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Nerdanel's Story  by Istarnië 2 Review(s)
FrejaReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/18/2007
Another great chapter! Fëanor is a young man who is used to having his own way, but it's nice to see Nerdanel not bowing down to him, and also seeing behind his facade as to why he is behaving in such a manner.
I feel sorry for Gaerion - he seems such a kind one, even for the short introduction we get of him. Nerdanel's destiny was certainly not one such as he.
I also really like Mahtan's reluctance to let his daughter spend too much time in the company of this hot-tempered prince! Though, of course we all know he didn't have much succes keeping them apart..


Author Reply: Hello Freja, and thank you for reading and reviewing. :) I am so sorry I have not been around these last two weeks to reply to you; I hope to keep more up to date now. :) I do see Nerdanel getting worn down by her eventual inability to guide the one she loves on a wise and noble path..but as she seeks to 'understand minds, rather than to master them' ( Morgoth's Ring) ', I think she understands Fëanor better than any other Elda, and why he is as he is.
I am glad you liked Gaerion. I like him, as you can probably tell. He is in this, and other of my writings on occassion. He is a sort of 'what if Nerdanel had married a calm and friendly type' contrast to Fëanor, and has a story of his own to tell.

Mahtan (Urundil) is another, oft overlooked, character I like from The Silmarillion. As I see it, few save Fëanor could cross him. He would protect his daughter, and eventually his grandsons, as much as he could.

Thank you again Freja, and sorry that I waffle on so much. :)

FirimarReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/10/2007
Well done! This is one of the most personal and moving depictions of Fëanáro I have ever read. They (Fëanáro and Nerdanel) really come alive, and become people, not just stand-ins for bad decisions.

Please keep up the accounts of the "good years" they had together - accomplishments, good relationships with the Valar, children, etc. We know how it ends; you're adding a lot of how good it was for potentially centuries.

In all reality (*cough*) it couldn't have ended differently. If Finwë had not remarried, if Fëanáro had not taken the Oath, if he had not led the Noldor back to Middle Earth, Melkor would have overrun the gray elves forever, and the Secondborn would have been eternal slaves. But the eventual victory came at a huge price - not just the Teleri at the Kinslaying, and almost everyone in the First Age, but small, personal costs such as Nerdanel's.

Keep up the good work!

Author Reply: Hello Firimar! Sorry for my delay in replying to you, and many thanks for leaving such an encouraging review. :-)I certainly feel inspired to carry on editing and posting this tale.

'Nerdanel's Story' has two sections throughout - the looking back from the Seventh Age is meant to provide a way of talking about the bad times from a more enlightened, and less immediate perspective. It will develop into a story of its own, though. The main story recounts the (mostly) good times in Nerdanel and Fëanor's early life, including their relationships with their sons.

I totally agree with you that in all reality (*cough*), Middle Earth could only be comparitively free due to the great and small sacrifices of many. And if Fëanáro had *not* landed in the Firth of Drengist when he did, the Grey Elves would have been all but lost - Círdan driven by orcs to the rim of the sea, and Thingol contained in the 'safety' of the Girdle of Melian. (Both effectively prevented from giving any aid to the Secondborn. )Ironic - the kinslayer of the Teleri is also the unacknowledged hope-bringer to the Sindar and to Mortals.

I had better stop there, before I get carried away. ;-)

Again, very many thanks to you.

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