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| A Small and Passing Thing by Lindelea | 4 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/21/2023 |
| A nice rescue for them all, and a welcome greeting--and most appropriate--for Lobelia, the heroine for the hour. | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/12/2009 |
| Since two people in the last couple weeks have recommended this story to me as a must read, here I am! Love your prologue and how much a gentlehobbit Frodo is to Lobelia. *hugs him* Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: Nice to hear from you! Ah, yes, Frodo is always a gentlehobbit. (The one time I wrote him as irritable and snappish, Jodancingtree pointed out that he was OC. Which was funny, because in that story he was actually *supposed* to be OC!) | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/8/2004 |
| Very powerful and very moving. Sorry, but I'm at a loss for words right now. Pippinfan Author Reply: Thank you for the review! I appreciate the feedback. | |
| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/1/2003 |
| The stories are just pouring out! I love it! It seems that between the last chapter and this one, there wasn't quite enough time for the prisoners to die. It's a good thing Frodo and company didn't delay any longer. I like the idea of Sharkey putting a curse on the storage hole, so that the townspeople would be afraid to enter. It's perfectly in character. Intimidation was a big part of what happened in the Shire, like the fear that kept the hobbits in the cells with no doors. Frodo has a wonderful idea to use the Phial to light the way. If the power of Galadriel could strengthen Sam and him at Cirith Ungol, perhaps it would strengthen the cowed hobbits here too. It's too bad that the use of 'Elven magic' is likely to make the insular hobbits distrustful of Frodo - they don't want anything to do with magic in any form. Merry's courage in entering the doorway before the spell was broken is what is most likely to be remembered. I am still struck by the characterization of Lobelia. As sour and angry and greedy as she had been, there was a core of decency buried deep down. Not a shred of her unpleasant personality has changed, but she has finally focused outside herself. If that isn't metanoia, I don't know what is. She is reconciled to the community, who spontaneously acknowledge her deeds with cheers, as personified specifically by the Bolgers, who offer her a place to stay. All that remains for her redemption to be complete is remorse for her past, and she clearly has accomplished that by the time she restores Bag End to Frodo and leaves her money to help hobbits left homeless by the troubles. The concept of second-chances is so important to Tolkien. Every major baddie is given a chance for repentance, mercy deliberately offered - none take it, although Smeagol comes closest, and Saruman wavers for a long second before he is conquered by hate and fear. Lobelia's change of focus seems to have been entirely internally generated, without a specific moment of insight or deliberate invitation. I would like to hear some of that recognition in her thoughts, perhaps during the mopping up to come. Write on! | |