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A Small and Passing Thing  by Lindelea 2 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 27 on 4/22/2023
Well, they were right when they thought Estella's return would help hearten her brother. And Sam has proved as insightful as ever in reasoning out the dark memories for both Freddy and 4rodo. Bless the gardener!

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 27 on 10/13/2003
I like the new material, here and earlier. I think it does a good job of blending what Freddy sees in the waking world with what he percieves as the true reality, the lockholes and the Wizard's voice. It also sets up Estella's return from his point of view, and makes even more poignant Frodo's line later in the chapter that Freddy is much improved, since it's clear he's not. By the way, you need to change the chapter numbers in the first lines of the now Chapters 28 and 29, as they still say 27 and 28. I have tried to figure out what you changed in the new chapter 29, but I can't quite come up with it. Did you change what Sam says when he reopens the book? Also, I wonder about the line where Sam quotes Frodo, "There is evil in the world, Samwise. Hobbits must be warned, without becoming so intimately acquainted with it that they take it for granted." Take what for granted - Evil? That doesn't make much sense to me. Take the Shire for granted? I think Frodo said something like that when discussing his book, but that doesn't address the theme of taint. I think what you mean is something like, "Hobbits must know of it, so that they recognize and can stand firm against it, but they must not know it intimately lest it find purchase in their hearts." and if it is what you meant, I'm not sure the line says that. Unless you are saying something else and I'm missing it. Not beyond the realm of possibility at all.

Author Reply: Taking evil for granted... I suppose I was thinking of the teens I'd seen in theatres, watching "body-count" movies, before I decided to eschew these... blank eyes and slack jaws, evidently not disturbed by what was being done to people. Even make believe evil is evil, if it makes us callous towards suffering.

I do like your suggestion, and will swoop down like an eagle and grab it up and drop it into the proper place, if you don't mind. "find purchase", a lovely turn of phrase.

Author Reply: P.S. about the changes in the "Pause" chapter, I decided to add Rosie-lass and her family to the reading time. They're making a short visit from Greenholm, having heard that Sam has been staying at Undertowers instead of going back to Bag End right away (which is what they assume he'll do; I get the impression that Elanor was the only one he told he was going away, and that as he departed.) My brain put her in by accident, and I decided to add enough details to explain her presence.

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