The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien
Series: The Lord of the Rings Book 2
Genre: Fantasy

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As this novel was the second installment in a trilogy, I had low expectations. It isn't often that the sequel lives up to the standards of the original novel. Not only that, the movie adaption of this novel was the worst of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, in my opinion. However, I enjoyed this novel far more than it's precursor, The Fellowship of the Ring.

In contrast to the first novel, The Two Towers was fast-paced and action packed. There were no lulls in the story and I found I was actually able to lose myself in the pages. I loved getting insight into the characters that I had grown up loving from their cinematic portrayal. It was nice to get a fresh perspective on the hobbits, who were portrayed as young and foolish in the movies. The characters were dynamic, as shown through their thought processes and storytelling. It felt as if I was sharing their experiences because of the attention to detail that Tolkien has.

It was discerning to find out that Eowyn, basically the only strong female character in the entire series (besides Arwen, of course), was given no more than two pages and barely any mentions, while other irrelevant characters were given more 'pagetime'. Tolkien did explore the role of Grima Wormtongue and the fall of Saruman further, while the movies just barely touched on the surface. And this book has helped me to fall in love with the Ents! They are not simply lethargic trees who wish to remain unmoving in their spots while the world dissolves around them–they initiate conflict and provide help where it is needed. It was refreshing to see this side of them when the movie did such a poor job portraying the Ents.

The Fellowship of the Ring bored me so much that it took me a year and a half to continue the series–but I am so glad that I did. This novel surpassed my expectations and left me excited to finish the series, unlike the books that came before it.

If you ever find yourself contemplating reading this series, I would definitely recommend it. Push yourself through the first book, because the rest of The Lord of the Rings books are worth it. Trust me.

4 stars.