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| Jewels by Lindelea | 201 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 48 on 4/28/2025 |
| 😂🤣 See how neatly that went …. Author Reply: It's fun to see a fast-talker outmaneuvered by fast talking, for sure! | |
| Reviewed Chapter: 46 on 4/20/2025 | |
| I do love the interactions Merry and Pippin have in this chapter, especially paralleled with the two lost brothers. It's like a little way of showing that even if they are past their mischievous young years and involving themselves in solving problems throughout the Shire, they are just as close as they ever have been! Author Reply: Thank you for reading and taking time to share your thoughts! I agree; I see Merry and Pippin remaining just as close as ever, even when divided by the distance and difficulties of being Master and Thain. (And I imagine that if Merry had gone into the Old Forest on a dare as a teen, Pippin would have been right there at his side or, if necessary, following close behind him, just like the brothers in this story.) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 46 on 4/20/2025 |
| I checked out Seeing Red - it was a good little add-on to this chapter! Glad to see they’re growing a little more responsible but still getting in a bit of trouble … ;-) Author Reply: Now *that* was a fun chapter to write... Tweenish mischief at its best! Thanks for letting me know. :) | |
| periantari | Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 4/19/2025 |
| A sense of wonder seized him and he breathed more deeply, dizzy, as he realized he'd been holding his breath. You're the great donkey, never to have seen it before, he told himself. He looked at her in the shadowy light of the stables, seeing together in one somehow, the Midge, and Twig the "boy", and Tilly the nurse, and Estella herself, a force to be reckoned with, unafraid, even, of the Thain and his influence -- giving Pip his freedom to marry Diamond, whom he loved, with no hope for her own happiness... Merry had never seen her, really seen her, paid her any mind, and yet she remained true in the face of his blindness. I love how you wrote this- the best realization that coudl've been written. It is obvious that Estella liked him for a while since he remembered all those moments in the past adventures. I find it quite sweet. And good detail about Estella nursing her brother back from being in the Lockholes- it is something she would've helped in, right? It makes sense. This was one of my fave chapters because i liked how Merry realized that Estella was there all along. :*) Suddenly, events of the past came clear to him, as sun breaking through clouds brings a meadow to sparkling brightness, and he drew a shallow breath, hearing a snort from one of the ponies, the knock of a hoof against a wall, the voices of Pansy and Merimas, a murmur followed by shared laughter. Lovely writing. Author Reply: Oh, thank you so much for your encouragement! I'm so glad the word-pictures and the development of their relationship over the years works. When they were children, Estella was definitely a tag-along, pesky little sister, but a lot of it had to do with her fascination for Merry rather than wanting to do everything Freddy was doing. It was so satisfying to write about Merry finally noticing her at last, after taking her for granted for so many years...! (The nice thing about revising this very early story was the possibility of incorporating elements from other stories that shed more light on Estella's journey. It was a good feeling to finally give Estella her heart's desire at last. I'm a hopeless romantic, I think. I always want the best for people.) Thanks again for reading and taking time to share your thoughts! | |
| periantari | Reviewed Chapter: 33 on 4/19/2025 |
| Estella is so smart to pick up on the tension caused by the handfasting and the Thain's desire rather Pippin's desire to get married. She is quite sprightly and so fun to read about. Great characterization on a not too familiar character that Tolkien mentioned. | |
| periantari | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 4/19/2025 |
| It is an interesting twist that you have written in here because as we know from canon that Merry is with Estella and Pippin weds Diamond and i liked how you wrote at the end that Estella didn't want to be with Pippin. That makes things so interesting. Very nice story-telling and i really like your Estella. I anticipated Estella to come into the story ever since Ruby died and Merry didn't get to marry her. Author Reply: It has been rather fun to play with the Merry-Estella relationship in my stories. Challenging, too, in that she is always very aware of him (you might even call it a childhood crush that continues into adulthood), and he is oblivious for such a long time. This was one of my first fanfic stories; thus, I was writing it while learning about writing, so tangling the threads and then straightening them out was difficult, but I learned a lot in the process. p.s. I'm glad to hear you like Estella as I write her. Some readers have found her quite annoying, but I think her heart is in the right place. (I find complex characters are more interesting to write, so there is that, too.) Thanks so much for reading and pausing to share your thoughts! I really appreciate it. | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 46 on 4/19/2025 |
