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The Care and Feeding of Hobbits  by Baylor 10 Review(s)
GMRiversReviewed Chapter: 11 on 6/26/2019
Beautiful. I loved this story. It made me cry, but left me feeling a happy sort of fuzzyness inside.

PSWReviewed Chapter: 11 on 1/3/2016
This was so enjoyable. :-) Thanks for writing!

fan81981Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 2/24/2010
I don't know remember when I first read this story - must have been a couple of years back - but I remember I loved it even then, even though I am generally not a reader of Hobbit fanfiction. I must apologise for not reviewing this gem the first time. Let me correct the mistake now - I love the glimpses of humour and joy in all the chapters. I remember the urgency from the books but it brings peace to the heart to imagine that even in that dark time there must have been joy and love.

Another favourite aspect for me is the focus on Boromir, who after Faramir, was my favourite characters from the books. One thing I clearly remember was the sock I felt that when he tried to take the ring from Frodo, because I was convinced of his nobility and strength of character. That same nobility comes through in this story - he is clearly a good man who cared about his companions. I sometimes feel that Boromir gets the short end of the stick due to essentially one moment of weakness. Stories like this help redress that balance.

The tears that Pippin shed for him in the end almost made me cry (at the office no less). It was a fitting tribute to a great loss.

Great job.

mediagirl42Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/25/2005
I just love this story. It is so sweet and funny and I was crying at the end. You really captured this relationship. Thank you for such a good story

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/27/2005
This is a wonderful story! I love the name "good old Boromir" LOL! But the end had me nearly in tears. I'll be honest with you, mellon nin. Since first reading LOTR over two years ago, I haven't really know what to think of Boromir. Part of me wanted to love him for the man I knew he must be, but the other part resented him for trying to harm Frodo, who is my favourite. You helped me sort it out. Thank you. God bless,
Galadriel

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/10/2004
I was just flicking, and I don't think that I've ever commented on any of your stories - mainly because I read them before I started doing that sort of thing.

Anyway, I just thought I would tell you how brilliant I think they are. This was my first favourite story - but the others just followed suit. Look forward to more additions to the Baylor list.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 11 on 4/7/2004
I read this story some time back, before I knew how to leave a review. I just want to let you know it is my all time favorite fanfic.

KristyReviewed Chapter: 11 on 4/4/2004
This is great. I feel such kinship with the hobbits and with Boromir at the same time and I love them both. Thank you for writing this. I very much enjoyed reading it!
Kristy

Rose GamgeeReviewed Chapter: 11 on 1/5/2004
*bursts into tears*

This is without a doubt one of the best fan fics I've ever read. I've always wished there were more stories concerning the relationships between all the members of the Fellowship, and I'm so glad I've found one as wonderful as this to read. You really are an amazing writer, and your love of the characters shines through all too clearly in this story.

Chapter 1: Heehee, what a delightful beginning. You've already managed to establish the relationships between the hobbits, how they interact with each other and such. And it also does a good job of showing Boromir's early impressions of them. And of course, the images that are conjured up are just adorable: "'Oh, no you don't, lads, I'm sleeping.' His hand appears from beneath his reclaimed covers and latches onto Pippin's shoulder. A hard jerk, and Pippin hits the ground with a "whump!", and then Frodo flicks his wrist and the youngest hobbit disappears from view beneath a blanket."

Chapter 2: Could not stop laughing during this chapter. Poor Legolas... And YES! Lessons in hobbit genealogy! I have a bizarre fascination with the hobbit family trees in the appendicies, so I adored this chapter. Hehehe, it was so much fun to listen to Merry talking the other Fellowship members through his numerous relations.

Chapter 3: You've done such a good job of showing the details of the hobbits' relationships with each other, especially Merry and Pippin. You've portrayed Merry perfectly, as the caring and protective older cousin. And you also did a good job describing the workings of the hobbit social structure.

Chapter 4: I absolutely ADORED this chapter. I've always been really interested in the relationship between Boromir and Faramir, so I was very pleased with what you wrote about it. It was so sweet the way Pippin reminded Boromir of his brother, and it was great to get some insight into Boromir and Faramir's childhood. "We finish the rest of our watch in silence, watching the snow turn the world beautiful again." *siiigh*

Chapter 5: *giggles* Loved the opening, with Boromir landing flat on his face and Legolas falling right on top of him. Pippin was so perfect in this chapter... it's so like him to trust Boromir like that. Very sweet.

Chapter 6: Oh, this chapter was *extremely* sweet. I love how Boromir is realizing more and more just how amazing these hobbits are and how much he wants to look after them.

Chapter 7: It's great to see the Fellowship really coming together here (had a lot of that in the previous chapter, too). And poor Pippin... but he bounced back, as only a hobbit could. :)

Chapter 8: You had a lot of good insight in this chapter. It's good to see Boromir learning so much from the hobbits, about how they handle and overcome their grief: "Yet it seems the wise are called the wise for good reason, for here I lay, plagued by grief and hopelessness, while mere feet away my small companions make their own peace with grief and turn dauntless faces toward hopelessness."

Chapter 9: Ahh, even more insight. You did a great job describing the roles that each of the hobbits fit into with regards to Frodo.

(I'm just sounding more and more redundant with each chapter, aren't I?)

Chapter 10: Still *more* wonderful insight. How do you do it? Seriously, you get into Boromir's head so well, and his observations of the hobbits (and the rest of the Fellowship) are perfect. That one paragraph where he was watching the others - Legolas humming, Pippin with his head in Frodo's lap, etc. - was so peaceful and beautiful, it almost made me forget what was to come in the story.

Epilogue: I was so glad that Faramir played a role in this story. It's so fitting, the perfect closure to a tale told by his brother. "The evil in the east has poured itself over the beauty of night, and at first I cannot detect a single light from above. Then, to the south and east, down the river and toward the sea, I find a single glimmering star, valiantly beating back the dark mantle that hangs over all the lands." Just beautiful.

Okay, sorry for rambling and for making this review so long... but this really is such a tremendous story, both entertaining and heartbreaking, and all-around satisfying. Thanks so much for writing this! :)

Le RouretReviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/7/2003
That was very beautiful. I loved the view of the hobbits from Boromir's perspective -- it's unusual for him to be portrayed so kindly; most people paint him as an arrogant bastard. Thank you for giving him his dignity back.

And thanks for that last chapter -- just to let you know, you made me cry!

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