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Pearl of Great Price  by Lindelea 5 Review(s)
Nienor NinielReviewed Chapter: 37 on 8/25/2006
Ah, great!

I had wanted to read your fics chronologically, but somehow I had missed this one. But it offers so much backstory to the other ones that I'm now very glad that I read it.

The set-up is great: Lalia and her designs, and the various people that are affected by them. Of course it's also good to see more of Ferdibrand and his sister. And it's nice to see how Pearl got her husband. All in all, very enjoyable!

Greetings, Nienor

Author Reply: Thanks! Appreciate the feedback.

Maybe this one isn't on the list of stories on my author's page? It's in need of updating I know.

Just got back from camping and it was nice to read a few reviews--but I'm exhausted and need to hit the pillow!

Thanks again.

HaiReviewed Chapter: 37 on 2/13/2004
That was a great story! I liked how you wrote everyone! Pearl was a great character! Something I like about your writing is the way you use lesser known characters and give them a personality all their own! I was glad that Paladin stood up to the Mistress and wouldn't disown his sister! The whole thing with Paladin owning money to the Thain and the story of how they got the land in the first place was wonderful! I was glad that it was Frodo who came and took Pearl back to her family! That was great. Thank you for giving Pearl a happy ending as well! Maybe you have spoke on this somewhere else but in your other stories wasn't Pippin involved with the stables burning? No big deal I was just wondering. Great story! It was a long read but well worth it! Thank you!

Author Reply: Thanks for taking the time to review! I'm afraid I scare readers away with my long stories. For my part, I think LOTR was too short...

Yes, you're right, Pippin and Ferdi together burned down the old (Ferumbras)Thain's stables (nearly). That incident may be told in full in a future story, you never know. It happened during Pippin's tween years, before his father became Thain.

Lyta PadfootReviewed Chapter: 37 on 2/9/2004
I've loved this story and hate to see it end. A happy ending for Isum and Pearl, Paladin freed of ban and debt, the Tookland free of Lalia. Poor Ferumbras, as much as his mother was a burdan he loved her.

On dangling thread though: does Pearl tell her father about the succession? He ought to know since Ferumbras is setting himself up not to marry.

Author Reply: Thank you for the encouragement!

I haven't decided yet to address the dangling thread here or in a follow-on story.

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 37 on 2/9/2004
A story with a mostly-happy ending! I'm glad Pearl gets her reward for perservering at the Smials, for her care of Lalia and for her loyalty to family, for her endurance of the Talk. I'm glad Isum has survived and will prosper despite his injuries.

I'm a little surprised at the changes in Ferumbras: with the death of his mother he's not quite the same any more. He's finally got the authority he never had, but the responsibilities seem to weigh on him. The grief is still strong. He's doing what he sees as the right thing, undoing as much of Lalia's spite as possible. He's released Pearl, and rewards her with more than Lalia would. None of the old arrangements can be held to, and the right thing is to let Pearl go, but I wonder how much pain it caused him to realize he might always be alone - there are few as brave and level-headed as Pearl at the Smials. Isum would not have acted without Ferumbras' blessing. Will it hurt to see Pearl back at the Smials, happy at having found her place? I think he hasn't gotten a happy ending.

Then, there's Paladin and Pip. Maybe Pearl never told her parents exactly what she had been prepared to do for them. But, maybe she did. Paladin has to be told, either by his daughter or by the Thain, about the succession. That will be weighing on his mind and Pip is not forgiven. There won't be a happy ending here for a long time.

But it's a satisfying story. The romantic in me is pleased. I bet your editor won't find much to quibble about.

Author Reply: Thank you for the long and lovely review. Icing on the cake, really.

Yes, Ferumbras is an admirable figure, flawed as he was by living under his mother's thumb for most of his life. Still, he sees his way clear to doing the right thing and puts others before himself.

Glad you liked the ending, bittersweet as it was, but life is often that way. Now to concentrate on "Solid Ground" which is coming along nicely, and "Merrys" which is not (it is difficult to write a comedy that does not sound contrived--at least I find it so at times.).

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 37 on 2/9/2004
Lovely ending. I was very happy for Pearl. A wonderful story.

Author Reply: Thank you! I appreciate the feedback. Now I must go to "Downpour" and write a bit of feedback myself! Oops, I hear children stirring. It'll have to wait until teatime, even though those new chapter notifications are burning a hole in my email...

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