Parts We Skip and Why

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Oh, the poetry! I did read that quickly, only skimming it at first, when the story was new and suspenseful and I wanted to find out what happened next. Now I take the time to savour it, even read it aloud to enjoy the rhythm and melody of the words.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I agree, Esty. The poetry is great on a rainy day, but when the adrenaline is rushing, it's hard to slow down for that sort of thing. I truly do love it, but where I can quote by memory certain passages... I'm generally in trouble if somebody asks me to speak one of Tolkien's poems. With the exception of a few... I just find it hard, what with my afore-mentioned attention span difficulties, to practically stop myself mid-story to read a poem that may or may not have anything whatever to do with the plot line. Bad me... yes, I know.

Fea

[Carnimírië]

The first time I read LOTR the poems were a little distracting, especially the long ones like "Earendil was a mariner." I didn't find anything off-putting about Bombadil, I just couldn't figure him out; in fact I wondered if he was good or evil I find that every time I reread the book I appreciate the parts that I had previously found slow or tedious, like Book IV and the poetry.

Originally Posted by Boromir88:
A chapter a lot of people skip, and I simply just don't understand why, is the Council of Elrond.

Could be because the Council of Elrond is just people talking to each other, it's not happening in "real time." I find it very interesting, but it's a lot of exposition to swallow at one time.

Perhaps we should have a thread about parts we race through because we can't help it. I've never managed to read Book VI over more than two days.