Novel Notions

The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of Tolkien’s best works. Maybe even the best. I never expected Tolkien to write a story as dark and tragic as the one portrayed in The Children of Hurin.

First, a full disclosure that might anger Tolkien fanatics. During the time of writing this review, despite the fact that I’ve watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy more than ten times, I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t able to finish reading The Fellowship of the Rings because I was extremely bored with it. It’s most likely because the movie has tainted me with its fast pacing; I have no idea why but the book was so boring that it drowsed me to sleep several times, not even halfway. I blame Tom Bombadil, really. I also failed to finish The Silmarillion. Twice I almost made it halfway—the first time was more than ten years ago, the second time was just a few days ago—through the book, and twice I gave up.

For the past few years, I have asked some fans of Tolkien whether it’s necessary to read (not watch) the main trilogy and The Silmarillion first or not before attempting the three Great Tales of Middle-Earth. Some answered as long that I’ve watched the movies and I have the basic knowledge from the first half of The Silmarillion or thorough Wikipedia research (which I did on both accounts), they should be enough. Some even said it’s better to not read The Silmarillion first to get the maximum surprise experience of going into the story as blind as possible. Of course, some weren’t keen—some even felt offended, only Morgoth knows why—on the idea that I’m reading The Silmarillion, or attempted this, without actually reading The Lord of the Rings first. Well, guess what? I’m going to offend them more. I finished The Children of Hurin without reading The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, and I totally loved it.

I should note, though, that I’ve now finished reading The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, and I enjoyed them both, but this review is written with the knowledge and experience when I haven’t read the two.

Picture: The Land of Bow and Helm by Alan Lee

With that knowledge in mind, until I do a reread, this review will be shorter and less detailed than my usual reviews; a lot of readers have done a better job than me in explaining the importance of The Children of Hurin and its connections to the larger story of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. The Children of Hurin is one of the three Great Tales of Middle-Earth written by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by Christopher Tolkien, the son of Tolkien. The Children of Hurin is a relatively short book. Excluding the preface, appendices, and glossary, the main story is only 200 pages long; what’s incredible and interesting, though, is how much depth, impact, and emotions are contained in it. Most of the storyline revolves around the curse bestowed upon the children of Hurin, specifically on the story of Turin Turambar that begins from his childhood.

“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.”

As I said, I knew close to nothing when I first read this book, and I think it’s the best way to enjoy it. All I did know was that the story was dark, but I never knew how tragic and brutal it gets. Although the beginning felt a bit rough, I still think the prose was able to grab my attention so much more than The Silmarillion did. Don’t get me wrong, the writing style does feel similar, but The Silmarillion felt too much like reading a bible. In my opinion, The Children of Hurin is more approachable, and I found the second half of the book to be full of engaging drama, an intensely gripping narrative, heartbreaking twists and turns, and it’s utterly unputdownable. Also, TúrinTurambar is one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve ever read.

“False hopes are more dangerous than fears.”

Lastly, I want to praise Alan Lee’s illustrations. The narrative itself already offered a mythical and distinct atmospheric experience, and Lee’s illustrations enhanced the immersion even further. They’re beautifully drawn, placed at the right moments, and it felt easy for me to feel like I was inside a dark tale of Middle-Earth when I was reading through this book.

Picture: Glaurung by Alan Lee

I have no idea whether finishing the ‘required’ reading would enhance or diminish my reading experience. But as far as my first reading goes, knowing nothing about the content has greatly worked in my favor. And I will have to say that I absolutely loved this book. The Children of Hurin is a superbly written tale. A fantastic, mythical, powerful, and atmospheric reading experience. For me, The Children of Hurin is one of Tolkien’s best books, and it’s certainly one of my favorite books now. I look forward to rereading it one day.

You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)

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