole new world.

★★★

SYNOPSIS

The Hobbit is set in Middle-earth and follows home-loving Bilbo Baggins, the titular hobbit who joins the wizard Gandalf and the thirteen dwarves of Thorin’s Company on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ home and treasure from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo’s journey takes him from his peaceful rural surroundings into more sinister territory. [Read More]