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| A Healer's Tale by Lindelea | 12 Review(s) |
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| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 7/10/2006 |
| I have been re-reading old stories lately. I re-read “A Healer’s Tale” last week, and I have to tell you that I think you were absolutely top-form in this story. It has all manner of hobbity goodness in it. There at plenty of Tooks, with their maddening, endearing ways, and enough Brandybucks and an occasional Baggins to satisfy. There is little Pippin, and little Merry, who are adorable beyond words, but besides that it is fascinating to hear the stories of the adventures that went into making them the hobbits that they needed to be, in later challenges. There are even disagreeable hobbits, Bracegirdles and the like, to liven up the story and make you appreciate the good hobbits all the more. There is wit, and wisdom, and above all there is love. The sheer amount of love that is in this story is just amazing. The is the love between cousins, new and growing, tried and strong, desperate and overwhelming.. There is the easy love between family of older generations, before cares and responsibilities weary them. There is love of the admirable kind, of an apprentice to a master, several times over, and the return of that love heaping measure full. There is love, tender and shy, for a new beloved, and that same love, still tender but sacrificing and supporting and unwavering, throughout many years. These are hobbits at their absolute best. And how you make me love Woodruff in this story. You have a marvelous talent in drawing characters from the back pages of the story, and making them real and whole and so much someone I would love to have in my own life. Woodruff isn’t some idealized hobbit – she has her blind spots and her indecision and her troubles, but she makes a place for herself by pluck and luck and her own competence and the fact that she really does care for every one of her patients, maddening as they can be sometimes, being Tooks. But as much as you make me love Woodruff, you make me absolutely bleed for Pippin. The original chapters in “At the End of His Rope” are hard enough. Pippin is failing, losing the fight at last, but a cure is found, and the celebration is long and joyous. In this story, the pain goes on and on, told from the perfect point of view of the one who had to count every single agonizing breath, and fight for him after he’d stopped fighting for himself, and bear the bitter burden of knowing that no matter how hard she fought, the battle was bound to end in failure. The interspersing of Woodruff’s backstory with Pippin’s struggle for breath is so perfectly done. It breaks up the unremitting agony, lets us see their long history together and why she cares so much for him. I kept noticing little parallels through the whole story, little clever things that tie the whole tale together. Today, I noticed another one, which prompts this long note, and the chapter it’s attached to. Since I had read this story last week, today I decided to read “Rope” again. I cried just as hard during the ‘Paid in Full’ chapter as I did the first time, even when I knew it was coming. What I hadn’t remembered, was that at the naming ceremony for little Miri Brandybuck, that Arwen gave a butterfly, exquisitely tinted, so that she might know wonder. You had done it again, hit me with one of those little unexpected remembrances of Frodo that take away my breath, trip me off my feet and leave me in tears. In this story, read just last week, a drawing of a butterfly, and the same wishes, had been what Frodo offered Pippin at his own naming day. It’s just a throwaway line, like the reference to Entdraught in the first chapter, but it makes me appreciate all over again just how good these stories are, how well-crafted and beautifully written and so resonant with the spirit of Middle-earth, and how lucky we all are that you’ve gifted us with your time and talent. I know there isn’t as much time as there used to be, and that sometimes the Muse is not cooperative, but I wanted to let you know I’m grateful for every one of the 470 pages that these two stories comprise, and the hundreds (thousands?) of other pages you’ve written as well. Be well! Author Reply: I have only a few moments to respond, but just wanted to tell you how lovely it was to read your thoughts on this and "Rope". You know, when I write a scene like a Naming Day or Remembering Day I usually go back to other stories to see what was done before. It is possible that the butterfly is a deliberate reflection, though I don't remember any more what my thought process was. However, it makes sense to me that it was remarked that there was "an elvish air" about Frodo, and so it might not be such an accident that his gift mirrors Arwen's in a different time and place. I had a difficult time with this story, stringing out the agony so long. But sitting by a deathbed *is* a long and painful process. I admit that when I first wrote the timeline with Pippin's pneumonia followed by his fight for health and life, climaxing in miraculous healing, I was in rebellion against an older brother's cancer. How I wish he might have had such a healing of his