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A Small and Passing Thing  by Lindelea 4 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 8 on 4/21/2023
Wise Hobbits on all sides, it would appear.

AntaneReviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/12/2009
Ah, well, he’d faced Shelob. Surely Lobelia could be no worse.

:) Kinda put things in perspective, huh? That was a lovely thing Lobelia did.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)


Author Reply: I think Lobelia's good came out at last, and I'm only following JRRT's hints in "The Grey Havens"...

You're right, it was a lovely thing.

MirielReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/5/2003
Poor Freddy-I hope that he can recover from those awful ruffians, and that he will realize that he is safe.

I enjoyed MErry's shock at lobielias kindness. Very good.

Author Reply: Hi, Miriel! Como estas tu? Keeping busy these days? I was just editing this chapter and saw your review from last month. Sorry about the (un)timeliness of this reply!

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/4/2003
Poor Freddy! He certainly is in a bad way. His thoughts remind me of Merry's, "Are you going to bury me?" after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There's no black breath for Freddy to fight, but in a different way the voice of Saruman is just as poisonous. Perhaps this is an example of the infection Merry hopes to burn out of the Hobbit's memories. Hunger is awakened, but fear prevents Freddy for asking for more. Death will be a release, though he will try to be brave. Frodo is in a position to understand a little of what is going through Freddy's mind - but even he doesn't realize the whole of it. Saruman's voice has gotten deep in Freddy's mind, and I wonder what it will take to exorcise it for good.

The scene where Frodo becomes Deputy Mayor is pure fun. Sometime's Merry is like a sharp pointed stick poking at his cousin. Merry's had years to refine the art of pulling Frodo out of himself, just as Frodo's perfected his role of softening Merry's sharp edges (and pulling Pippin down off the ceiling).

Then, Lobelia. Grief is a funny thing. She's heartbroken over the death of her son. Does she now see the long, twisted path that lead to his death, and her own part in opening Lotho to arrogance and greed? I don't think she's just acting out of a rigid interior view of 'the way things ought to be done.' Frodo's reluctance to open the note, in case it might burst into flames in his hands, is quite amusing. I like, "Ah, well, he’d faced Shelob. Surely Lobelia could be no worse." The troubles have changed a few for the better, like Lobelia and Fatty's father, and even Farmer Cotton. A few will be heavily scarred by the experience, like Frodo himself, Lobelia I think, and possibly Fatty.

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