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| Jewels by Lindelea | 242 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 5/6/2025 |
| Lindelea! "Ribbons still hung from the lank manes and trailed from the tails spread out in the gently lapping water." Tragically sad image. ouch. It had been so happy. "'Ah, Snip,' the farmer said softly. 'Ye did your best, my lass. You always did your best.' Suddenly he covered his face and began to sob. 'My lass,' he said brokenly, 'My poor, poor lass.'" Sometimes we need to talk around our pain because it is too great. "His son's arms encompassed him, and Merry whispered, 'I'm harder to lose than you think...' Together they wept." * Sob * (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! This chapter made me very sad, but I wrote it anyhow because I'd grown so fond of the characters, I wanted to do them justice, somehow. Your insight regarding talking around our pain brought to mind Merry, talking to Pippin in the Houses of Healing, and Aragorn's (probably carefully considered) interaction with him after his healing. I hadn't quite seen that scene in just that way before, so thank you for the added food for thought! Though there's some angst and stress in upcoming chapters, this present sorrow will become tempered by the passing of time. Also, happier times will come along, reflecting the rollercoaster of life, so to speak... I'm starting to ramble, so I think I'd better leave the laptop in peace and go seek out some protein. Thanks again for your thoughtful reviews! I appreciate hearing your thoughts. (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 5/6/2025 |
| Lindelea! That is a very real depiction of grief. Especially an unexpected grief. Nothing matters. Going through the motions, barely. So sad. Frodo was prescient knowing what might happen. Poor Merry. And poor Pippin. They have all been through so much and to have this happen. *weep* Onto to next chapter! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: Tolkien's characters feel very real to me. (I think I read that at least some of them were based on real people he knew?) I never quite knew if Frodo foresaw this happening, or if he was simply motivated by wisdom born of his own pain and common sense, knowing the ups and downs of even the "boring" life typically found in the Shire. (((hugs))) and kudos for your courage and insightfulness. Thanks so much for your reviews. I find them so encouraging. Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 5/6/2025 |
| Lindelea! "The kitchen was silent save the crackling of the fire on the hearth, the sound of several voices softly sobbing, the occasional murmur from the healer. It did not seem possible that it could be the same place which had seen such merriment--dancing, song, laughter--scant hours earlier." Ouch! But sometimes life is like that. It changes in the blink of an eye! Must dash to work! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! You are so right! Life changes, and with shocking suddenness sometimes, and at other times so slowly, the change is hardly perceptible to those who are in the middle of it all. (((hugs))) Thanks. I appreciate hearing your thoughts. Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 5/6/2025 |
| Lindelea! "'Girls!' their mother corrected, while Diamond ducked her head and--Pearl's gaze sharpened--Peregrin actually blushed." Pippin blushing...now we know something is up! and "Eeeeek!" *sigh* (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: Pippin blushing... a sign of good things to come. Oh, I know. Eeeeek, indeed. Sums it up pretty effectively. Thank you for bravely working your way through the saddest chapters of this story. I do appreciate it. (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 5/5/2025 |
| Lindelea! "Most of their time together seemed to be washing and drying dishes. They would lift their voices in song, and often hobbits passing near the house on wedding business would stop to listen for a moment or two. The happy couple were glad that so much food needed to be cooked and served--and washed up after--in those busy days." So happy.... BTW I have ordered the Michael Parry book. It arrives next Tuesday! ***back to our normally scheduled review*** Hee-hee! At your advisement...waiting for the other shoe to drop... (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! Oh! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I am enjoying it! I know some online reviewers thought the author put too much personal opinion into his writing, but I've found good food for thought, perfect for pondering further, in some of the connections he's made. I admit, I haven't read all the way through the book yet. They are such a happy couple, it nearly killed me to write the next few chapters. If I hadn't outlined the story all the way to the end, I don't think I could have finished it. Thanks so much for reading and for taking the time to leave a review! (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 5/4/2025 |
| Lindelea! Even in victory our veterans, such as Merry, pay a price. I love that Saradoc visits Crickhollow to check on and then tend to his son. Yay! Merry has asked Ruby! Although I know he marries Estella Bolger. I sense the approaching reason for the prewarned Angst with a capital "A"! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! (((hugs back))) Honestly, I think Esmeralda would have been there for Merry, but her loved ones are very protective of her because of her past struggles with health. They don't understand how strong she can be when she has to be. (But Estella will come to see her mother-in-love's strength after eavesdropping on a future conversation Esmeralda has with Diamond about Merry's and Pippin's memories of Orcs, and if Merry's mother doesn't already know about the anniversary by then, Estella will fill her in on the details soon after that, just in case you wanted a little background.) Thanks so much for reading and pausing to share your thoughts. I really appreciate it. | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 5/2/2025 |