| I’m so glad the little ones were found! (And for the note at the end about the growing-up of the participants.) I’m sure a talk with Saradoc would be good for them - stealing keys to the Gate definitely isn’t something that needs to be happening! One peril of living in Buckland the rest of the Hobbits don’t have to worry about…. Thx as always for writing! Author Reply: Thank you for reading and pausing to share your thoughts! (The note was sort of an afterthought... Doderas is a bully here, but in later stories, he's thoughtful, courageous, and helpful. When I was going through the beta-readers' notes, it hit me that he could be seen as "out of character" here, so I felt as if I had to either change the character's name or figure out what made the difference. "A little talk with Saradoc" probably goes a long way, I should think!) It's intriguing how Buckland feels separate from the rest of the Shire in many ways (at least, to me it does). Being on the "wrong" side of the River is one. Bordering on the Old Forest is another. It's interesting to contemplate how it might make the Brandybucks different from other Shire-folk. I appreciate hearing from you! | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/14/2025 |
| Lindelea! "'Be well, Frodo,' Merry said meaningfully, putting his heart into the words. Frodo nodded. 'And you, Merry.' His gaze locked with Merry's. 'Remember, walk in the light.' 'I will.' Merry reached out to embrace his cousin." Again *weep* Thanks! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: The Grey Havens was one of the saddest parts of the story. *sniff* Hugs to you, and thanks so much for reading and stopping to share your thoughts! | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 4/14/2025 |
| Lindelea! Hello! "He met Merry's quizzical gaze serenely. 'It goes, Merry,' he said again. 'All we can do... is our best.' He smiled. 'You just keep walking in the light, no matter what happens. Is it a promise?'" Good advice. I just wish that Frodo had been able to follow his own advice, but some wounds the hurt just runs too deep. "The Master and Mistress of Buckland soberly returned to the Hall." They suspect something is not right with Frodo, don't they? Thanks again for the chapters! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: It's so bittersweet that Frodo can help others but not himself. I seem to remember in my story about Freddy (Fatty) Bolger that Freddy pleads with him not to believe Saruman's prophecy after Frodo helps Freddy win free of the wizard's malevolent curse, but I could be remembering wrong. You're right. Sam apparently (since Tolkien didn't write about Sam noticing Frodo's decline but indicated Sam was surprised when Frodo sailed) did not notice the changes, but that's often the case in real life – when you see someone every day, a change in their health might be so gradual that you don't see it, yet someone who has not seen them for a whole year will notice immediately. That's what I was thinking when I wrote this chapter. Esmeralda and Saradoc had not seen Frodo in a year, and so they immediately saw the difference in him when he walked in the door. And they continued to see the changes throughout the visit, and food and rest made no difference. So I think they quickly reached the conclusion that he had a wasting illness, and that he was making a farewell visit to them, and they'd never see him again in this life, at least. In my early fanfic days, I was still reeling from the cancer deaths of a couple of close relatives, and I know it influenced my writing. One of my earliest stories is dedicated to my brother for that reason; his courage in walking through his final months and then weeks was both inspiring and shattering to witness. Anyhow, I'm starting to ramble, so I'd better wander off and do some housework or something now. (((hugs))) Lin | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 4/14/2025 |
| Review part two! 'Dernhelm was Eowyn,' Merry spoke, so low that they had to strain to hear him. 'She was so fair, so desperate. It would have been wrong to let her die there alone.'" Yes it would have! BTW, in my story Merry will know it is Eowyn that he rides with it will give me nice story opportunities. "Meriadoc's family encircled him, enveloped him, and held him for a long time, long after the tea in the cosied pot grew cold." Again *weep* Wonderful chapter, my dear! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: MM! Oh! I'm so looking forward to reading that part of your story! While I remember film-Merry suddenly realising he's riding with Éowyn (I can see his bright expression and hear his enthusiastic "My Lady!" clearly in my mind), I don't remember how or when it was in the book that he knew Dernhelm was Éowyn. Oh well, yet another good excuse for a re-read, it seems. I love how fanfic tends to show such deep love between hobbits. Tolkien hinted at it, but of course he was also quite occupied with telling his epic tale... Thank you so much for reading and taking time to share your thoughts. (((hugs))) Lin | |