#BookReview–> The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Title and Author: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Published in: 1937
• Language: English
• Age Level: 12 and above
• Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Classic, Children & Young Adult

My Review:
An epic introduction to the world of hobbits, elves, orcs, dwarves and other mystical beings, The Hobbit tells the story of a young hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Satisfied with his life in the beautiful and quiet countryside of the Shire, Bilbo is happy living in his home which is a hole in the ground.

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

But his quiet and peaceful world is disturbed with the arrival of the wizard, Gandalf The Grey and the troop of thirteen dwarves who are all on the quest to get back something that was stolen from them years ago by the dragon, Smaug. Smaug now lies asleep on his treasure-hoard and Bilbo is required as a burglar on this quest. 

Will Bilbo agree to this dangerous adventure and forgo his quiet life in Shire forever?

An epic story of a reluctant hero in a fantasy world which won millions of hearts and continues to rule them even today! First published in 1937, this book was an instant hit. Now acknowledged as a timeless classic, this book has never gone out of print and has been successfully adapted into an award winning motion picture.

While reading this book, I got curious to know if Tolkien had ever thought his book would get so much popularity that it would make him one of the top authors of all times! No one knows, but I often think about what goes through an author’s mind when he writes a story. Is he ever confident of his success? How do you decide if your plot is good enough to get acclaim and be written into a book?

Anyhow, questions aside, I loved every second spent reading this masterpiece. If you think the movies are better then you definitely need to read the book to know the ‘better’. 😉

The story is written in a narrative style in the third person. The writing style is simple yet elegant and the author has full control on his expressions. He gives many memorable quotes and morals all through his creativity.

1) “Where there’s life there’s hope.” 


2) “There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.” 

The plot is ingenious and Tolkien has done his homework well which shows in his flawless handling of characters and events. The fantasy world he creates is poles apart from the real world, with unconventional creatures, places and history but still it grows on you and you find yourself understanding and believing in each and everything he tells you! 🙂

The characters are brilliantly built and developed. Creatures from Orcs to dragons to fairies to wizards everything is here and vividly sketched to make it all feel so real and simple. The reader is pulled in all the drama and action. The author is able to switch between the past and the present with ease and with no adverse effect on the flow of the story.

A story that will hook you and keep you glued to your seat and for giving us an epic adventure full of action and drama, I give The Hobbit a full 5 out of 5. Go and read it if you haven’t already and if you have read it once then go and revisit the great adventures of Bilbo Baggins because such books come once in a lifetime. 🙂

Buy From:
Amazon.com: Paperback (illustrated) | Paperback | Kindle Edition
Amazon.in: Paperback | Kindle Edition
Snapdeal: Paperback
Flipkart.com: Paperback | eBook