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| The Rescue by Lindelea | 60 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 2/9/2014 |
| It's good to see the "gathering" being shared back to those who've lost the most to the ruffians and true collaborators. And Estella is in the perfect situation to speak in Hally's family's favor when recriminations start piling up once the Travellers are back. Author Reply: Oh, my. That suddenly brings to mind a scene of Hally and Rosie, bound and dragged before a judge (Frodo? Master? Thain?)... Thanks! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 4/28/2010 |
| Rosemary and Hally are so clever! And the way they plan ahead, you'd think they were Brandybucks! Love the idea of the little sacks! And Estella's dream reminds us all of the larger picture! Author Reply: Well, I suppose forest Bolgers, as they're not as well off as gentlehobbits, can't afford to be quite so carefree as Smials Tooks... They've had good preparation for this time. Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 4/28/2010 |
| It is too bad they must be leery of everything at this time. Now, to see the bounty properly shared with the neighbors! Love the way they seek to fool most of the ruffians, and appreciate the dream. Author Reply: I think they are mostly leery when they are not doing things "as usual" or when in the presence of ruffians, for fear of putting a foot wrong or letting on that they are more than the simple, jolly hobbits they appear to be. It's true, they have to disguise important things so that the children don't innocently blurt something incriminating, yet family life when the littlest hobbits are up and about is still fairly simple and jolly, by necessity, I'm thankful to say! Scar is not kindness personified--there's definite self-interest in his actions, but he is clever and observant, and he not only likes Rosemary's cooking, but he realises the Bolgers will inevitably share what they have with hobbits as well as (or maybe more than) wandering Men. If not for Rosemary's light hand at baking, he'd probably let the family go hungry without a twinge of conscience. *sigh* OTOH, maybe he has depths that *I* haven't even seen yet. You never know what a character's going to do, or so it seems sometimes. Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/18/2010 |
| It must have been particularly galling to realize they were benefitting from the misery of their neighbors! At least they do have food and a level of good will at the moment! Author Reply: Yes, they do have good will from the ruffians, at least. The neighbours are another matter. (Can we say, "collaborators," precious? Or at least the appearance of collaboration, all in the name of gathering information for the free hobbits of the Tookland?) Thanks! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/15/2010 |
| A lesson for Estella: that sometimes good things happen for bad reasons. That's a harder one, perhaps, to learn than the more usual one of the other way round-- yet something everyone needs to learn sooner or later. I loved some of the sly little things you slipped in, like "herbs and stewed rabbit" and the bit about the deer all being Lotho's (shades of Robin Hood!) I love how Estella is toughening up and managing to keep her head. She's also really getting into her role as Twig-- and *that* might be a lesson hard to *unlearn* when the crisis is over... Author Reply: Ah, yes, Robin Hood! Funny how he sneaks in here and there, especially when oppression is in the air. Poor Estella. It's just as well she had a gradual reintroduction to girliness, during Freddy's recovery. I think it would have been an awful shock for her to go right from "Twig" to "Estella" (the gently born young lady), especially under her grandmother's critical eye. It's fun to contemplate that Hally's family might have been enjoying herbs and stewed rabbit right about the same time as Sam and Frodo... Poor Rosemary, she could appear to be crying because she was touched by the ruffians' gesture (and wisely blame it on a tearfully grateful reaction to their "generosity") while weeping for the poor hobbits who'd been robbed. *sigh* Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 4/8/2010 |
| Seems to me the ones eating them out of smial and home are the ruffians who've come to like her baking! Excellent acting by Rosemary--and by Estella. And so wonderful to see something on this one again! Author Reply: You're exactly right! The ruffians were the topic of that conversation, not Estella, though Estella didn't overhear enough to know that. The pantry's getting low, and Rosemary knows that it's the ruffians' custom to "drop by" on Baking Day, if not several times a week. The rumour of fever kept them away for a week, but won't last forever. Rosemary was scared stiff to refuse the ruffians, but she did it so graciously, and with such open honesty and regret, that Scar and Three-fingers were wise enough not to kill the goose laying the golden-brown-and-delicious eggs, but to defer their demands. Whew, getting too wordy--must be time for readaloud. Thanks! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 4/8/2010 |
| Ah! Rosemary's so brave and clever and such a good little actress, LOL! You'd think she actually cared about those three Ruffians! She's setting a great example for Estella/Twig! BTW, I don't think I told you what a perfectly hobbity nickname "Twig" is, not to mention clever! It's the kind of nickname that certainly does not lend itself to thinking the person so named is a lass and not a lad! So fun to see more of this! Author Reply: Rosemary's an interesting character. She has a healer's heart, and can honestly feel pity even for a ruffian, even as she's actively working against him and his kind. She can despise his actions and choices, and yet something in her recognises the divine spark, the fact of personhood, that at some past time in some place the Man was very likely a bouncing, fresh-faced babe. She might wonder what set them on their course, and be honestly bewildered, and even see their behaviour as extreme naughtiness rather than wickedness. (What would make a person behave so?) In her hobbity way, she cannot imagine neglecting or abusing a precious little one, and so she is speaking truth when she imagines them missing their mothers... She may be a little naive, but her ability to discern truth gives her a measure of protection the other hobbits lack. She has not come face-to-face with evil, yet (and won't, really, until Ferdi is hauled off to be hanged), for Hally shields her from the worst he hears, and the ruffians, though free in their gossip, are somewhat restrained in her sweet and generous presence. Whew, can you tell I've been having tea with Rosie, the past day or two? I like her better the more I get to know her! (LOL) Thanks! | |
| Celeritas | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/19/2009 |
| Some beautiful angst here at Fatty's departure. One of the worst things Estella's going to have to go through is what he's been going through since last September: knowing that your loved ones are in danger and being able to do nothing about it. "I know them. Frodo showed me..." tells you all you need to know. Very well done. Author Reply: Thank you! You're right, Freddy *has* been going through it since September, but it really didn't hit home until you voiced the thought just now. Ah, Frodo. I'm sure a lot of what you taught Freddy will stand him in good stead in the coming months. Thanks again! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/15/2009 |
| Oh yes, her brother is indeed going into danger--not as dire a path as Frodo's, but deadly all the same... Poor Estella, just beginning to realize the true seriousness of it all! Author Reply: Poor Estella, she's been rather sheltered all her life, and now all that is about to be stripped away... ...and yet, she'll see another side of life that she might not even have imagined, otherwise. And it'll make her all the more a fit partner for a Master of the Hall in the end, for she'll understand the needs of those who look to the Hall. What fun! I love watching characters develop. (Went to that website but couldn't figure out how to vote. I'd vote for Edoras, but the Trotter story sounded so intriguing, and then there was the Cado story, and another one I can't remember but jumped at, when I read the description... sigh... perhaps I'll just have to urge to you work on all of them.) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/15/2009 |
| A time to get used to the new order of things in still another way; and the need to accept that Freddy is going to fight the new order as he can. Excellent! Author Reply: Yes, it's a time of transition for Estella, and a steep learning curve ahead. But I think she's up to it. Thanks! | |