Review: "The Silmarillion"

So, after many years and three attempts, I finally managed to get through the Music of the Ainur and read the whole of Tolkien's epic piece.

First of all, I should say that my edition of the Silmarillion (and I don't know if this is true of everyone else's) contains "Ainulindalë", "Valaquenta", the "Quenta Silmarillion", "Akâlabeth" and "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", meaning that it is doesn't just contain the story of the Silmarils, but also of the origin of Arda (the world), the coming of the Valar and the Maiar to Arda (the gods), and what happened after the Silmarils where found to the Númenóreans and also a bit more background as to what happened to the rings of power (although not as much as I would have liked).

As much as I criticise and demonise Tolkien for his heavy writing style (his descriptions of mountains in "The Two Towers" are not something I'll ever get over), I have to admit two things: firstly, he is one of the few authors who has been able to pull off creating an entire world, and a believable one, and giving it an origin story that is almost big enough (I'll come back to this later). Secondly, his style, whilst sometimes too heavy for me, is in some ways the style of the Nordic sagas, of anglosaxon myths, of his field of study, and he pulls it off incredibly well.

Now, there are parts of the Silmarillion that I still have issues with: the chapter named "Of Beleriand and its Realms" bores the hell out of me (I like maps, but deailed descriptions of the lands and who reigns where bore me), and I don't like the fact that because it is an epic the personalities of many (all?) characters are completely glossed over. I don't like that I can't remember the names of so many of the characters. And I also don't like that there seem to be no firm rules regarding certain aspects of the world (e.g. apparently Ilúvatar made it possible for humans and elves to procreate but left no instructions as to what sort of creature the hybrids would be, which bothers me enormously, though I understand it's an extremely useful construct for Tolkien to be able to have both Elrond and Elros and the Númenóreans... Also: if you think about it, Aragorn and Arwen are pretty much cousins. Ew.).

As to what I did enjoy: it is pure epic. It lives up to expectations and it does tell me most of what I wanted to know. I loved reading the story of Beren and Lúthien, although I now want to read both the earliest versions and the "Lay of Leithian". I loved the Doom of the Noldor and all the stories that go with it, and I love that (for the most part) Tolkien is not afraid of the destinies he has set upon his characters.

More than anything, I love that for a book so long that covers so many stories and characters, which could feel fragmented, it doesn't. It feels like a cohesive work, and it has an appropriate ending, even if it is a sad one.

It does make me think of this idea that for stories to be good they need to be sad. I never agreed with this. However, I might agree that in order for a story to be an epic, to get to the stature of legend, the story must be tragic. And Tolkien knows tragic. The loss of the Trees of Valinor is possibly the saddest story I had read in a long time, and the tale of how the way to the West was closed (and how the world became round), and why humans fear death, were comforting in a strange way.

All in all, I loved the Silmarillion. It made me understand a lot that I didn't about Tolkien's world, but more than that: it made me understand Tolkien fanatics, because it kind of made me wish I could understand the Elven tongues so I could read more and see the beauty of them. It made me wish I could for once see a Silmaril and speak to the Númenóreans and live in Middle Earth. It was a fantastic read.

PS: to any Tolkien fanatics who read this, forgive me for any mistakes (spelling or otherwise) that I have committed, and I'm sorry I didn't go into more depth, but I felt I'd have to read the book again to make a proper in depth analysis. I might one day, just not now.