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| Sharing Sam by Celeritas | 6 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| cookiefleck | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2009 |
| I just love this story. Missed the second chapter when you posted it but read it now and that final vision of Sam sobbing just tore me apart. The third chapter was engrossing, and made more so by Sam's absence, I think. Although he's not present, the anticipation of his return permeates all the goings on. Everything so far feels in sync with canon and characterization and I mean that as the highest compliment. Author Reply: Hello, cookiefleck; thanks for the review! I felt kind of wretched giving Frodo that vision of Sam, but I think he needed to be fully aware of how devastating leaving him would be (even though he hasn't quite grasped that that's why Sam's crying). It also, fortunately, shows him that Sam will be in good arms... er, hands. I was a little bit nervous about this chapter because it wasn't as obviously about Sam as the last two, but Rosie had to deal with the Cousins before Sam came back. Everything so far feels in sync with canon and characterization and I mean that as the highest compliment. Even if you didn't intend that to be complimentary, I would take it as such! Verisimilitude with canon is something that I strive for in almost all of my fan fiction. | |
| Kara's Aunty | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/8/2009 |
| Hello Celeritas! I was about to reply to your own review when I saw your (Not In Any Way) Shameless Plug at the bottom and dashed straight over to the homepage to find...ta da!...a new chapter of the wonderful Sharing Sam! Oh, you are too good to me! And what a wonderful chapter it was too! How nice to see Frodo and Rosie's burgeoning friendship has developed to a point where they can indulge in a bit of friendly teasing. And the poor lass being surprised with the daunting experience of meeting his cousins for the first time - you portrayed her nervous anxiety beautifully. It was very touching to see the more serious, compassionate side of the usually gragarious hobbits as they apologised for their little faux pax. And I bet they didn't even have to be forced into it by Frodo either, 'cos that's how wonderful they really are. One wee note - I think you mis-spelled 'ungignified' as 'undignifying' when Rosie was imagining Pip's look of comic outrage at his greeting from Frodo, just in case you want to change it. Otherwise, this was an exemplary specimen of your work at its very best. More, more!! Hopping in anticipation, M ;) Author Reply: I think it'll still be some time before Rosie feels comfortable with teasing Frodo, but at least she's learning how to deal with his gentle teasing with grace. And this isn't the first time she's come across Merry and Pippin--it's just that now Frodo's trying to work on their cultivating her acquaintance (and they're trying to cultivate her acquaintance on their own as well!). I do think that Merry and Pippin would make anyone who doesn't know them nervously anxious, though! ^_^ I try never to forget the more serious side of Merry and Pippin, and I think that as soon as they realized they were making Rosie uncomfortable they'd go out of their way to apologize: as long as no one else was looking in! I did give some major thought over the nonword "undignifying," but I decided to keep it: if the treatment were undignified, then that would imply that there was something shameful in the treatment itself, whereas "undignifying" suggests that it has the effect of making Pippin undignified. *is a grammar nerd* No guarantees on when "more" is going to happen, but the next chapter should not be nearly as difficult to write as this one was*! *Famous last words... | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/7/2009 |
| "You’re clearly the treasure of his heart—well, you and Frodo, that is—and you’ve waited for him this long.” Lucky Frodo and Rosie to be loved by Love Incarnate like that. Very true and Rosie was some special lass to have been able to understand and accept that she did share Sam with Frodo but neither was loved any the less because of it. “Well, please don’t do anything until a while after he’s come back. Mr. Frodo’s already got something up his sleeve and I don’t want Sam to be overwhelmed…” Cute! You should continue this. Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: Yes, well, if it were any other hobbit than Sam Rosie wouldn't think it was possible to love two separate individuals that strongly. But this is Sam we're talking about. Not that that doesn't mean there aren't going to be little tensions when they're all moved in together, but it'll be a little while before that happens. And in case you're wondering, the next bit will be set one day later, and will (finally!) include Sam in the tale. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/7/2009 |
| “I think we’d rather forgotten you’re a lass in your own right, and not just the person Sam wouldn’t shut up about. I love that. You have a wonderful way of writing each hobbit's dialogue as unique; I can always tell who's speaking. Dear Merry; I can well imagine he'd be longing to be with Frodo more, and see to his comfort and peace of mind. Author Reply: Thank you!!! I do try to hear each character's "voice" in my head, by which I mean word choice and such, but I can never really tell if I'm right or not until someone else reads it. And yes, I feel quite sorry for post-Quest Merry (and Pippin!)--they've done so much for Frodo, but now the person closest to him and indeed his chief caretaker is Sam! And he was going to sail without even letting them know! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/7/2009 |
| Aww...this was a nice treat to wake up to! Dear Rose, so unused to the gentry! And Merry and Pippin being their usual expansive selves, only perhaps a little more so. (I too think they may have overdone the joviality from time to time in those early days, as they tried to fit in back home.) (Merry being "a little sad" on the fifteenth makes me suspicious, by the way--it's entirely too casual, and far too like his older cousin's own denials. But it's no part of this story, and out of Rose's ken anyway.) Their apology to Rose was so sweet--it's clear they are very motivated by their friendship with Sam, and their wish for his to be happy. And the part at the end with Merry looking in on Frodo, and his conversation with Rose was wonderful. That's another thing I'm sure of: that she confided in those who loved Frodo about his illness. I can't see her holding with keeping secrets like that from family. And underlying it all is a twitch of amusement on this reader's part, as I am inagining the future, and how in time, these particular gentry will end up being as close as cousins to Sam (for I include those two among the things Frodo left to Sam) and that at the very least, *one* of them will end up actually being kin-by-marriage! It's probably a *good* thing that poor Rosie doesn't have Frodo's foresight! As much as she loves Sam, it might have scared her off!! LOL! Author Reply: *grin* I was so ridiculously happy when I got it done! I do think that M&P were overdoing it, just a little bit. They're still trying to get their bearings in this new home, with their new selves. So of course it's going to take a bit for Rose to get used to them! Heh, the fifteenth... You may take that however you want. Though his suspiciously asking "why?" implies, I hope, that Merry thinks Frodo expected him to go through something much worse--because Frodo went through something himself two days ago. I don't think Merry was entirely unaffected, but this was (at least to me; as I said you may take that however you want) my attempt to subvert the traditional "all the hobbits had anniversaries" fanon. But yes, entirely too casual. I had a lot of fun working through that apology and trying to figure out exactly why Rosie felt so uncomfortable around Merry and Pippin. I did not mention anything here, but I do think Frodo had a few words with his cousins while Rosie was off on her own--though once they realized what was going on, they were able to analyze their own actions well enough to know what must be done. And you're absolutely right--Rosie hasn't seen nuttin' yet with these two! I think even a basic reading of Appendix B shows how close Sam was to Merry and Pippin in the Fourth Age, and of course as he and Rosie are gentrified she'll have to know these two fellows a lot better than she does now! One step at a time, Rosie, one step at a time... | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/7/2009 |
| Poor lads are really too forward for Rosie, but she'll get by with them, I think. And I'm so glad she's willing to be there for Frodo, but understands Merry's desire to do so. Merry's always thought of Frodo as his near-brother; this must be so difficult for him, to know he can do barely anything for him. Author Reply: She will get by them, especially now that they've explained themselves to her to an extent. I hope that as time goes by (after Frodo has left) she'll learn how to give as good as she gets! I always felt bad for Merry, fading out of his cousin's life like that. When I'd originally envisioned the scene, he was considerably more irritated that first Sam does all the looking after him, and then Sam's sweetheart! | |