Frodo and Sam 💕💖💚💝 I would love for these types of relationships to make their way back into fiction please!! Adventure is nothing without your friends and companions.

Andy Serkis as the narrator makes this book bearable for me. Tolkien is the master of "tell, don't show". I love the story of Lord of the Rings so much, yet this book was a slog. I actually really enjoyed the first book in comparison because it felt like more happened in it. Or maybe the things that happened in the first book were just more interesting. If I didn't already know how this series ended, I would abandon it after reading The Two Towers. The filmmakers should be praised beyond measure for taking this book and turning it into such an interesting movie.

2.5 stars mostly because the writing is so unengaging. Plus, it's racist and sexist, as can be expected of its time. The rating would have been lower if not for Andy Serkis, he's that good of a narrator.

Amazingly written, and beautifully immersive. So much better than the first one, where I was constantly frustrated with Frodo. Finally everyone is using their braincells, and the story is moving faster. Love that this book gives more dimension to the 'side-characters' and shows us how every person has something to contribute.

Special shoutout to Sam, who is so gloriously in love, and is honestly one of the more intelligent characters in the story.

Hmm.. I'm conflicted about this one. 🤔 My overall reading experience was better for this than The Fellowship of the Ring (because I'm used to the writing style now), but I much preferred the storyline in Fellowship.

Most of this book felt like "wake up, walk, maybe fight, eat, sleep." While it didn't bother me in Fellowship, I think it bothered me in The Two Towers because it seemed like that was the whole plot of this book.

I liked the beginning of the book well enough, especially any chapter with Merry, Pippin, and/or the Ents. The middle of the book was a slog for me and part of the reason I ended up in a two-week reading slump. The end of the book was the best part, and where I think Tolkein's writing shined the most.

Cons: very slow pacing at times, often repetitive, sometimes the dialogue seemed info-dumpy, the historical references to Middle-Earth in this book were confusing, most of the villains from "the race of Men" were darker-skinned or "wild"... which I found odd and a litte off-putting.

Pros: impressive world building, many scenes that drag you into Middle-Earth with the characters, creation of tense and ominous moods, wonderful character work, beautifully written male friendships, Tolkein's sense of humor.