Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1937

i went to reread the Hobbit last year and decided against it within 5 pages.

I intensely dislike Tolkien and all he inspired to the point of complete indifference, and I get a lot of people feel different about it. Having said that TEN votes is still more than I expected. Onwards and upwards imo.

I dislike high fantasy that has different "races" of human-like beings inspired by racial or cultural stereotypes. I don't think designing the world before designing the story is a particularly good idea either. But I have never finished one of Tolkien's books so take that with a grain of salt.

You could probably come up with problematic aspects for all sorts of books that have won this! Also note UK ilxor allergy to National Culture has a cut-off date - not like there's any screeds on here against Ealing studios or Enid Blyton.

I was indoctrinated into fantasy nerdom at an impressionable age and so love Tolkien unreservedly, though I can totally understand why others wouldn't. But The Hobbit is just a nice warm children's book, mostly unconnected to any high fantasy world building. The movies tried to make it fit that mold and that's part of why they're an absolutely rotten experience.

People surprised by this result should steel themselves for the moment the Moomins start showing up here imo.

UK ilxor allergy to National Culture has a cut-off date

Ah that's a good point, which hadn't occurred to me.

wd have voted for journey by moonlight. love that book.

Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1938

not like there's any screeds on here against Ealing studios or Enid Blyton.

Enid Blyton was a fucking racist iirc

Look away if worried about spoilers:
Happy Ending of T's saga (incl. The Hobbit as seemingly lighter-weight genesis seed etc.) is actually so tragironic---Anti-Quest and sacrifice of magic is nec. to deliver from evil, but Middle Earth will become Western Europe, and the King is White Male Saviour, dominant species at last, and we all know how that's gone, and author, between the World War he barely survived, like some of his patched-up characters, and another WW just ahead, provides the one of this clearly enough that tragirony extends to and through order of race, species etc.. not to say it nec. absolves him from all other judgments/readings)(but that was my take on it when reading several years ago)

*Savior*, sorry.

Provides the "tone* of this clearly enough

The Blind Owl is really something out of time, as is Journey by Moonlight. We should leave the Tolkien to ILE lol.