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| Thain by Lindelea | 164 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Connie B. | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/26/2004 |
| This was a really nice chapter. I especially liked the scene between Nell and Pippin. I am finding Paladin more and more irritating. He's actually rather pitiable, though; because he's letting the pressures of the future ruin the present with his children. Thanks for the chapter. I needed something to take my mind off my own day. I'm just sad I have now lost my personal copies of every reply to every review I ever posted to S of A. So here's to starting over. Thanks. Connie B. Author Reply: Raising a glass with you. BTDT. I'm really sorry to hear of your loss. Y'know, Paladin is not as bad as he might be. In the social era I'm drawing from, arranged marriages were taken for granted. Not all that many chafed against it. For the edification of growing girls, little moral tales were published about unfortunate girls who married for love and ended up supporting a husband who couldn't hold a job, or else they ended up abandoned, or widowed. I think a recurring theme was "taking in washing" to make ends meet for the poor woman and her children. When you think of it, an unmarried sister who becomes a housekeeper for a married sibling would be much less draining on the family finances (surrounding family, I mean, as in her parents and siblings) than one who marries a ne'er-do-well and has a dozen children and keeps coming to parents and siblings for "a little help". At least Paladin isn't forcing a marriage on Pimpernel. If she chooses not to marry, he won't force a different choice on her. He just doesn't think it would be best for her to marry Ferdi, and from a practical standpoint (you have to be practical to be a good farmer, I suspect) he's correct, at least at this point in time. Sorry if I'm being more practical than romantic at the moment. Hopefully I make up for it in the tenderer moments of the stories I've spun. | |
| Lyta Padfoot | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/26/2004 |
| Poor Pimpernel. I imagine Ferdi is even more embarassed to speak in front of her than all the other Tooks combined. Pippin was very sweet in this chapter, nice to see him protective of Nell and Ferdi. Author Reply: Very incisive comment, one I hadn't even thought about (yet) but would have to be true. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/26/2004 |
| Not a paragon of sensitivity is he, old Paladin. Poor Pimpernel is clearly already fond of Ferdi - and he's trying to marry her off to her advantage. I imagine that if Ferdi had extensive lands and loads of money, his elective mutism would become an interestingly eccentric life choice rather than something that prove he was half-witted. Pippin is quite sweet here - lazy, self-centred, selfish, but sweet. (Typical teenager.) Author Reply: LOL, I'd agree over the "typical teen" comment but for the fact that my own typical teen would probably take offense... For a small defense of Paladin, see the review reply to Connie (posted at SoA for the same chapter you just reviewed). ...but you're right about "faults" being changed to charming eccentricities depending on one's economic status. Hadn't even thought of that. | |
| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/26/2004 |
| Pip's a typical thoughtless teen here - so inwardly focused in his concerns. He's jealous of his Smials cousins' idleness now - I think of Farry's story, and how slow Pip was to realize the mischief his Smial-cousins' idleness led to. Paladin's right in wanting his son to learn self-discipline, but there's a fine line between discipline and control, and Paladin and Pip will teeter on that line for a long time. It's typical that the conversation with Nell starts with childish pique over bedtime, and an attempt to raid the pantry. There's not a shred of guilt over getting his sister to do his chores, or even over getting caught at it. But childish thinking is soon to be replaced with a new awareness of consequences, I think. And despite his immaturity, Pip's compassion for Nell is firmly in place. How true it is that hobbits love each other deeply, especially family. I'm glad that Pip will eventually get to play his part in bringing Nell the long-delayed fulfilment of her hopes. It's quite interesting, how this story is weaving two very different threads together. I'm eager to see what kind of finished tapestry you've got planned. Author Reply: Well, Pip had quite a bit of fun with his idle cousin, not realising the harm it did until his son's troubles showed them to him in a new light. It is fun to contemplate that Pippin and Odo, working together, finally get Nell and Ferdi's relationship where it belongs. I'm eager to see the finished tapestry too! I confess the outline for this story is the sketchiest I've ever worked from, and chapter titles are giving me fits! (It just would not do to title the chapters identically, too confusing, but... still thinking about how to do this.) Thanks for reviewing. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 7/18/2004 |
| Loved the spookiness with the idea of closing the shutters and keeping the smial dark - nervous anticipation. Poor Bucca, left responsible for so many. Lucky Bucca with his precious new little one. Look forward to learning more - and developing the link between then / now. Author Reply: Yes, and Bucca cannot even imagine that he holds a future Thain of the Shire in his arms... Thanks! | |
