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| Reflections from the Paradise of Elves by Bodkin | 6 Review(s) |
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| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/8/2006 |
| What Galadriel asked of Curaniel was sacrificial indeed, though it seems that Curaniel found the request to stay with Arwen to be her desire. But still.. to stay knowing an end would come had to be very difficult. She has more in common with the twins and Legolas than perhaps anyone else. I hope they do seek her out and tell her. Author Reply: I can see how it might slip their mind after they arrived - they were all worn to the bone and needed a long period of recuperation. And then, I don't think they were ready to have Estel and Arwen's deaths before them quite as starkly as they would have been if they had looked for Curaniel immediately. Glorfindel probably sought her out. I think that he may well have dealt with it all rather better. Having been dead. Yes, what Galadriel led Curaniel to do was sacrificial and courageous - and makes her family, I would think. And they are probably all recovered enough to be able to acknowledge that now. | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/7/2006 |
| I was so glad to see you focus on Curaniel! I have always like her. Very interesting having the guys realize that she was a fellow vet, despite technically being a non-combatant. I can imagine her telling the tale to Celebrian and Elrond. As someone from a society with an oral rather than written tradition, she brought the emotion as well as the events with her. No bland words on a page, but smiles and touches and voices. Hmm, did not go back to the Galadhrim, eh? Maybe Haldir will suddenly, after all this time, run into her again? And appreciate the change in her since last they met? Perhaps, realize a change in his heart too? ;D Where's Galadiel when you *really* need her intervention?! Another good chapter, Bodkin! Author Reply: In some ways they have even more in common with Curaniel than with other elven warriors. They share the experience of living among and loving mortals - loving them knowing they would die and only the end of days would reunite them. Celebrian and Elrond would have welcomed her as someone who could bridge the gap between them and Arwen's family - and she could talk and unburden herself. And most of what she had to say would have been about love and friendship and happiness. But, perhaps, as she opened that side of her experience, the darker side might have weighed on her more heavily. I doubt she would have wanted to let Elrond and Celebrian see the sorrow - and, eventually, I think she would have needed to purge that. She would have had to seek support - and I don't think she would have found that among the Galadhrim. They would have attempted to understand, I expect, but it was beyond their experience. Eventually, perhaps, she might bump into Haldir again. I think he needs to grow, though - or she will be beyond his comprehension. Thank you. I'm glad you liked it! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/7/2006 |
| So is this you thinking out loud about a story involving Arwen's life with Aragorn? I would love that. But this was fascinating by itself. You do a really good job showing the differences between the elves that speant the majority of their lives in Aman and those from Middle Earth, but poor Cúraniel is really in a class of her own, isn't she? Very sad. I love these Reflections, Bodkin! Author Reply: Thank you. Reflections can never end - they start off so many trains of thought. I hadn't thought about an Arwen and Aragorn story - not, at least, until you mentioned it! It's easy to see the differences between the warriors of Middle-earth and the non-combatants of Aman, but the whole of the elves' experience must have been different - like growing up in a war zone, where even the minutiae of everyday life could be affected. I doubt Aman suffers from flood/famine/drought/blight - but these are all things that could make life difficult even in the safest elven haven. Curaniel lived among men - grew to love them, watched them grow old and die. I think maybe only Mithrellas would really understand - and Curaniel could console herself with the fact that at least she was not grieving eternally for the partner with whom she might never be reunited. | |
| Lianna | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/7/2006 |
| Here's hoping that this chapter is a teaser for a story about Curaniel's experience in Aman. Author Reply: Well - there are a couple of pages somewhere!! They haven't grown into anything more yet, but she is worming away at my sub-conscious. I'll have to see what develops! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/7/2006 |
| A very thought-provoking chapter, looking at how heavy exposure to Men's experience with time can effect great changes in those Elves who allow themselves that experience. Very, very thought-provoking. Thanks, Bodkin, for the stimulation. Author Reply: Courage comes in all sorts of ways, I think. Facing repeated deaths from old age must have taken a lot of resolution for an elleth from Lothlorien - as would growing to love people with whom she stood no chance of being reunited before the end of days. Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 83 on 5/7/2006 |
| It's always interesting to think about how elves who weren't warriors experienced life in Arda. And surely that would be most of them. It's easy to see the heroism of those with a weapon in their hands, but that's not the only kind of heroism there is. Author Reply: Most elves would have been busy just living their lives, I would think. And most of them would probably have had little experience outside their own region - although, of course, being immortal probably increased the chances that they had been round for at least one of Middle-earth's major crises. I would be interesting to see them surviving drought, famine - the vagaries of nature. Self sacrifice and such. It doesn't look much - spending a century around men - but it must have made some very fundamental differences to the way Curaniel saw the world and it would be very surprising if she had been able to slot back into the gilded timelessness of elven paradise. | |