Note: SPOILERS ahead for those who haven't read the book and/or seen the movie.
Apparently I CAN read a 500+ pages book in under two weeks time. It just has to be the right book, I suppose. Well, I can't miss with LOTR, and despite the fact that I've reread it for I-don'-know-which time, it kept me motivated to keep reading, which has been hard for me this year. So, yay for that.
A few things I take away from this reread:
- Recalling back some of my original vision of the characters, especially Frodo. I last reread LOTR two years ago, but I've watched the movies a few times since, and the film presentation basically took over my own.
- Remembering that Frodo wasn't in fact chased to the Buckleberry Ferry by the Nazgûl. That was a stupid film thing.
- Also, in the books Boromir doesn't make his stupid plea to Aragorn to give the company time to grieve right on the doorstep of Moria. Everyone in the book knows they have to get out of there ASAP, in spite of grieving.
Oh, look, this post has turned into the-book-is-better-than-the-movies rant.
But then, I think I've said it before, I love the movies, they are generally very well-made, considering the extent of Tolkien's world, but I have geeky problems with details.
Anyway, I enjoyed rereading The Fellowship of the Ring again, for the story and the characters, remembering the little details I'd forgotten, and of course beautiful language. I read it in Slovene translation this time and in LOTR's case, it is a great translation, save some typos.
So, I can't wait to move on to The Two Towers. I'll post a similar recap/reaction post after I'm done with that.
And yay, I'm reading again, and not so slow, and enjoying it!
I'm glad to hear you are reading again and enjoying your LOTR reread. I imagine LOTR is great choice when you are having trouble reading. I really enjoyed my last reread of LOTR; I hope to do it again.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope work and get me to read other things, too. But if nothing else, I'm reading at least. I missed it.
DeleteI used to re-read LOTR every year for about 10 years running...but it's probably been almost ten years since I last read it. The movies are fresher in my head than the book is, sadly. I agree that the films are quite fine, and the visual realization of Middle Earth is amazing. My main quibble with the films is adding battle scenes when there are already plenty of 'em in the book, and the mucking around with Faramir's character.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, extending the battle scenes in the films seems redundant to me as well, there are plenty of them in the book as it is. And I disliked how they made Faramir less good in the films, too.
DeleteI find Lord of the Rings a great comfort read, though usually I take it deliberately (tantalisingly) slowly. And I do like that the films are different enough that much of my original visions of scenes haven't been taken away and replaced by the film images.
ReplyDeleteI do love the films, though there are a couple of bits that get me shouting at the screen, namely Faramir and the bit on the stairs in RotK where Frodo orders Sam to go home. No. Just no.
Discovered your blog through Bout of Books. Hope you've enjoyed your reading week.
LOTR is always a great comfort read for me. That's true, films differing from the book can be a good thing, so you can keep your original vision.
DeleteI'm a little obnoxious when it comes to comparing LOTR to the movies, I dissect the films to bits. :) But I like the films, overall.
Thank you for stopping by! I had a great Bout of Books week.