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| Handmaiden of Lorien by Marnie | 19 Review(s) |
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| Jillian | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| A very interesting tale. Of course Melian couldn't rule elves, she understood and loved one, but that's very different from being able to rule a land full of them. Had Beren and Luthien been present in Doriath at the time of Thingol's death, they might have convinced her to stay, and they would rule with Melian holding the girdle in place as always. I did wonder why she fled and didn't stay to protect her husband's people but again you have explained that so well, she was paralyzed with grief, the kind of grief Maia were not made to deal with. So, she fled, to the only place she believed she could find comfort in, Valinor. Really enjoyed this, thanks for posting the link. Author Reply: Had Beren and Luthien been present in Doriath at the time of Thingol's death, they might have convinced her to stay, and they would rule with Melian holding the girdle in place as always. Ooh, now that's an interesting idea for an AU, particularly if she managed to bring herself through Luthien's death and stay for Dior's sake. But then Beren and Luthien don't exactly fill me with confidence as rulers of a realm. Great heroes, yes, responsible King and Queen? Not really. Fascinating idea, thanks! | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| You know, there is a bonus to arriving habitually late to an update. Others always say in their reviews what I would like to say as well - and so much better! There is little left to say except... ... for me, along with all this wonderful writing, the outstanding passage in this outstanding vignette was Melian's realization of Elu as a Child of Iluvatar. "Yearning to learn from the corners of our Maker's thoughts that we had never touched." Melian is no different from Ulmo and Osse, who also treasured Elu's kind more than other Ainur. But, you help us to see her story as a smaller, personal and intimately understandable, rendition of this fascination. And now here follows Mankind. Also weaker and more frail, stepping beyond into precints unknowable except to the One. Luthien's destiny is to love in much the same fashion as her mother. Fortunately, she was born a princess. This story was lovely and sympathetic to *all* who dare to love without reserve. Sadly, some pay a price. You are a master writer of passion in all its colors and forms. Author Reply: Hello! I keep meaning to write to you and not getting round to it. Sorry! Glad you liked this :) Yes, I think the tendency is for people to go 'she's a *Maia* wow! How cool is that!' Yet from the POV of the Maiar 'he's a Child of Iluvatar, wow! How cool is that!' is probably an equally valid response - they're both equally expressions of the mind of God. I suppose Mankind is too, but I've never been that interested in mankind :) I'm more like Melian in that; I love the lure of the Other. But did Luthien love in the same fashion as her mother, or as her father? I wonder if Elu was so set against Luthien marrying out of her species because he'd already begun to see that it might not be that good a thing? Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. I've been trying to break out of my writer's block by doing some short things featuring different characters. It seems to be working so far. | |
| LOTR lover | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| I was always disappointed in Melian for abandoning Doriath after Elu was killed, but this story definitely makes me understand her a bit better. And her feelings of guilt have tortured her for all these years! What *will* Elu say when he leaves Mandos? What do the elves of Doriath who are already reembodied have to say? Author Reply: I've always found Melian very unsatisfactory as a character - I mean, she's so powerful and wise, yet she seems so ineffectual. So I reckoned I must be missing something somewhere. This was my attempt to take a different look at her which might actually work. As to what Elu will say, I guess he'll probably start out by shouting and saying horrible things, then he'll go away, calm down, come back and say 'sorry, love, I shouldn't have got myself killed,' and all will be well :) Thanks for the review! | |
| Arquen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| Wow, this is breathaking! I am such a fan of your work. This is the first fanfiction story I've had the chance to read in months, and I'm so glad I did. Thank you for writing this. :) Arquen Author Reply: *g* Thank *you* :) I'm glad you enjoyed it. | |
| Lackwit | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| Marnie, A lovely interpretation of why Melian so readily abandoned the Elves of Doriath to a horrible fate after so many years as their queen. Definitely makes her a more sympathetic, and pathetic, creature. Author Reply: Thanks, Lackwit :) It was the only way I could get my head around why she left them in their hour of need. It does make her a bit weaker, but at least this way it seems to make a bit of sense. Glad you thought so too! Thanks. | |
