24. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien and fantasy novels for readers who love strong characters and complex worlds

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Fellowship of the Ring</span></em> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">by J.R.R. Tolkien. We’re not shy about sharing our lack of experience with the fantasy genre. It’s not the go-to genre for either of us, but we love to branch out and try new literary things. This book delighted us in some surprising ways and helped us figure out what exactly we love—or could do without—in fantasy novels. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our discussion includes:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What surprised Sara about reading this book, what she loved and what she didn’t [14:03]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Fantasy elements we love and gravitate towards [20:45]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Gender roles and stereotypes in LOTR and high fantasy in general [24:54]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A few favorite moments that warmed our hearts and pleased our literary minds [30:00]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Connecting to LOTR in the middle of a global pandemic [35:28]</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic,  including a fast-paced fantasy set in NYC and a beautiful book for map-lovers.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We avoided major spoilers in this episode, so feel free to listen before or after reading in order to enhance your reading experience. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Books Mentioned:</span></em></p> <p><a href= "https://bookshop.org/a/1300/9780765376466"><em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">A Darker Shade of Magic</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">by V.E. Schwab</span></p> <p><a href= "h