A review by whataliciaisreading
Tolkien On Fairy-stories by J.R.R. Tolkien

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

'Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of men – and of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.’

Tolkien’s ‘On Fairy-stories’, a lectured delivered in St. Andrews in 1939, is the definitive defense of the fantasy genre as a higher form of Art, 'a natural human activity' that is worthy of adults and children alike. If you love fantasy, or want to understand Tolkien’s mind a little more, this one is for you - although, it might be a challenging read if you’re unused to reading literary criticism. 

I loved seeing how the concepts laid out by Tolkien in this lecture informed his approach to writing the Hobbit’s sequel (this lecture was delivered in the same year he began work on the Lord of the Rings), and the editorial commentary did a wonderful job of pointing out those moments where Tolkien’s ideas later materialsied as elements of his own fiction.  

The Hobbit has long been one of my favourite books but reading ‘On Fairy-stories’ has only reaffirmed Tolkien’s brilliance and served as the final confirmation that 2024 will be the year I finally tackle the Lord of the Rings trilogy.