Comings and Returns of the Hobbit by Vivien Lejeune (Third Editions) (Books / Comics) – MaXoE BULLES

Here we are back with the latest book by Vivien Lejeune which was the keynote of the last MaXoE Festival (as you can see here). He comes back to us with a little character in his pocket: Bilbo!

Comings and Returns of the Hobbit – From Words to Images

Vivien Lejeune loves Tolkien's universe, it no longer needs to be proven. I also spoke to you about his book on Lord of the Rings here. I'm going to kill the suspense right away, I loved this book. Once again Vivien Lejeune carries us away with her words. He documents his point with the precision of a goldsmith and he approaches the subject with incredible openness, not just scratching the surface, no he goes well beyond the surface, which makes any fan of the saga, however sharp it may be, will discover treasures of information in these pages.

The work is presented in 2 parts. The first focuses on the words of the master: JRR Tolkien. We read these lines with avidity, it allows us to better understand the genesis of the Hobbit but also the entire historical and social context of its creation. There are always new things to discover in these pages. So I really liked the passage which tells us about Tolkien's relationship with the authors of his time and their works. What can we also say about the pages which tell us our author's thoughts concerning the Second World War: simply fascinating.

The second part looks at the adaptation proposed by Peter Jackson for the cinema. He explains to us, with his usual talent, how the director went about making three feature films from material that was quite summary, ultimately, a single paper work. I, once again, loved these lines. We learn a lot about Peter Jackson's creative will, which is always done with total respect for Tolkien's universe. Thus, he looks for the slightest clue allowing him to integrate this or that character into his films even though they are not present in the book. Vivien Lejeune tells us, for example, about Tauriel, created from scratch by the director, and the addition of Legolas. Fans may have been shocked at the time but by reading these lines we understand Jackson's approach much better. It's exciting. Really. We end with a chapter on the film's music, mainly created by Howard Shore. Once again, there are a host of details that will captivate you.

As usual, we can only salute the author's work. Vivien Lejeune is a goldsmith, he will look for the smallest detail to surprise us again. Even if you think you are an expert in Tolkien's world, you will learn things, and that's magical! And then there's the style, it's well written, it's fluid, it reads like a novel. THANKS !

Vivien Lejeune – August 2024 – Third Editions – 208 pages – 24,90 €