The Fellowship of the Ring

Hey there! So, I just finished reading “The Fellowship of the Ring” by J.R.R. Tolkien, and I thought I'd jot down my thoughts. Keep in mind, I'm not usually into fantasy books, but I decided to give this a shot since it's such a classic.

First off, this was my introduction to proper fantasy literature, and I've got to say, it kind of confirmed my suspicions that fantasy might not be my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't bad – it just didn't blow me away.

The story follows Frodo, a hobbit who inherits a powerful ring and sets off on a journey to destroy it. Sounds exciting, right? Well, it kind of is, but also kind of isn't. The whole book felt like one long walking tour through Middle-earth. We meet new characters, visit different kingdoms, and face some dangers along the way. It's definitely an adventure, but sometimes I found myself thinking, “Okay, but when is something really going to happen?”

I will say that I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. Tolkien does a great job of making you feel like you're part of the fellowship. The friendships, the bravery, the scary moments – it all feels very real. But for me, the plot itself was a bit thin. It's basically “hobbit finds ring, hobbit must destroy ring” stretched out over hundreds of pages.

The writing style is pretty easy to follow, which I appreciated. However, I did struggle with remembering all the names of people and places. Seriously, does every character and location need such a complicated name?

By the end of the book, I wasn't super excited to pick up the next one in the series. I mean, I can see why people love it – the world-building is impressive, and there's a sense of epic scale to everything. But for me, it just didn't click in a way that made me want to invest more time in the story.

I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. It's well-written and I can appreciate why it's a classic, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me personally. If you're into fantasy or want to check out a cornerstone of the genre, go for it! But if you're like me and prefer books with more straightforward plots, maybe think twice before diving in.

Remember, this is just my take as a casual reader. Millions of people absolutely love this book, so don't let my opinion stop you if you're curious about it!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​