The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
person omniscient, with very occasional use of
second-person and first-person narratives.)
Description:
“Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…
The prelude to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit has sold many millions of copies since its publication in 1937, establishing itself as one of the most beloved and influential books of the twentieth century.”
My review:
I am giving this book a rating of 5 out of 5.
** Please note: There are many, many different versions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings novels written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Since my husband gifted me a Lord of the Rings boxset of lovely paperback novels, I’ll include a link to the specific boxset he bought for me, which is available from Amazon.co.uk. **
Before I get into this review, I just want to make a note of the fact that The Hobbit is very much a story of its time. What I mean by this is that there are plenty of literary quirks throughout the book that many publishing companies, literary agents, and readers may dislike because the writing style doesn’t necessarily reflect the expectations of contemporary publishing or reading habits today. So, before embarking on the adventure of this story, I highly recommend keeping in mind that aspects including the lack of female characters, use of archaic language, and a seeming fascination with the mechanics of war are a reflection of the time during which this story was written/published (written during the early 1930s, published in the late 1930s), and should be enjoyed without the expectations you might have of a contemporary fantasy novel.
I’ve given The Hobbit a 5/5 rating because it has been so much fun to read and reminded me of stories I read as a child, such as the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis (although those books were published a couple of decades later, lots of the themes – and the style of writing – felt familiar).
The settings are beautifully described, with such gorgeous language that it’s impossible not to feel transported as you’re reading! The illustrations (which I believe were drawn by Tolkien himself) are lovely, too.
It’s obvious that Tolkien dedicated an incredible amount of time and effort into crafting colourful, otherworldly realms rich in detail, with a history offering that sort of fairytale glow we don’t often find in contemporary fantasy (likely because authors are now expected to adhere to strict criteria to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced world and profit-focused publishing companies catering to audiences who are short on time/have too many distractions to dedicate a lot of their time to reading).
In terms of character, it’s difficult not to like poor, old Bilbo Baggins, who ends up dragged along on a monumental adventure despite his reluctance to leave the comfort of his cosy home! But, I feel like Bilbo’s character arc offers a deeper insight into the impact of stepping out of your comfort zone in order to make the most out of life, as well as highlighting the importance of being brave in the face of trying times. Although he’s clearly a flawed character, and not a human, it’s easy for us – as readers – to feel a sense of connection to Bilbo’s plight, which makes it easy to root for him throughout the story.
I found the immersive storytelling style kept me invested and turning the page without feeling bored, which I think was helped by the instances of second person and first person narrative, which likely enhances the fairytale ‘feel’ of The Hobbit.
While The Hobbit is suggested as a suitable read for children and YA readers, I’d imagine a lot of the references would be lost on them without context. So, I’d suggest this book is actually more suited to confident YA readers and adults who enjoy reading fantasy novels instead.
Additionally, there’s a lot of violence throughout the story, which I don’t think would be suitable for a very young audience.
Read in: March 2026
Format: Paperback
I’m including the date and format in which I experienced this story for transparency, since whatever is going on in the world (and a reader’s private life) at the time of reading, along with a book’s reading format, can impact an individual’s enjoyment of a story.
Disclaimer: This book was gifted to me by a loved one, meaning they either purchased it in person (e.g. at a bookshop, supermarket, charity shop, etc.) or purchased it online. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by the author or publisher in any way. This book review does not contain affiliate links.