| Lindelea! Exactly! Sometimes People just need to talk. My stories get a bit "talky" as well. Oh well. To quote Hamlet perhaps,"[They] pleased not the million." LOL. With Jane Austen in mind. this passage definitely has her quality. "Esmeralda's sharp eyes catalogued the family. Well dressed, but not ostentatious. Waggon not new, but in excellent repair. Ponies healthy and well cared for, with a few extra touches--someone had braided bright ribbons into the flowing manes and tails. The four youngest piled out of the wagon like puppies, but lined up in fair order at a bark from their father, who then turned to help down his wife, and each of his two eldest daughters in turn. The girls were graceful in descending, and after a wide-eyed look at the sprawling Hall each kept her eyes demurely cast down. They were countrified little things, overawed at the grand, sprawling Hall, but they carried themselves well for all their natural shyness." I loved the chapter. It had a wonderful homey-ness to it. Definitely Jane Austen-ish. I take under advisement your warning of Angst to come and will steel myself accordingly. I also am entering into Angst in "Destiny's Child" Aragorn breaking Eowyn's heart, She leaves Dunharrow; Pelennor Fields; Theoden dying. *slaps forehead* but Faramir awaits!!! Must dash! Off to work! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! Thank you so much for your kind words! Come to think of it, JRRT's writing is rather old-fashioned, even stilted-sounding (to modern ears, at least) in places, very much reminding me of the language use in many of the older books we read aloud together during our children's younger years. (Howard Pyle comes to mind, along with Jane Austen, Walter Scott, Frederick Maryatt, Meindert DeJong and Charlotte Mary Yonge, among many more.) I'll have to file away that Hamlet quote for future reference with my other semi-remembered Hamlet quotes (Notably, 'To be or not to be...' and 'Alas poor Yorrick, I knew him well' – typed off the top of my head, and so accuracy is not guaranteed.) And speaking of Shakespeare reminds me of the book I was reading last night, Untangling Tolkien by Michael W. Perry, where he refers to JRRT's description of Saruman's attack on Helm's Deep and Sauron's attack on Minas Tirith as "plots consciously borrowed from Shakespeare" (in particular, Macbeth). Fascinating book overall, organizing events chronologically (and providing explanations and suggestions for handling calendar-based conflicts), and I'm finding it thoughtfully written. As I read further in "Destiny's Child" (as you post further, that is), I will definitely be keeping Faramir! firmly in mind. (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/1/2025 |
| Lindelea! "When Esmeralda came out of the kitchen next morning, a mug of wildflowers stood by her place at the breakfast table. She blinked back sudden tears and looked up to meet Pippin's smile." Awwww! Pippin even when sad finds a way to bring sunshine. LOL about how hedgy/ coy Pippin is about Diamond... "Pippin gazed straight before him. 'I watched two guardsmen, friends of mine, just... slip away into silence, cold, finally... death. Then Merry...' He swallowed. 'The hands of the King are the hands of a Healer,' he said, as if he mused." Ahhhh! Poor Pippin! To have seen such things! Both hobbits, so much quiet strength. Wonderfully done!! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! I see you've got past the Grey Havens. I feel the need to warn you (or remind you? I don't remember if I said anything earlier) that chapters 19 and 20 are very angsty and sad. After that point, the story slowly gets better and has its ups and downs, but those chapters are hard to get through. (If I were posting them new, I'd put a "character death" warning in the story description.) So maybe read them when you have time to go on and read chapter 21 immediately after? (For a little comfort and a glimpse of hope by the time you reach the end of that chapter, at least, though it starts out sad.) It always seemed to me (and I wrote him that way in the Tenth Walker story) that Pippin was the "officer in charge of morale" (or comic relief) on the Quest, so it makes sense to me that he'd be lifting spirits as a sort of habitual practice. One of the lovable things about hobbits is how much of their love shines through in the original text. Thanks so much for reading and stopping to leave some good words. I really appreciate it. (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 5/1/2025 |
| Lindelea! This is what happens when I don't mark where I left off! I have read further on in this wonderful story so some of the below review may not make sense! Alas! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! There's at least one fairly recent story (I don't remember which one, but it's on either the first or second page of stories listed on SoA) where I posted two reviews of the same chapter, and pretty close together, timewise, and from the second-posted review, it appears that I didn't remember reading the chapter previously. To make a long story short, I can certainly empathize! (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 5/1/2025 |
| Lindelea! Review part 2! "Esmeralda watched this special nephew as he plied his spoon, talking and laughing with his uncle and cousins. She remembered other bouquets, half-wilted, clutched in a grubby hand, brought to her on the couch where she lay for so many months as she directed the domestic doings of Hall and kitchen." Ahhh! Sweet! "The first time she noticed the missing finger she grieved for the marring of the fine hand, but truly, the slim fingers were so often busy about something that soon she ceased to think of it. When Frodo was not out riding or walking with his cousins, he was sitting, but not idle. His hands carved wooden whistles for wee hobbits, fashioned sails for little boats, sketched pictures, gestured descriptively while telling a story, splashed skillfully in water battles in the shallows of the River... in other words, they were almost never at rest." Frodo seems wonderfully happy! Yeah! And Yes, I am assuming that Frodo is visiting after he has made the decision to leave. Oftentimes the decision made does bring peace. "'Not at all!' Pippin said with a sly nudge for Merry. 'After all, we aren't going all the way to Bag End! Only part-way, and right at that spot there's a side-branching road leading to the North Farthing...'" They are going the Grey Havens aren't they? *sigh* *wibble* Long Cleeve you say...and a certain Diamond...and of course a fine table set. Lovely! You write Hobbits so well!! Thanks for the chapter! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! I see from you next review that you have now read further, and so you got through the next chapter and the Grey Havens part. But this idea is both fascinating and insightful (even though it wasn't the case in this story, it sounds like a very likely scenario): I am assuming that Frodo is visiting after he has made the decision to leave. Oftentimes the decision made does bring peace. Thank you so much for reading and for taking the time to share your thoughts and encouragement. I am a bit behind in editing chapters to post for Friday, but reading reviews has got me motivated to see if I can update another story or three for this update rather than giving in to distractions (or laziness?) and leaving them for my planned Monday update. I had to completely rework the next chapter of Thain after getting rather confused by the differences in the different sources I consulted, including JRRT, who seemed to offer two contradictory descriptions of troop movements. I think I've got it figured out now, but it took several rewrites. Hopefully it'll make sense when compared to the LOTR map. I am up past midnight, but I wanted to reply to your reviews before heading for bed. And enthuse all over again about your Éowyn stories... (((hugs))) Lin | |