I Finished Lord of the Rings!

Not like it matters to anyone, but I'm exited! I loved it all the way through, and by the end I almost felt like I was about to cry, though in honesty maybe it was because of the fact that I had gum stuck in my braces again. No, I'm pretty sure it was the book. ;D

"Sniffle! This ending is so happy and sad that I'm melting down!!"

Anyway, I did have a few issues. Just because I like to spoil the fun. Sometimes the prose felt like it was taking itself a bit too seriously (And the star of Third-Hamenhanger-Dingen-Darin hung about Aragorn's manly breast as he slay his enemies in various gruesome ways...), but seeing as that's an issue in most books (Except for The Hunger Games, which actually doesn't seem to care that much about it's own plot) I don't really hold that against it. I also thought Arwen was bland, but maybe that's because the movie had me thinking she would be a bit more interesting and have a personality beyond being pretty and looking like Luthien. And I still want to know how they told Faramir that his dad went crazy and burnt himself to death. But that would be awkward, so that's probably why we never find out. :)

Now, on with the fangirly rambling that the world hasn't seen since I finished A Tale of Two Cities.

ASDFGHJKWEAIHEBLCKAJSHPUFHAKJBDVIAUEY;OAIWHEFUSAH;FKH;ASDALSKDJF
L;KFKSAMISWONDERFULANDGANDALFISAWESOMEANDIFEELSOSADFORSMEAGOL!!

Ahem, what was that? Let's hope that never happens again!
Well, despite the fact that this book is most certainly NOT an allegory, I actually did notice some of the not-quite-allegorical bits that people are always saying are there. Like the bottled star that Galadriel gave Frodo and Sam reminded me of The Rosary. They used it in dark places and it chased the darkness away and gave them hope. The Lembas bread is said to nourish the spirit and give strength to the will, and that made me think of the Holy Eucharist. Especially the bit about how when you relied less and less on mortal food and more on Lembas, the more of an effect the Lembas has on you.

My favorite characters were Sam, Gandalf, Sam, Faramir, Eowyn, and Sam. I mean, Sam Gamgee is just so completely awesome! He resisted the Ring's temptation, he fought his way up a tower and when hope seemed lost he sang, he carried Frodo up Mount Doom, he helped to clear all those nasty men from the Shire, and in the end he got to marry his sweetheart and have kids! Sam is just as cool as Aragorn, and certainly one of the best characters in the book. Um... in my opinion.
And I felt so sorry for Sméagol. Really, the whole Sméagol/Gollum thing really broke my heart.

Ahem, again. Faramir and Eowyn's little romance was one of the least mushy love stories ever, and I totally squealed in delight when they kissed (in sight of everyone!). Despite the fact that I had read that part many times when I was 13 and had a huge crush on Faramir. Was that out loud? ;)

The Verdict: A+
Because yes, this kind of was I review I suppose. A really ranty one, with lots of capital letters.
Well, I totally understand why these books are so popular, and I'm so glad I read them! When I have time I'm going to read the Luthien bit in the Silmarilion, and the Appendices. Yay, I feel literate now!