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Reflections from the Paradise of Elves by Bodkin	6 Review(s)
Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/28/2005
One nice thing about the long life of the Eldar is that they really have forever to try out different things and then perfect it! And perhaps its good to have so many generations of family around them, for there are many teachers. I am glad to see her engaged though, poor little elleth! HOw hard when one just doesn't know what to with themselves. Author Reply: I wonder if Galadriel sees herself in Nimloth. I think they have quite a lot in common. The elflings can take their time to develop - especially here in the Blessed Realm, where there are no external dangers to force them into early maturity. (Like poor Elrond.) She will find her path, I think. She may be putting off having to think about it, because doing so will separate her rather more from her twin. I don't think Nimloth is ready to accept that they are individuals - closer than most, but not able to live each other's life. When she can understand that, I think she will be more willing to move forward.

lwarren	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/26/2005
As usual, the conversation between these three friends is delightful. An arthritic bear? Oh, now I KNOW that I would have been insulted! LOL What really touched a chord in me though was the discussion about Nimloth and finding her the "path" or career that she is suited for. I am so glad they are going to keep providing her with opportunities to try other things until she finds that one thing suited to her personality. I work with gifted kids at school and you can't imagine how some of the parents relentlessly push those kids. It's no wonder they "turn off" ...and some of them never realize their talents. Nimloth appears to be that different kind of child...the one who responds to things in unexpected ways, the one who needs a challenge to hold her interest. What good advice these adars are giving each other! I hope she finds exactly what she is looking for! (Had to howl about the jewels vbg...and the fact that wood-working indicates more Sindar than Noldor influence! Which of course, led to the Wood Elf insult and Legolas with his comparison of Aragorn's proficiency to E2's ineptness! :-) And Thranduil taking the others to shoot was nice, too!) I love these little chances you give us to "pop in" and get a bird's eye view of the lives and thoughts of these elves! Great! linda Author Reply: Legolas needs to watch out - he has issued a challenge there. Who knows what might result! I suppose elves have plenty of time to offer choices to their kids. And they are educated at home as individuals, which can help. One of the down sides to school is that 'one size fits all' model. There are elements of elven education that must be general, but it is adaptable to the needs of the child. And (to be honest) E2L are in a good position for providing opportunities - they are high-ranking and presumably wealthy elves, rather than stable-hands or farmers, who might not have the means or time - or social clout - to give their offspring the chance to be different. (They are very good friends - they would have to be to insult each other with such happy abandon!)

SharonB	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/26/2005
Ah, still searching for that which Nimloth does well. It does some that it takes more for some children to find what they are "good at and interested in" than it does with others. At least she enjoyed this session. I think Elladan has it right, jewelry craft may not be a good idea. I'm trying to remember about the parents of Elrohir's wife. Were they Noldor or were they from Lothlorein and she was born in Aman? I'll have to go back and look. Maybe she should try wood crafts? Author Reply: Elrohir's parents-in-law were from Lothlorien, but they moved to the Blessed Realm before Sirithiel was born. I think they were among those who sailed around the time of the loss of Amroth/Nimrodel, when Durin's Bane drove the dwarves from Moria. I'm not sure that Nimloth has the patience for fiddly things - or much interest in jewellery. It's all a bit to inanimate for her. She will find her way, but all the offspring are still quite young and more into general education at the moment.

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/26/2005
I like the idea of Nimloth's Noldor side coming out. They do like to make things. But making things often requires patience if it's to be done well. Of course, maybe if they found the right thing to make, she'd develop the patience. Or maybe not. :-) Author Reply: Nimloth will find her path eventually - and then I expect she will be very good at what she does. In the meantime, however . . . E2L know that their offspring have plenty of time - and there is no need for them to be pushed into becoming warriors or tacticians or learning to guard their homes while the armies go to battle. The only real risk of all that endless calm and ordered peace is that there is no push to make choices. Nimloth could be a dilettante for ever, trying this and dipping into that.

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/26/2005
Something about the image of an arthritc bear struck me as extremely funny. That was a great line. I think worse was the statement that Estel was better than the twins. So mean. And the conversation just got worse from there--Legolas' calm 'I would not press the matter' was great! I love these elves together. Their poor kids. What nutsy parents. Great job. Author Reply: I'm not sure Legolas is being strictly truthful there - trees are perhaps not the twins' natural home, but I can't imagine that Estel could really outclimb them that well. The elflings just cast their eyes up once their adars get going. They haven't quite got to the age when fathers are really embarrassing, but I can imagine that they will before long. And then there will be the moments when E2L surprise their offspring by showing their more dangerous and skilled sides. (I can imagine their wives occasionally find it hard to believe that their husbands are hero-elves rather than comedy-elves.)

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 1/26/2005
Typical that it should be Nimloth who falls out of a window and breaks her arm! May one ask why she was escaping that way? Poor Elrohir :( I liked the Biblical reference of swords and ploughshares, and Legolas comparing Elladan's agility in the trees to an arthritic bear. The elflings must be very used to all the insults if they simply ignore them. I'd hoped that Nimloth had found her niche in creating rather than destroying, but perhaps a jewelsmith isn't the best career considering her 'family history'. However, she is calming down, which has to be a good thing! Jay Author Reply: Because the window was there? Why does Nimloth do anything? (She is getting better, but she has inherited the recklessness of all her male kin.) You can insult close friends as much as you like - and they do! But the elflings know that it a sign of affection. I'll bet Nimloth stores up the insults for future reference, though. And probably tells Aewlin about them. I wonder if they ever get indignant about what Legolas says to their adar? Probably not - they're too used to it. Nimloth will probably end up doing something unexpected - and once she finds something to devote her energies to, she's the kind of child you would be proud of. Getting there can be interesting, though.

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