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Cover of The Children of Húrin

The Children of Húrin

J. R. R. Tolkien;Christopher Tolkien (2007)

SubgenreHigh Fantasy
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingR
Pages (Standard (250-400))
SeriesMiddle Earth Universe #
Setting
CSM age16+
Goodreads4.06

Content levels

ViolenceStrong
Sexual contentMild
LanguageNone

Hero archetypes

Cursed HeroTragic Hero

Synopsis

The ‘Great Tale’ of The Children of Húrin, set during the legendary time before The Lord of the Rings. Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwells in the vast fortress of Angband in the North; and within the shadow of the fear of Angband, and the war waged by Morgoth against the Elves, the fates of Turin and his sister Nienor will be tragically entwined. Their brief and passionate lives are dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bears them as the children of Hurin, the man who dared to defy him to his face. Against them Morgoth sends his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire. Sardonic and mocking, Glaurung manipulates the fates of Turin and Nienor by lies of diabolic cunning and guile, in an attempt to fulfil the curse of Morgoth.

Is The Children of Húrin appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 16 and up.

This tragic tale contains intense themes including incest (unknowing), suicide, war violence, and psychological manipulation by an evil dragon. The story follows a cursed family to a devastating conclusion with mature, mythic darkness.

What to know going in

This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include incest, suicide, death, and grief (see the full list above).

Who'll love this

Teens fascinated by Tolkien's deeper mythology will find an epic tragedy of cursed heroes battling dragons and dark lords in Middle-earth's ancient past.

Tags

TragedyMythic FantasyDark FantasyLegendarium