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| Midwinter by Bodkin | 15 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/24/2008 | |
| This is really cute! All of it! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/8/2006 |
| This was lovely, Bodkin. I liked the perceptions of all these women as they contemplate snow in its different roles in their lives. Author Reply: Thank you. These were great fun to write - and were intended as a single burst... but then I remembered Eowyn and Redheredh put some other ideas in my mind. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/30/2005 |
| I'm sorry, I've got behind with reviewing. These were lovely snippets of different lives, and I loved the differing viewpoints and tales each character told. I think my favourites were Celebrían and Arwen, but perhaps that's because they're characters I know best. Has there been a lot of snow where you live? Jay Author Reply: We had five whole minutes of snow! Which is about as bad as it ever gets here. Snow is - well - intellectually seasonal, but in fact it is as rare as hen's teeth. I enjoyed writing the more joyful reactions to snow - but I must say there were so many tragic scenarios that leapt to mind. By part 2 it got much harder to put in playful elements - there are only so many ways to build snow-elves! It was great fun doing this - the orc one was written on actual paper at about midnight on Christmas Eve - and I'm glad you enjoyed them. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/25/2005 |
| I just read the other reviews: 315 words--even more cool. :-) And I would love to see a Rohan one, but believe it or not, I would also love to see an Ent one. Ent must have a very unique view of snow. Author Reply: And they are 315 words, too. I don't know why 315 seemed to be a relatively easy number of words to write, but it was! I only ever ended up needing to add or reduce by about 10 words. And there is now an Ent one. And a Rohan one. And a few more. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/25/2005 |
| This is really cool...erm, no pun intended. Having not seen snow in 10 years, I enjoyed seeing everyone's perception of it. I'm not sure which I enjoyed the most--the serious views of Galadriel, Haleth and the hobbit or the playful views of the elflings and Arwen. It was fun to see so many different reactions. This was a really clever idea. :-) Author Reply: We had six flakes of snow yesterday! It was really exciting - I don't think we saw any last year, although there might have been a little the year before. We really don't get very much experience of it here - which is why the whole region seizes up at the sight of it. I liked trying to mix the wonder with the dread - snow is wonderful if your store cupboards are full and the heating is efficient and you can snuggle away from it when you want, but it's not so good if you are unprotected. Thank you - I'm glad you liked it. I immediately realised Eowyn's point of view was missing and Redheredh suggested some other viewpoints, so there are now a few more, but I think that's enough snow! | |
| ellie | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/25/2005 |
| this is excellent. so much feeling and so many visions an interpretations and perceptions of a simple snowy tome. exquisite. Author Reply: Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it. I will admit it was easier to be angsty than fluffy! There are only so many times you can have young ones building snowmen! But it was great fun to do. | |
| Rose Sared | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/24/2005 |
| ‘We will visit the North Kingdom,’ he promised. ‘And spend a winter there.’ He looked at her appreciatively. ‘You can dance in the snow as much as you like.’ Arwen touched his cheek with her cold hand. She missed white winters, but some things were more important Winter through the ages - which is funny as I am sitting here nice and hot in the middle of summer -hah - antipodes rule! Lovely writing Bod - Merry Christmas - Rose Author Reply: Ha, but when we're having summer, you are having winter in July! We actually had six flakes of snow yesterday - it was quite exciting. Snow here has rarity value. I just had this sudden urge to be seasonal - and this emerged. And then I realised I'd forgotten Eowyn and Redheredh mentioned Orcs, Ents and Dwarves - and part 2 followed. But now the seasonal excitement has died down, I must try to finish a few things! Thank you. A Happy New Year to you - and may it be as productive as it is joyful. | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/23/2005 |
