Common Sense Media Review
The exciting and bittersweet conclusion of Frodo's quest.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
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Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say this book serves as a powerful and emotional conclusion to an epic series, filled with action and character development, though it may contain elements that can be intense for younger readers. Many reviewers praise its bittersweet ending, the depth of its storytelling, and the poignant moments that inspire strong emotional reactions.
- bittersweet ending
- emotional impact
- action-packed
- character depth
- suitable for young readers
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
The quest to destroy the One Ring of Power before Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor, can conquer all of Middle Earth concludes in this third chapter of J. R. R. Tolkien's action-packed fantasy adventure. Four young, formerly sheltered heroes must dredge courage from deep within themselves to face the challenges before them as Middle Earth's peace-loving inhabitants seek to save their world.
Is It Any Good?
This concluding volume of Tolkien's three-book epic, The Lord of the Rings, maintains the dark desperation of its predecessor. Even amid all the celebration that occurs after the free peoples achieve their victory, sadness is there also, for good magic passes on with the vanquishing of sorcery, and the dominance of the human race begins.
But for all this gravity, the story is laced with humor and beauty, and although it is very much an adult tale, it appeals to younger readers. Tolkien's writing is dense and the writing style veers from heroic to homespun, but the plot unfolds with relentless vigor. He brilliantly describes Middle Earth -- reverently, in the case of magnificent structures and natural features, and with eloquent dread when he depicts the horror of Sauron's works.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Merry and Pippin. Who were they at the start of the series and who have they become?
The ending of this series is bittersweet. What is lost from the world of Middle Earth? Why do you think Gandalf now thinks it's time for him to visit Tom Bombadil and leave the Hobbits in charge of saving the Shire?
All seems lost to characters at many points in the quest. How do they find hope? What does Sam look at in Mordor to ground him again? How does Eowyn become hopeful again? Denethor completely loses hope -- what happens to him?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Children's Books
- Publication date : October 20, 1955
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 14
- Number of pages : 520
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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