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Droplets  by perelleth 4 Review(s)
RedheredhReviewed Chapter: 17 on 1/23/2010
You are so good!

I really liked the 'ring of words' and 'living ring' literally manifested in the chain of days Amarie had "knitted" together while waiting and watching over Finrod. I wonder if anyone else actually knew of it and her mirrored 'link' to her beloved each day. Since he himself did not... That was very romantic. I was strongly reminded of Arwen watching over Aragorn from a distance and stitching his banner, likely from her hair.

There was so much poetry in this piece. So many tangible physical descriptions reflecting the transitions of Finrod's internal state. "Like the sun drawing back the beaded curtain of a spring shower..." was one of my favorite phrases. His following the wren hearkened me back to finding the "Secret Garden". Enchanting.

Absolutely, it was Gandalf that called up that storm (besides the rickety shelter) knowing exactly where Finrod would be headed. I like the reiteration of Finrod's "life review" in the restless dream. It certainly aided later in his realization about Amarie's presence during all his trials.

I especially liked how you used the set scene of the old/crazy wise-man advising the seeker, who must make sense of seeming nonsense. :) Although, it felt odd that Finrod did not include his own sister in the list of comparably valorous ladies. And the theme of a ring held up throughout nicely, even to the serpents and the lovers' embrace.

I was so tickled by the ending. Panning away from the lovers before the scene got beyond the suggestion. *g* A sweet crescendo of the love theme that has been playing in the background along with a fitting The End. Now, that's a lovely 'happily ever after' and a wrap on an epic tail! Whoops! Tale! ;D

Very well done!


Author Reply: You are soooo kind! :-)

BUt I'm glad you liked it. It was so hard to write! It was there in pieces, and putting them together took a whole month of sitting every day, and still I'm not absolutely happy with how it turned out, but I admit it's the best I can get now.

And of course, you've picked up all the tricks, which were very plainly laid there to see, but hopefully not too cliched. I've been thinking a lot lately about the old/crazy guiding the seeker, and the internal conflict and external conflict being linked or mirrored...and awarenoess of it, so it was all obvious but also, I think, necessary for the story. It took Finarfin's words, a storm, a dream, a wren and an obliging forest to get wise Finrod to understand that there is more than personal awesomeness to every deed. everything turned around him in his ow head: I can forgive her because I'm asesome and reborn and forgotten, and I love her... and he had to be shown that it had been the other way around for all that time... or at leat that there is so much at play that we don't see in every life that our understanding is always limited ;-)

Galadriel is not on his list because he was thinking of strong females and dramatic lovestories. So in FInrod's understanding of the world, it would be Celeborn in that list, even if you and I know differently... :-)

Thank you very much again. Now I'm going to turn back to the other pending story.

ellieReviewed Chapter: 17 on 1/22/2010
nicely done!

Author Reply: THank-you, ellie.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 17 on 1/22/2010
How fitting! And trust Olorin to say what he did about what one looks for being behind one's eyes! Love him always! Lovely!

Author Reply: Thank-you, Larner!
Olorin/Gandalf is always ready to lend a hand, be it in middle-earth or Valinor! He's useful, but also great to have around. I'm glad you liked it!

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 17 on 1/22/2010
On he rode Finrod the Faithful, fairest and most beloved of the house of Finwë, and he felt that his heart would burst in joy as he hurried at last to his love.


With no more doubts in his heart, he went about swift and easy as a questing wind, humming merrily as his nervous steed flew under the starlit skies and across the well-known fields that led to Valmar.

That's lovely, Perelleth. Just gorgeous. I read that, then pointed it out to someone else and said wow! Look at that.

But how hard it is to let go of old grudges and an old life and begin again. I love the way the natural world matches Finrod's interior one. You personify nature a lot in this piece and it really works to make whole world feel living an breathing.

“Oh, you know!” he gestured around vaguely. “Sowing, seeding, planting… a bit of watering, a bit of trimming, a bit of whispering here and there…mainly watching over the new saplings.”

I thought that was Gandalf! It sounded so like him.

I like the way you included Amarie's skill as a silversmith. And lovely, lovely ending.

Author Reply: You've made my day, daw. I've been struggling with this snippet for months, and it still didn't feel aboslutely finished to me. I'm glad it worked, with the forest and the weather and the Maiar and Amarie all teaming up together to gently nudge Finrod through the last step of healing. Thank-you very much.

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