| This really is wonderful - the ways you have captured winter - the bleakness, the glory, the fun, the dread - times to play and times it led to a fight for survival. Winter is something to be enjoyed, but only after its been conquered. We can glory in it only when the hope of spring is near and food and warmth are near. Nice to see all the perspectives, from Maiar to elf to human to hobbit, ancient to child. But... no Eowyn? :D Author Reply: Thank you - they just jumped into my head when I was thinking 'seasonal'. Winter is a hard season - I think it toughened Galadriel a lot and made her grow up. And I noticed that she wasn't playing in the snow with Celebrian. The hobbit was right - together with whoever said that being protected from winter is what we enjoy about it - sledging and snowballing are great if you can go back into the warmth and feast. No Eowyn. I did realise that afterwards. And no Dwarf, Ent or Orc perspectives. I'm not sure about Orc, but I think I can see a rather displeased Dwarf mother after Smaug had evicted them from the Lonely Mountain... When I get a moment to myself, I might just have to produce a few more of these to include Eowyn and the Dwarf at least. I'll see. | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/23/2005 |
| Wow, this is marvelous! Just the perfect seasonal treat! I liked your choosing a lady from several different species for each segment. (double-drabbles!) Noldor(Caliquendi), Maiar, Human, Sindar(Moriquendi), Silvan(Avari),Hobbit,and Peredhil. All you had left were Ent, Orc, and Dwarf. But, these viewpoints would be more difficult, I guess. And I suppose then there are Balrogs and the various races of men as well. But, your choices were perfect for these realizations about winter. The connection between segments was brilliant. White has such significance in Tolkien's depictions. They are also chronological too. The opening segment, A Darkened Sky, was excellent in every aspect. Visions had a perfect difference of perception, white light being of all the colors. Haleth's segment was so much like Galadriel's and the Hobbit's. Almost like they were made less fortunate by their own natures, but made greater for facing what is for them a greater challenge. Which contrasted nicely with Celebrian's and Laerwen's in Playing with Ada and Tucked In. Theirs were more like Melian thoughts; intrigued by the contrast, knowing what was actually below the surface - capable of experiencing nature as itself and not as a punishment or test. I like that Wolf Winter and The Courts of Kings were beside each other. Warm and chill, white and colorful, fear and hope. Both were Third Age and connected by Aragorn's decision and Arwen's choice of summer colors to white. And the whole piece is just about Nature and our place in it. About how we must make a safe place within it to survive it and also to be fulfilled by it. As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed this. ;) Especially the last segment. Partly because I have heard Elond saying the same sort of thing as Arwen about the warm weather in Aman and then there was Arwen dancing. Endurance and now this! Please just keep it coming! Author Reply: A double-drabble is 200 words, isn't it? So they would be treble-drabbles and a bit - because they are all 315 words. I realised afterwards that there is no Eowyn - and I have an itch about a Dwarf female that might demand 315 words if I ever escape from the kitchen, so I might just have to put together a few more thoughts on snow. Some turned out to be quite bleak - but the fluffy ones were more than sweet enough, I thought! (I quite enjoyed Celeborn shaking snow from his hair!) Winter is fun - when the store cupboards are full, you are bundled up in warm clothing and you have a comfortable place to retreat from the cold - but it can be very cruel. I am so pleased you endoyed this - it was fun to do. And there just might be a few more to complete the set. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/23/2005 |
| So many ways to receive, perceive, conceive of, and reject the snow, as each sees it as it has touched them--in terms of blankness, colors, light and shadows, the bringer of the cold which brings death, that which hides the path, the delight of play, and the delight of dancing in the weather. And I DEARLY love the King poking his head into the courtyard, and the Queen responding from the midst of her delight. Thank you, Bodkin. Author Reply: Winter can be a dangerous time as well as a time of pleasure - and so much of how you see it depends on how safe you are from its depredations. I noticed later that Galadriel wasn't out in the snow - and concluded that it probably brought back memories she would prefer to bury. Arwen - barefoot and in her petticoats, dancing in the snow! Shock, horror - I don't know how Gondor would cope! But Aragorn understands - and sees the elleth who resembles her ancestress Luthien and promises to take her home to the north for a while. I think he would want to give her anything he could - and this is well within his power. And they have a moment of delight to themselves. Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. | |