| Connie | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 7/18/2004 |
| Oh, this is getting interesting. Now, though, I'm getting curious about so many little odd things. One that is niggling at me is the family names. How did they get from where they were in Bucca's time to where they are at the time of the Quest. Just a little question. Not that I'm expecting an explanation, and, who knows, if I pay close attention I may actually find out in the course of your story. If I have learned anything from reading your writing, it is to be patient. You almost always explain everything by the end. Thanks. Connie. Author Reply: Yep, I almost always explain everything by the end, except when I drop a stitch while knitting a story together. That's when I count on the alert reader to let me know there's a loose end sticking out. Of course, In "Pearl" there was a deliberate loose end. But then that was to allow a sequel. Thanks! | |
| Lyta Padfoot | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 7/18/2004 |
| Bucca and his son were very sweet. I'm curious as to why the Thorn was needed; I suspect it relates to the hobbits who went off to fight. Poor Bucca, it must be terrible to wait and wait for his twin only to learn that the waiting was in vain and that his brother is dead. Author Reply: Thanks for commenting. Can't answer but to say all will be clearer in chapters soon to come. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/13/2004 |
| Pippin is such a typical youngest - willing to let everyone else do everything for him while he flutters his eyelashes and pouts. I don't blame Paladin for wanting to make him take some responsibility. Interested to see how this develops! Author Reply: LOL, indeed he is! Amazing how that birth-order thing works. | |
| Lyta Padfoot | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/11/2004 |
| Paladin's anger is reflected in his children. Pimpernel, Pervinca, and Pippin are demonstrating classic signs of being in a troubled home. Pimpernel tries to protect, Pervinca escapes via books, Pippin is reckless. Whatever Paladin is planning, it won't be a good thing. Somehow I think it involves the Great Smials as that is the location of the stables he and Ferdi (nearly) burn down. Interesting that I thought of Paladin in my teaching class this summer. My instructor told us that first year teachers tend to reach a crisis point (stage two: surviving the teaching experience) where they 'teach as they were taught'. Paladin under pressure is parenting as he was parented, regardless of how he himself feels about how his father treated him. Its not working, but all he knows how to respond is to escalate. Author Reply: Anger is worse than a virus, very infectious. Actually, Paladin is planning a good thing and if he'd been able to stick with it--as in circumstances not forcing his hand--things might have turned out differently. (It is so difficult to write when I keep bumping up against a future that's already written!) Hope that's not a spoiler, but then you know already, I think, that it's the consequences of his becoming Thain that ruin Paladin's chances for a happy family life. When his dream dies and he shoulders his responsibility, he cannot rise above the crushing weight of the burden thrust upon him. (Thankfully Pippin, in the identical circumstance later in his own life, is able to rise and not be crushed.) Classic observation you made there. How many times do we vow we won't do what our parents did, or say what they said, and later find their words coming out of our own mouths? Thanks for commenting. | |
| Beruthiel | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/11/2004 |
| Can't help feeling sorry for Pippin here, wondering what's going to happen. He may have deserved that rebuke, but I get the feeling there's worse coming. Interesting to see that Pip isn't the only one Paladin is less than pleased with, though he seems to get most of his father's ire. So Pervinca likes to bury her nose in books, does she? I just realized I know nothing at all about her. She barely gets mentioned in your other stories (Pearl too, for that matter). I know she marries Meliloc Brandybuck in 1440 (55 years old by then), and that's about it. What was she up to before then? (Just something to keep in mind for future stories.) It looks like this story is going to be quite angsty (yay! I love angst!). The family could get rather dysfunctional. I'm anxious to see how the worsening Pip-Paladin problems are going to affect the others. (Never really thought about that myself, for some reason.) This is looking to be a superb story, but I wish you'd update faster. Author Reply: I do appreciate the encouragement. Well, there's better and worse coming, just as in real life. Pervinca as I've imagined her is a dreamer with a mercurial temper. I know someone very like her IRL... She marries late in life, 'tis true, but Meliloc is her "match" and perfectly suited to weather her moods and... but I'm out of time. Dana has asked me a couple of times to write about Pervinca. We'll see. Well, considering that Paladin and Pippin are not on speaking terms before Paladin's death, yes, they do get rather dysfunctional. Thanks! | |