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A Slight Case of Magnificence  by Zebra Wallpaper 8 Review(s)
lmwReviewed Chapter: 8 on 3/17/2005
I have just found your stories and enjoy your writing. This story is good. Ifeel so bad for all those involved, each with their own problems and fears, and no-one able to confide in the others. I can't wait for more.

ArielReviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/25/2005
As I have come to expect, a well written chapter and lovely, precise and in character characters. It's such a compelling tale I found myself itching to wash Peregrin's dishes! LOL.

I am very glad you are planning on finishing this tale. I am reading it, and enjoying it immensely, and I don't often read WIPs. If you ever need more encouragement, please just ask - I will happily shower you with it if it will cheer you on to the finish.

onlylonelyReviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/5/2005
I love this story because the characters are all very human (or should I say hobbity). Your events are not unrealistic and everything has a realistic feel of life to me. I love Faramir, who does feel a bit like Frodo, but has a quality of his own. Poor lad, he shouldn't carry on such foolishness like not crying.

Sam's state frightened me a bit because of all those images of Mordor flashed back and it felt almost like I was back there, watching the two of them at the mountain. Pippin is self-pitying himself and that never does a body good. Now that he's ill too, who will help them? Pippin may be worrying about Sam but I worry for the both of them.

This is one of the best post-Grey Havens stories I have ever read. Unique with the appeal of a child's perspective, including very canonical views of others.

MarionReviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/25/2005
Again a rather short review. Two things. First: poor Pip is convinced everything is his fault. Which it clearly isn't. Sam was foolish enough to leave quarentine of his own accord (Sam's throwing stones whilst living in a glass house himself, if I get my sayings right) Merry and Estella are blind and rather obnoxious in their judgemental treatment of Pippin and Diamond. And look, Pippin left their smial in distress and they haven't heard of him in a week, but all they can think about apparently is the inventations of the Yule celebrations. I *so* want to rattle their tiny brains! It looks like Diamond might not be returning from North Cleave, and rightly so considering the way she's being bullied in her own home by her husbands' 'beloved' kinsfolk (Merry and Estella included) And it becomes more and more clear that Merry would not be the wonderful parent he thinks he would be. First he tells Faramir his Da is a fool, and now, when he thinks Faramir is being cheeky and patronizing, he thinks it is 'cute behaviour'. Argh! Faramir is a very charming, very intelligent and very sensative child. He has his cousing Merry wrapped around his little finger. He has just found out that his actions of belligerence have consequenses he doesn't like, because in the end, he *does* love his parents. Getting your way isn't always as fun as you think it is when you're a kid.

You know, if I were Pippin, I would've left Faramir with Merry and Estella and go with Diamond to Gondor for a year. "Well, you think we're doing it all wrong Merry and Estella. Here's your chance to do it better." "You said you were rather in Buckland than in Tookland, Faramir. Be a good boy. Bye!"
Rather strong medicine, but it would do Diamond a world of good, and it might be benificient for Faramir and the Brandybucks.

babzeeReviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/25/2005

The heart-squeezing angst in this story is killing me!

It's beautifully written. Your characters are wonderful -- very fully-realized and hobbity. I adore poor little Farry. Your Merry and Pippin are excellent.

But it's killing me! I'm so hoping for some happier times for all of them -- soon!

Poor Pippin and Farry -- they so need to communicate.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/25/2005
Oh, I was glad to see this again! I hope, in one way, that Merry doesn't get stuck looking after Pippin and Sam with nothing but a couple of rum cakes to feed them. In the end, Farry would understand, but in the meanwhile he would see Merry's absence as a terrible betrayal.

On the other hand - Sam and Pippin do need help. Or food, at least. A hobbit who is not eating is soon no hobbit at all.

TopazTookReviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/24/2005
Thank goodness, thank goodness, thank goodness: an update to this story! Yay! Please keep it coming...particularly since you've left them all in such an awkward spot.


Will Merry keep his promise to Estella and Faramir and return to the Hall? Somehow, I have a bad feeling about that.... But if *someone* doesn't find them soon, how are Pippin and Sam going to survive pox and near-starvation? [BTW, I wonder about Fatty, since he's supposed to be such a close neighbor. How come he hasn't noticed anything going on at Crickkhollow?) Now Faramir is *really* going to have to worry about his Da being sick. And why aren't they getting any letters from Diamond? What's going on with her? Has the pox epidemic wreaked havoc with the Shire post system?


I like the whole chapter and the whole story, but a couple of particular things to comment on in this chapter: the hobbit at the beginning thinks that Merry always knows the right thing to say. How ironic,s since it's the very fact that he *doesn't* that is partly responsible for him and Pippin being in their current mess

Also liked that Estella *still* can't think of herself as Estella Brandybuck: she's just got "Bolger" stuck in her brain, LOL. It rings quite true.

Please take longer lunch hours...or something, LOL. I very much want to see the rest of this story.




Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/24/2005
It was a nice surprise to find a new chapter up. I am very worried about Sam. He's been so sick and now Pippin seems to have it too. I am even more concerned that Merry will stop by to see how they are and wind up unable to go home. I wonder if Sam did get this from Pippin or if he contracted it another way. If so, I do wonder if others in Hobbiton have it now. So many questions, but I suppose I will have to wait for the next chapter.

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