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| Sam's Rose by jodancingtree | 11 Review(s) |
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| Cibilka | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 1/7/2022 |
| Immensely enjoyed this series! I loved how you wrote the characters. Frodo, especially, sounds very much canon. I loved Sam and Rosie as well, but it's just so wonderful and beautiful, Frodo and Sam's bond is. I doubt Rose would be that emotionally involved when it came to Frodo, but it was still fascinating to watch unfold if it had gone that way. I just find it quite ironic at the end, when Frodo had said Sam came back whole but he didn't- this was true to some extent. No doubt, Frodo lost himself completely to the Quest, he "failed" and to make it worse he felt "tempted" to regret Its destruction, in Prof. Tolkien's words. Even after everything he had sacrificed, he returned feeling utterly defeated, like it had all been in vain for him. In the reverse, he lost the very thing he had set out to save, the Shire and his friends. However, Sam's Quest from the very beginning was to save his master, and he was able to, but not wholly. In the end, Frodo had to leave Middle-earth to find healing and peace, possibly, giving up his ties with everything he loved, and then Sam also had to give him up. In their own beautifully tragic way, both lost what they tried to save, not to sound overly sentimental. I suppose it would be easier for Sam to recover, but undoubtedly, the memory of the ship sailing into the West with his master on it was forever ingrained in his heart. | |
| Queen Galadriel | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 11/8/2005 |
| Oh, Jo! I loved this story...and that falls short! I've been thinking of writing something like it-Rosie's story-for a while, but I've already got one in progress that's giving me trouble enough, and I had no inspiration. I very much enjoyed your interpretation! I can't remember ever devouring thirty-four chapters like that! :-) Very well done and thank you for the wonderful story! Namarie, and God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked Sam's Rose, Galadriel! I hope you'll get back to your Rosie story and give us your view of her - there has to be something special about Rose, for Sam to love her so. Hugs, jo | |
| Elana | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 2/21/2004 |
| Ah, what a lovely story. I read the first few chapters a long time ago on ff.net when you were writing it, and enjoyed it very much, but didn't keep up with it. I just now got around to reading the rest of it. I've stayed up way too late finishing it, too. I was wondering, at Frodo's party with Merry and Pippin and all, he was so happy, I wasn't sure it would be believable that he would have to leave at the end. But I did completely believe it. You handled both his happiness and woundedness marvelously. I did catch one small continuity error. At the beginning of Chapter 27, Rosie says "I’ve had a good many little ones since then..." But then at the end, she says Frodo's leaving was just last fall. I'm greatly looking forward to reading the rest of the stories you have posted here, when I get time. You are a very talented writer. | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 1/18/2004 |
| Ohh, what an ending! Rosie is so wise; and Frodo knew that, else he might not have been able to leave Sam behind. But still... Waaaaah! *sobs* I have always held that it was unfair that Frodo had to sail -- like Rosie said: "He suffered so much to save the Shire, and then he couldn’t stay and enjoy it." And I still think so! For that reason, I can't often bear to read stories of Frodo's last two years in the Shire... but I'm so glad I made an exception in reading this one -- it's really given me things to think about, and seeing it all from Rosie's perspective is so unique! I just loved it. And you might have also given me a bit of a plot-bunny... not sure if it'll come to anything yet, but I'll keep musing on it. The idea of Fosco being sort of adopted by Frodo and being so comforting to him has really got me wondering -- would it have been possible, if he didn't travel with Radagast as in "Following the Other Wizard", for Frodo to find peace somewhere in the Shire? I'd be interested to know what you think of that. So thank you for a wonderful and inspiring read, jo! I look forward to reading more from you. :) Oh yes, there's one thing that I still wonder about -- did Frodo get to see Fosco one last time before leaving for the Havens? And would you consider writing perhaps a vignette of their meeting? I really became fond of Fosco, and I'd hate to think of Frodo leaving without having the opportunity to say goodbye. Sheesh, there I go again. *sniffle* I'd best get back to cleaning. Thank you again, jo! Author Reply: I've so much enjoyed reading all your comments, Tathar -- thank you! And very glad if you got a plot-bunny out of it: go for it! It would make a very interesting story. Would you drop me a line if you write it? I'd really like to read it. I might think about that vignette with Fosco and Frodo, once I finish off "Following the Other Wizard" - thanks for the suggestion. jo | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 1/18/2004 |