own. In a sense, he did, but not in this world. And now my time is done and I must turn off the computer before the poor beastie crashes on me. But it was so very nice to have a cup of tea with you once more. Author Reply: OTOH (finishing a thought that was abruptly truncated when the poor beastie started to hiccup) it is entirely possible that the parallel between Frodo's and Arwen's gifts was serendipity. It is astonishing to me, how many time I read through stories, comparing them or seeking diversion or comfort, or when I research past stories while in the writing of a new, to make sure I haven't made any huge errors, that I stumble on parallels that I don't remember plotting. It is as if the Muse really is keeping track of all these details, without my noticing. Anyhow, *hugs* | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 5/18/2005 |
| Glad that Bilbo and Frodo were there to see Ferumbras in glory proper to his status. | |
| Anso the Hobbit | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| I do like your Sweetbriar and Ted, they`re such a contrast to Woodruffs old mistress - sweet and kind instead of cruel like her Sackwille-Baggins relations. I think it`s great that she adopted her and made her a proper Took and that Paladin also welcomed her to the familiy. I had to laugh at how Merry welcomed Pippin into the world and Frodo`s gift was very lovely. This was a very exciting chapter! Author Reply: It is fun to have an unTookish Took to write--Woodruff, after all, grew up in the South Farthing amongst the Bracegirdles until she was 29! So she has quite a different mind-set and can see the Tooks from an outside angle, and yet, accepted into their midst, she also has an "inside" view that not many "outsiders" would have. I am still thinking on the Merry-and-Estella drabble, for they are very close to my heart as you know, and it is fun to turn over all the different ideas tumbling in my head. I might end up writing a whole cycle of drabbles about them, in the end, but choosing just one to start is more of a challenge than I thought! (Perhaps because Merry is my favourite hobbit, I always approach writing about him with caution, because I so want to get it "right".) Hugs and thanks! | |
| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/15/2005 |
| That's a narrow escape for Woodruff, isn't it? Lobilia tries every trick in the bully's handbook - misdirection, threats, half-truths and outright lies, intimidation and insult, and the one that almost works, fast-talking bravado. She knows that hardly anyone will stand up to her: unfortunately she's run into a mass gathering of exactly those who will, including Bilbo, Saradoc, and the Thain. Sometimes it's very satisfying to think that a good person reaps the remards of their goodness, which is what happens to Woodruff here. It's only been a month and a day, but she has people who love her, who recognize her worth, and who are willing to stand up for her. Partly because they are good people themselves and don't wish to see anyone mistreated, but also because Woodruff has proved herself to be competent, genuinely helpful, and a caring person in her own right. And I think Ted has a crush on her. Will he wait seven years for her apprenticeship to finish? I suppose he can, since he can see her anytime he chooses to visit his grand. I wonder who in their family Ferdi and Rosemary inherited the truth-telling ability from? Were there to be a known truth-teller in that gathering, Lobelia's lies would have been even more obvious. But Ferdi and Rosemary are too young to speak out. Perhaps it was their mother, which would be consistent with the later fears of madness also being passed down, or perhaps it skipped a generation? In any case it seems that this abilibty is secret until the time of 'Runaway' so it wouldn't be of full value here anyway. Lovely little detail in the naming ceremony. Merry can't get Peregrin's whole name out, so it sounds like Pippin. And Pippin smiles to see Merry dancing for him. Just lovely. It's also fun to see characters like Everard so young. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Woodruff's story. It is quite a gift to us all that your 'background' characters are so fully realized and vibrant. FF Author Reply: Yup, the Tooks are "salt of the earth". I think this is the first time I've shown the social dynamics of the ones living outside the society of the Great Smials at any length (there was a glimpse of non-Smials Tooks in "A Small and Passing Thing", but not much of one). For all the faults that make them interesting to imagine, they are solid and dependable. Ferdi and Rosemary inherited the truth-telling ability from Stelliana, their mother. I remember one of them says somewhere that they could never put anything past their mother, or something like that. Of course, the ability seems to be linked to a certain instability, as so many genetic gifts seem to be IRL. Everard is *very* young here! I imagine Reginard got quite a scolding for taking his little brother along on a bee-tree raid. (Though it is more likely that Everard tagged-along without Regi's knowledge until he jumped in at the last and likely upset the bees when Regi was nearly finished, and successful up to that point.) Thank you for another insightful and thought-stimulating review! | |
