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A Small and Passing Thing  by Lindelea 1 Review(s)
FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/3/2003
Just some disjointed thoughts today.

I meant to add to the review of the last chapter, that I finally understand the title now. The focus is not to be on the troubles, but that the troubles are over and did not change the hobbits. Sometimes it takes me a while.

Frodo's forgotten already that Bag End is ruined, and besides doesn't belong to him any more. He's quite resilient himself, as I suppose would be essential to the task he's completed. We don't see much yet of the darkness that will eventually leave him without peace.

Odovacar and the Bolgers have come down in the world a bit - hiding in a gardener's closet and sleeping on a cot. Perhaps a little lessening of the class system would be a good thing to result from the troubles. Shirefolk could use tragedy to learn how to pull together in a closer-knit community, similar to the feelings in the US after 9/11. Some memories of adversity are worth keeping.

Poor Freddy! He will have to have all his fingers rebroken in three or four weeks. It would have been a kindness to do it while he was still so out of it, but I can understand not wanting to add to the shock. He doesn't even remember what he did to keep Estella safe. Stella's been at the Smials for quite a while: perhaps here's where we see Paladin evaluate her as a wife for Pippin? There's been no time yet for such thoughts, so something must bring it to his mind - if not now, maybe later should Estella return to the Smials to visit the friends she's undoubtedly made there. You've got plenty of time for that particular scenario to play out. But I would love to see more of Stella here, and both Pippin and Merry will be there for interaction.

Then, the last two lines: again, Merry's determination that the hobbits take no more harm from the troubles, and retain their core of goodness. Only those who witnessed it will remember the violence of the scene where Saruman's throat is slit, and Wormtongue is executed. There's a hint of Frodo's regret for the fall of a being who once was great, just for us who love that part of the book.

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