| *sigh* Good, I got to laugh through almost all of this chapter! I do love it when Pippin comes to visit. ;D And the Elf, too! I just loved Rosie's thoughts on him: "He was tall, of course. Tall and slim, like a young birch – and graceful, too, like a birch – but he looked strong, as well, as if he'd know how to handle the sword at his side. His hair was long and straight, so silky looking that I wished I dared touch it. And his face – well, now I understood why Sam always said Mr. Frodo had an Elven look to him. They didn't talk much. Mr. Frodo introduced me, and even got Elanor out of her cradle, brought her over for the elf to see. He held out a long, slender finger to her, and she grabbed hold and brought it to her mouth, then looked up at him and crowed. Elanor was always at her best, first thing in the morning, and Galend seemed taken with her. He had a nice smile, I'll say that for him." LOL! What a hobbitlike description! :) Author Reply: Sure, it's no wonder to me that Pippin cheers Frodo up - he does the same for me! jo | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 31 on 1/18/2004 |
| Oh no, I haven't recovered from the last bout of sniffling, and now you've got me going again! "His crooked grin flashed out, as warm as it was rare, making him look like a lad again. But there were shadows of fatigue under his eyes, and the hair at his temples was touched with grey." Sniffle! I did love seeing Fosco again, and hearing that he reminds the Hall of Frodo as a lad made me chuckle! I'm sure Fosco would be proud. But then you hit me with this: "And it was Mr. Frodo's last Fair in the Shire." GAAH! *cries* Well, I'm going to get to the cleaning I've been putting off for an hour before I move on to the next chapter. *sigh* Author Reply: Oh yes - I do hope someone told Fosco that he was like the young Frodo - I'm sure nothing would please him more! And I hate it, too, that this was Frodo's last Fair in the Shire. jo | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 1/18/2004 |
| Oh, dear, you've got me sniffling again.... “Mr. Frodo, you got the job done, however it happened. What difference that you didn’t do it all by yourself? So you’re a hero and Sam’s a hero, and Mr. Merry and Mr. Pippin – you’re all heroes! It was too big of a job for any one person – even Gandalf couldn’t do it all by himself. And you did the biggest part, carrying the Ring to Mordor. It had to get to the Crack of Doom, didn’t it, before Gollum could bite off your finger and fall in with it? He wouldn’t have brought it there himself, that’s certain!” Good job, Rosie! Frodo, must you *always* be so stubbornly selfless? The greatest hero of all, and you can't see past your supposed "failure"! Sigh. Although he wouldn't be the hero he is if he wasn't so altruistic, I guess. It's a good thing he's got Sam, Rosie, Merry and Pippin around, nonetheless! Author Reply: He could forgive Gollum, but not himself. And yet it's symptomatic of his inner nobility, that he demands so much of himself, even while he's gentle with others. jo | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 1/18/2004 |
| Oh, sheesh, jo! "Mr. Frodo didn't say nothing, just sat watching the fire, but his face was sad. The rug by his feet looked empty, somehow, without Fos curled up there, leaning against his knee. I saw him rubbing his hand along his knee sometimes, absent-minded like, as if he missed the curly head that used to rest there." I'll have you know you had me sniffling there and tears are dripping onto the keyboard as I type this. And now you've got me wondering -- had Fosco been able to stay, would Frodo have needed to leave? Hmmm. Now there's something to ponder... Ever since I came upon your "Following the Other Wizard" I've wondered if there might've been another way for Frodo to heal. What if he had a child (and not necessarily his own -- a little waif like Fosco, perhaps) to care for... would that have been enough? Well, I'm going to muse on that for the rest of the afternoon, after I finish this story. Thank you for always giving me something to think about! ;) Author Reply: A good question. I'm not sure it would have been enough, but maybe... jo | |
| Tathar | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 1/18/2004 |
| Ohhh, another gem, jo! I don't know why I didn't find this sooner. You understand Frodo's character SO much... I think you really, really hit the nail on the head with this part, especially: "I couldn't bear it. I'd heard enough of what happened to them on the Quest to know the whole Shire ought to be hanging honors around his neck, and here some curmudgeon was blaming him instead, and he was taking the blame!" Good for you, Rosie! That was exactly my thought. All right, now for the rest! I am really, thoroughly enjoying this story, as always! :) Author Reply: I'm so glad you're enjoying it, Tathar! A good thing that Rosie is an outspoken lass, I think... jo | |
| Elektra | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 1/16/2004 |
| Ohhh, that was wonderful. You fleshed out Rosie very well, but the truth is that all the characterization was pitch-perfect. I loved it! - Elektra, having trouble thinking of something intelligent to say Author Reply: Thanks, Elektra! That sounded plenty intelligent to me - glad you liked it! jo | |