The Hobbit - December 2016 BOTM

[Jade]

Our BOTM for December is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Discuss as you read, but please use spoiler Tags as needed, as everyone may start at different times and reads at different speeds. (Check out the 'some html is ok' box above the post box for spoiler tags.)

[Melanie (TBR and Beyond)]

Sweet, this is what I voted! Haven't read this in forever, but I just picked up a copy this month at a thrift store, so I'm excited that this was picked.

[Elsa]

I haven't read this one since middle school. Been wanting to re-read this. I know I probably don't remember most of the story so this is going to be great.

[Dana]

Awesome! I think I will be joining this BOTM

[Kikijanika]

I'll join in this. It's been standing on my shelf since last Christmas so now's a good time to read it :)

[Sara]

I have read it last year
I hope all like it. Is a great book! So full of emotions.

[Brooke]

I read this in middle school and enjoyed it but don't have an interest in reading it again. But I hope everyone enjoys it!

[Jess]

Excited! This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite some time, unread. Looking forward to reading it!

[Elsa]

I'm trying to finish as soon as I do I will start on .
Anyone else have a date on when they will start reading it?

[Kikijanika]

I've planned on starting Dec 15th :)

[Elsa]

Great! I will start then as well!

[Kikijanika]

Sounds great Elsa :)

[Elsa]

Kikijanika, are you almost ready?
One more day.
I've been cheating tho....
I started but I'm still here with you. lol

[Kikijanika]

Yeah! I wish to finish one other book today and then I'll start this one :) I'm excited to finally read this!

[Kikijanika]

I'm about to start just now! Yay :)

[Elsa]

Great!

[Elsa]

How far have you gotten?
and what do you think?
I've noticed that there are already quite a few things that were left off in the movie. But I am enjoying the story way more than when I was made to read it in middle school.

[Kikijanika]

I'm about to start chapter 7. I have seen only the first movie of the three and don't remember much of it so I can't really compare the book with it. But it's been a while since I read The lord of the rings trilogy so it's nice to be back in this world!

I've enjoyed the story so far. I think compared (view spoiler)[ to The lord of the rings it's more action packed. This book, too, has parts where the characters only travel but perhaps a little less than in those other books. Not that I ever found the trilogy boring, though. (hide spoiler)]

It's interesting to actually read (view spoiler)[ the story of how Bilbo got his hands on the ring. I wonder if Gollum will still appear later in the story. Also it's nice to read the other events that The lord of the rings refers to, like Bilbo's visit in Rivendel. (hide spoiler)]

I'm excited to keep reading but I'm terrified of (view spoiler)[ reading the chapter about spiders. I'm not sure I can do it because I'm terrified of spiders but I'll do my best. If it's too scary then I'll just skip that chapter :D (hide spoiler)]

[Elsa]

I also dislike spiders and there sticky web, yuck! But The spider chapter it's that bad in regards to the spiders, the focus it's on the eight legged creepers but on bilbo and the boys. In fact there are some humorous section thrown in and it's a pretty good chapter.

[Kikijanika]

Phuh...I made it through the spider chapter. Surprisingly, it wasn't so bad but at least I know I'll never watch the movie! :D Now on with the story...

[Kikijanika]

I finished. This was a good story. Like I said earlier it was nice to be back in this world after such a long time had passed since I read The lord of the rings trilogy.

I somehow always thought that (view spoiler)[ Bilbo getting the ring would be "the thing" in this story but it was really just a sideline. But that didn't make the story any less interesting. It was nice to read about thins that The lord of the rings only refers to. And this book worked fine as a standalone... well I guess it has to since it was written before the trilogy...but still I want to say that this was a good standalone story. It had a good beginning that grabbed the reader's attention, enough things happening on the way, a clear climax and a satisfying ending. Character development was also great, especially Bilbo changed a lot along the way. (hide spoiler)]

I always liked (view spoiler)[ Gandalf as a character so I'm happy he was in this book. The dwarves were nice characters, too, but Thorin's stubbornness was quite irritating in the end. He should have just split the treasure. (hide spoiler)]

I thought all the time that (view spoiler)[ Bilbo would be the one to kill Smaug. It was a nice surprise it wasn't him after all. (hide spoiler)]

What I don't understand is (view spoiler)[ why the ring didn't have any effect on Bilbo. I mean the way it had on Frodo and Gollum. (hide spoiler)]

Still one thing...(view spoiler)[the spiders could have been left out! :D (hide spoiler)]

[Elsa]

LOL
You might want to skip Harry Potters book that has the spiders then. That there is skin tingling!

I'll finish either tonight or tomorrow. Either way I am really enjoying it more than when I was first made to read it. I hated it then probably because I was forced to read it and had no choice in the matter. Really glad this group decided to read and oldie.

[Kikijanika]

Yeah! I needed to watch that Harry Potter movie at work and it gave me nightmares for the rest of my life!!!!

It's true that many good books just are not good if you're forced to read them. It's weird how that really affects the reading experience. I'm glad you like it more now. I was actually quite surprised this book got chosen and, like you, I'm happy it did!