For someone not familiar with the writing of J.R.R. Tolkien, this
book would probably be of little interest. The Story of Kullervo, one of
Tolkien’s earliest works, is based on the Kalevala. Tolkien began
translating this Finnish mythology while at college and it nearly
consumed him. It has been said that this work laid the groundwork for
his own creation, the Silmarillion; this can be seen in the similarity
between the tragic heroes in both. If I had not read The Silmarillion
before this, I most likely would not have been interested in this. The
book includes essays by Tolkien presented to two different literary
societies in his college days. I found the book to be very interesting,
but it is difficult reading with all the additional notes and
glossaries. Any fan of Tolkien’s mythologies or his work on Beowulf
would enjoy this book.
[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Tolkien’s
Silmarillion or his translation of
Beowulf.]
[
Wikipedia page for The Story of Kullervo ] | [
www.tolkiensociety.org/ ]
Recommended by
Kim J. Bennett Martin Public Library
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