Pauline answers “I've never really watched the Lord of the...”

Jessi Johnson asked this question about The Hobbit, or There and Back Again:

I've never really watched the Lord of the Rings movies or read the books (not for lack of interest, just haven't gotten around to it). Would you suggest I read The Hobbit before LotR?

Pauline Yes, but be prepared for the difference in tone between the two books. The Hobbit is intended for a middle-grades audience. Though it is far more soph…moreYes, but be prepared for the difference in tone between the two books. The Hobbit is intended for a middle-grades audience. Though it is far more sophisticated in vocabulary, style, and theme than much current middle-grades fiction, it's written with a certain whimsy and lightness. The Lord of the Rings starts whimsical, but rapidly becomes a serious epic. That said, in some ways I love the Hobbit more. It's got a lot to say about greed, pride, snobbery, habit, and broadening one's view of the world. It's a gloriously written book that is a true children's book not because it excludes adult readers, but because nothing about it excludes children.(less)

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The Hobbit, or There and Back Again

by J.R.R. Tolkien

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