| Hai Took | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/14/2005 |
| I like seeing that Woodruff has been adopted so nicely into the family! That Ted's mum made her the dress and Sweetbriar just "happened" to find the ribbons for her hair, lovely! The naming day always sounds like such fun! I loved reading the different things that are given as these, Merry having the hiccups was makind me laugh and Frodo's gift was very original! What a wonderful party it turned out to be! Despite the S -B trying to make a mess of things as usual. I did like that Bilbo seemed to be involved in their loosing this victory as well, it is always so nice to see them beat! Looking forward to more! Thanks for the fun! Author Reply: Yes, a lot of happy "coincidences", indeed! I'd imagine Bilbo would be happy to be involved in thwarting one of Lobelia's pet projects... | |
| Mysterious Jedi | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/13/2005 |
| Whew, that was close. Tooks are daft, but they're not a bad lot, really. Author Reply: I know a number of people who verge on daft, yet have hearts of gold. So it is nice to write something showing the Tooks in a good light! (And I had to get out of the Great Smials to do it... Farm folk. Good, solid people.) | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/13/2005 |
| I suppose that any chapter that starts with sweetness and light can only be preparing the reader for a drop. Sweetie - new dress - Ted - adopted - freed from fear - off to a party - dancing - presenting the infant Pippin with a gift. All TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. So along comes the Wicked Witch of the South Farthing, together with her flying monkeys, to undo all the good that has been done. And, in truth, even worse than the Return of the Mummy - the pressure to become the Bride of Lothostein. Thank goodness for a bunch of happy Tooks - none of whom wish to gratify the villains, who swirl off with their black cloaks wrapped round them and cries of 'Curses, foiled again'. And now Woodruff is a Took - rescued by Ferumbras himself. Hurrah! Author Reply: Very funny. At least I hope you meant to be funny. Because if you were serious, then my writing is MUCH TOO predictable and I might have to KILL OFF a major character or something in order to regain my sense of balance and not-writing-to-a-formula objectivity. (How DOES one write a chapter that is entirely sweet-and-light? I think I've done it in the past, but only after a great deal of angst has preceded it.) It's how Ferdi nearly died in "Merlin", you know. I just had the feeling that my "happy endings" were "getting old" for the reader, and so something desperate had to be done. Thus Ferdi died in the first draft of that story. (As a matter of fact, the first draft of "Gentle Rain" had Ulrich hanged rather than rescued at the last moment. Those pesky revisions!) But then I got the idea of making him the blind hero of "Solid Ground" and then I had a long heart-to-heart with a sympathetic friend who allowed me to talk myself out of writing his death. Whew. Just think, there would have been no "As the Gentle Rain" or "Truth". Perhaps I won't take these comments seriously, then, even if you were being serious. What to do? What to do? Will revel in Woodruff's adoptive Tookishness. Yes. That's the thing. | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/13/2005 |
| Alright!!! Go Tooks!!! Go Ferumbras!!! I just love to see the Sackville-Baggins' lose ;) And I gather "Pippin" comes about from Merry's hiccoughs ;) VWD!!!!! Author Reply: Very perspicacious of you! (I had to look that word up to be sure it meant what I thought it meant.) That is exactly where we decided "Pippin" comes from, when we were brainstorming. It helps to have an excited little one chirping suggestions whilst hiccuping. Thanks! | |
| Connie B. | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/13/2005 |
| URrrrr! Those nasty S-B's. I'm so glad the Tooks came to Woodruffs rescue. I didn't realize the old Thain had such a forceful personality at need. I had also just thought of him as a "mama's boy". Guess he did have a backbone when he needed it. I hope old Rosie gets her come-upance--we already know her relatives do.(evil grin) What an exciting chapter. Looking forward to the next one. Connie B. Author Reply: I think when he was out from under Mama's gaze, Ferumbras could be forceful. Unfortunately, that wasn't very often. I don't know what happened to Rosie; she doesn't enter the story again, at least, not the draft. Perhaps she came to a bad end. Perhaps she inflicted herself up on her relatives in her declining years. That might explain some of Lobelia's bad temper! Thanks! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/13/2005 |
| Goodness! What *won't* those Bracegirdles and S.-B.s do? Not much, apparently. Looks like Lotho couldn't get a bride on his own and decided to buy one. Tsk...tsk...tsk! It was a good thing Sweetie had already set the adoption in motion! And I still want to see someone punch that Bracegirdle witch in the nose! Author Reply: Those S.-B.'s. "Pillars" of society, indeed, making them think they're "above it all". I get the impression that Lotho never married. Gee, I wonder why? | |