| Bejai | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| Oh, wow Marnie! What a treat! And unexpected. I've never quite been able to get my mind around Melian. She has this massive power, but can't get through to Elu on some important subjects, and just leaves when he dies. This certainly helps me understand. Power and leadership don't necessarily go hand in hand. Hmm. Must think on it more. Loved your description of Elu Thingol. "How odd, I thought, that so fragile a being should have so high an opinion of himself." And this: "he was not wrong to think we made the world for his sake." I just swoon at the breathtaking ideas that fall from your pen, wrapped in such glorious prose. And this: "Will he forgive me for loving him, now that he knows I was never meant to be a Queen?" I've always been a bit angry at Melian. And now I'm still angry at her, but feel for her as well. Thanks for this, Marnie. I really enjoyed it. Author Reply: So I reckoned we must be missing something, and it occurred to me that she might be powerful, but she's still always had someone to tell her what to do and decide things for her. She might not *think of herself* as powerful - and that makes a difference. It also has the advantage of making her a very different character indeed from Galadriel. I almost begin to think she's interesting, infact :) Though still feckless. I'm really glad you approve - it was a bit of a departure! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| I love picturing Melian as dumbstruck - and she's right really. She's an oily rag in goddess terms - and I can't really picture Manwe handing out much training-in-nation-leading to minor Maiar. And it's all relative. Singing nightingales into existence is probably as easy to her as making a cup of tea. Easier probably - she doesn't have to boil the water. Being a queen consort has never really packed much of a punch in political terms - so she was fine as long as she had Elu to understand his people. And then - bam, she's left - and half of those around her are doubtless demanding decisive action. The thought of Sonia Gandhi passes through my brain. An foreigner married to the ruling house who is then supposed to take charge of a vast and complex nation. And then she spends however many ages feeling guilty for reacting in panic to a situation she could never have imagined. Author Reply: it's all relative That's the thing that finally let me get to grips with Melian as a character. I mean she's set up as this amazingly wise Queen and demi-goddess, but she selfishly hides Elu away under an enchantment for centuries, making his people miss the boat, then she fails to intervene with him over the Beren thing, and she runs away as soon as he's gone. It didn't seem to work. But when you remember that in Valinor she was surrounded by Valar and created to be a servant it somehow seems a bit more understandable. She was OK while someone else was in charge. And after all, even the Valar themselves make mistakes - no one's perfect. Love the Sonia Gandhi comparison, that's just right. I still find it reprehensible, but at least this way round it's understandable :) Thanks for the review! | |
| Mirien | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| Ah, you know how I feel about Melian, but I almost felt sorry for her here. Your writing staggers me, always has. Elu is beautiful in this, all we both see and more, and it is easy to see how Melian, Maia or no, was as enchanted by him as he was by her. This was a treat, where I had not expected to find one, and I have an answer for her question at the end, but she'll just have to find out for herself! Mirien Author Reply: Thanks for the review! Yes, when I can get away from thinking of her as perfect she becomes much more sympathetic. And we get so used to thinking that elves and Men are ordinary and the Maia are awesome, but to the Maia the Eruhini are every bit as awesome as they are. They had no part in making them, so they're altogether strange and wonderful to them. I don't think that gets emphasised enough under everyone's obsession with who's more powerful than whom. Gah, now you've got me on tenterhooks! I want to find out what the answer is too :) Are we going to have that scene - in flashback or something? That would be ace. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2005 |
| Interesting. What to the Elves seems to be unfathomable wisdom, to a Maia is just ordinary wiftiness. Makes you wonder if Elu ever quite realized this about his wife. It sounds like there will be a serious re-adjustment of perspective in post-Mandos Valinor. Something about the phrasing of the beginning made me think that Elu was about to marry one of the ice-skating fairies from the "Nutcracker" segment of Fantasia. Which is kind of a charming image. It's easy to see how something like that could enchant an Elf for bazillions of years. (Though personally, I'd prefer one of the thistles that danced the Trepak, but that's just me.) Author Reply: Wiftiness? What's wiftiness, precious :) But yes, I was trying to understand Melian who with all her power seems surprisingly ineffectual, and it occurred to me that she's just not a person who thinks of herself as being in charge of anything. LOL about the Fantasia thing. You're right, that's uncomfortably close. Well, at least I can claim that actually Fantasia was a debased memory of the real thing, in the same way that Rapunzel was a folk memory of Luthien's escape from the Hirilorn. Thanks for the review! | |