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Light from the West  by Armariel 3 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 25 on 8/18/2006
THE questions of mortality. Alas, the child died, but does get to spend time in the Halls of Mandos to his healing.

Author Reply: And I'm sure they'll admonish him to be more careful when they send him back!;)

Good thing they didn't have motorcycles in the Blessed Realm!

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BodkinReviewed Chapter: 25 on 8/6/2006
Oh dear. Poor Frodo does tend to blame himself for things that cannot possibly be his fault!

I do think that there must have been deaths in the Undying Lands - I mean, elves are adventurous and risk-taking beings and there must have been times when ships didn't return or they were caught in accidents like this one! But they would have been few and far between, I suppose. And elves did know that they would be returned from Namo's Halls eventually.

Terrible for the poor mother who had already lost her husband nonetheless.

Author Reply: Frodo is guilty only of post hoc reasoning--"A happened then B happened, therefore A caused B." Still, he is of a different race than the others, and perhaps is unconsciously aware that people tend to blame those of different races, religions, etc. for misfortunes that occur. But Elves, being of a higher and wiser sort than medieval peasants or 19th-century rednecks, would surely not subscribe to such a superstition and would be more logical in their reasoning.

Yes, I thought there must surely have been some deaths there, because of...well, what you said. Especially among young boys who tend to do stupid things anyway (good thing they didn't have drag racing!) and I picture the terrain there as being a bit rugged, as in the illustrations, so surely some must have met with fatal accidents at one time or another. And I grew intrigued with wondering what effect such deaths must have had overall. (And perhaps felt there wasn't enough angst going on? Well, maybe!)

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AntaneReviewed Chapter: 25 on 8/5/2006
Darling, it's not your fault! Remember what Boromir told you after Gandalf fell - not to carry the weight of the dead? But what a way with words you have, to spill out your pain for us all to see. And that's what you have to do, spill it out, let it go, leave it behind you. And you are praying - the best thing for a broken heart. May it heal this new wound. May Iluvatar bless you. Namarie, Melinyel, Antane

Author Reply: Ahh...but those suffering grief and/or guilt don't always respond to logic, even when they admit it to be sound, do they? Yes, poets may have a certain advantage over other folks in being able to put their deepest feelings into words...although on the other hand, they tend to feel more deeply also...or so it seems! But yes, spilling it out surely helps, and praying also...and after that, well, we'll see!

hugs
Armariel
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