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Dreamflower's Mathoms I  by Dreamflower 8 Review(s)
Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 56 on 4/24/2006
Poor Nibs! I wonder what did happen to him? But I'm glad Pip could cheer him up.

Poor Frodo. It's embarrassing to no *end* to wake someone (or worse, a whole house full) and know you couldn't help it and only be able to say "I'm sorry."
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Hmm...I'll have to give young Nibs a bit of thought!

I am quite sure it had to be very embarrassing to him!

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 56 on 4/2/2006
Poor Nibs. It couldn't have been easy for him, to be considered too young to help during the Troubles, and watching his older brothers getting to play their parts. And now that the Troubles are over, he still finds himself not knowing where he fits in anymore as his family constantly changes around him. That's a hard spot to be in, but we all go through it.

Author Reply: Yes, it did have to be difficult. I thought it would be good if Pippin could be the one to help him put it in perspective.

Anso the HobbitReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/7/2005
Oh, Lovely! I forgot Nibs actually was older than Pippin. This is such a lovely little fic, and it almost had me in tears. Poor Nibs, not old enough to have been of "real" use during the troubles but not yet of age and old enough to move out, and then Pippin, who actually is younger than him but seems so much older for the Quest comes and shares fate with him in a way since he neither is of age and knows how the bonds to home tear at him.

Author Reply: Yes, I thought that they would have a lot in common at this point in their lives, and unlikely to be worrying as much about their social differences while other things loomed in their minds. Both of them were having to work out what their place in the world would be.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/2/2005
How I enjoy reading these snippets of yours, what my editor-friend would call "background", and yet it adds so much depth and interest to what might be called "the main story".

This is a nice glimpse of Pippin, giving depth to his character, and paints Nibs as a real person in his own right. Nicely done!

(And happy birthday! I have the anecdote all written, now just the setting for it to be told... so many possibilities!)

Author Reply: Sometimes I am more interested in "background" than I am in plot, truth be told. That's probably why I have so many of these little anecdotes, as I try to fill in my vision of what life is like in the Shire.

I thought it would be nice to view Pippin through a completely different pair of eyes, and Nibs is a rather neglected canon character. With the closeness in their ages it seemed a natural fit.

Thanks for the birthday wishes; I'm glad you liked your little surprise, and I look forward to the results.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/1/2005
The feeling of being the odd brother out--poor Nibs. But Pippin's the right one to offer him warmth, advice, and reassurance.

Author Reply: Yes, the only one not allowed to help out during the Troubles. And I think that he will cherish this little visit from Pip.

Pippin's caring heart enabled him to see through to what bothered Nibs, and his own firsthand knowledge of how it felt made his advice very reassuring indeed.

SulrielReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/1/2005
What a lovely picture of Nibs trying to find his place. It reminds me that without those that stay home, what are the ones who leave fighting for. Thanks.

Author Reply: Oh that's a lovely thought! Thank you very much for your kind words!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/1/2005
Poor Nibs. It's hard enough growing up and developing an idea of your value without being surrounded by heroes - Sam the Traveller, Jolly the Rebel and Shire Representative, Pippin the Captain of the Shire and Knight of Gondor. And to be a year older than Pippin must be galling, when his mother decided he was too young to take any part in the fight.

It'll work itself out. Probably. But he has my sympathy.

Author Reply: The Troubles certainly changed the young Shire hobbit's perceptions of growing up. Seeing actual heros around him had to be both inspiring and frustrating--and yes, I would imagine his mother's refusal to allow him to take part in things which his older brothers were doing must have chafed no end.

I think it will work itself out, and his little talk with Pip helped, I'm sure.

cherReviewed Chapter: 56 on 7/1/2005
I think you have captured every adolescent's concern about "where do I fit in?"
Every time I read the book, I realize again how young Pippin was compared to the other three hobbits, and how much he had to grow up in such a short time. Hopefully, Nibs is having a more traditional time of it.

Author Reply: Yes, Pippin's youth is very much an important part of his characterization in the book. He was almost 22 years younger than Frodo, 10 years younger than Sam and 8 years younger than Merry. Granted the age gap was not as pronounced among hobbits as it would be among Men, but that is still a lot of years. And he was still 5 years short of his majority when he left on the Quest. At 28, he was close to a young 18 in human terms.

I noticed a while back the closeness in age between Pippin and Nibs, and wondered how that might feel to Nibs, who is actually a year older.

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