Another Man's Cage by Dawn Felagund

I read this about 6 months ago and enjoyed it very much. I distinctly remember turning down a party invitation saying "I'm reading this novel length fanfic about the Fëanorians and I really want to finish it tonight...". So thank you for this, and for all your work with the site. :)

Oh my goodness, Dawn. I don't know how I'm going to get through 52 more chapters of this, because I'm really emotional over just this one. It's beautiful. In just a few thousand words, you've managed to make me fall even more in love with these characters, to an almost painful extent. They are so, so, so lovely. I may have to take this fic in small doses.

I have been re-reading this wonderful fic again for the **th time- lost count- and just have to say a little guiltily because I should review every wonderful chapter every time, how beautifully written, funny, tender and just domestic it is. I laugh so hard at Carnistir- he is , oddly, my favourtie character in your fic- although Nelyo is my true favourite, but you make Carnistir so helplessly funny and oddly vulnerable and sad. This chpater is one of the funniest in the snail incident- the whole thing is just wonderful- sorry- boringly ramlbing and gushing review!

There is such beauty in this story- I love the domesticity of it all agaisnt the hugely epic ad tragic backdrop of the Silm. Stunningly good writing -your characterisations are seminal. Everything I read is coloured by this story.

This tempest is so utterly believable- reminds me of my tempestuous, passionate argumentative family tha t had the same deep love and affectionate pride which would explode betwen my brothers and sistrs sometimes drving my poor mother to say she never used to swear until had us kids- not that her swearing was ever more than bloody. But the violence is also part of the love.

Just love this chapter- sexy, sexual Nelyo so at ease with his own body -he would be, being so beautiful of course and used to being desired, but with that goes his appetite and awarenss of his own body- agaisnt Macalure's sweet insecurity and doubts about himself- which you show are unfounded by the wonderful comments others make about him, to him - I love that exploration of perception and self-awarenss, or lack of. The relationship between the two brothers is so well drawn too.

Again, those glimpses into  the future are becoming more frequent and you build up the sense of forboding that will inevtably result in Nelyo's destruction indeed- tha tis what makes htis truly great writing- the layers upon layers and complexity of it. I am in awe of your writing.

Having just read The Leaes before the Wind again, this chapter makes even more powerful reading- the developing love Findekano has for the kind, generous and beautiful Maitimo- interesting that he always calls him that and everyone else its Rusandol or Nelyo -it is an innocent love here, but he is slowly drenched in his own warmth and devotion for Maitimo but because he shows Findekano that he is worthy, beloved, achieves, and is so sensitive to his needs. Just a lovely, lovely piece. I wish you would write the in between bits for them so I don't have to think about the sad ending.

"Do not go, Nelyo."
Nelyo. Had he called me Maitimo, I would have been able to kiss him goodnight and leave, trusting that sleep would make him forget by morning that he had asked me to stay. I would have been able to bid farewell to my uncle and aunt and Grandfather Finwë and the Lady Indis and found the road with little guilt and regret. But he called me Nelyo … I sit upon the bed and stroke his hair. "Little one," I say, "I must go home. I cannot stay for much longer."
"Do not go." I do not know what to say to him, and so I silently stroke his hair, smoothing it thinly over his pillow. Realizing, perhaps, that I have little choice in remaining, he says, "Stay with me until I sleep, then?"
"I will do that," I agree, perhaps foolishly, but my insides still feel jellied and vulnerable from that Nelyo.

Here is the loveliest sense of the relationship that will deepen into love. I like too the way you have them each doubting htings aobut themselves but the others say differently- so Macaluare says earlier that Nelyo has a voice like chocolate but he himself thinks he does not. That exploration of perspective is fascinating- and so real. 

I love your Carnistir- he is delicate and vulnerable in his difference and the way he sees people as colours is a bit like some people with autism - in fact, there are a lot of similarities and I see that you work with vulnerable children so perhaps that has influenced you? 

I loved that detail of Olorin's fireworks too- made me smile! But most of all - it's the inner dialogie Carnistir has and the way he sees people as colours or light that I love- so original and intrguing - but also it revelas more of those characters and deepens them.

This slow falling apart of Nelyo is so sad - and although I know he does not marry Anawende, it is a greater foreshadowing of the greater love he has for Fingon- and then after HIS death, he really does descend into madness - that not even Morgoth could bring him to. Your other story (leaves) does that better than anyone. Lots of little forshadowings in this story that point to the Silm and the terrible tragedy that awaits these two best of the Noldor.

I love Vingarië- she is so sweet with her words just tumbling out so hopefully and thoughtlessly- it makes her utterly charming and suitable for the genius but equally thoughtlessly hopeless Macaluare- I wish they had had children and been happy- imagine how chaotic would their house be and hteir lives and how happy!

I love these glimpses into Nelyo's character- his generosity that Macalure has already shown us is developed agaib, although we already knw as much of course.

And the Palantir is wonderfully drawn- the sensation of a fist in the chest is a stummingly good image.

There is so much in this chapter - from Nelyo's unbearable sadness that he thinks is healing, when clearly it is not, to the dreams of light of Feanor, and the position of his sons in it. The mask I remember so well from the first time I read this -Nelyo is full of the shock and dislocation of seeing something 'other' (as he sees Rumil, unable to comprehend and although intellectually he wants to accept, cannot quite get over the shock of what has been done) in the guise of himself. Anyone would feel the same and sometimes Feanor's expectations and demands of his childrne are so unreasonable and so insensitive that you can hardly breathe! And of course the brilliance of your writing is that of course, that is exactly what he was like - intensely jealous, demanding, exacting, unreasonable, all encompassing- the SIlmarils and the oath are far more about his sons needing Feanor than them needing the Silmarils- it is part of him and no one else should evern have claimed them. I have complete symapthy of course for Maedhros and am totally on his side even down to the kin-slayings now!!

I have to say too, I loved the scene with the three boys playing 'Animals' and Turko giving tem all parts but Findekano insisting on being an eagle!

Ah- I love the first scene of this chapter- the sheer playfulness as they all tumble into the fountain, and lie there- then the affectionate closeness, Nelyo almost the carer as he takes the children away and kisses his parents who are groping each other! 

And then poor Nelyo is still heartbroken (but I know what's coming so am happy- and hten sad because I know what else is coming). But I LOVE the costumes

Carnistir always refuses to wear anything except all black, even a black hooded cloak that he pulls low over his eyes. He calls this costume Invisible.

He does make me laugh!

But there is a bitter irony that Nelyo goes as fir and even as he stares at himslef, overly self-conscious as he is of his looks, he wonders what his fate will be- you keep doing this to me, Dawn, making me feel so intensely sad for all of them. And for the first time I realise too the irony of Maedhros throwing himself into fire which is the element of Feanor of course. It consumes him as did the oath, as did his father, and he and his brothers have no happiness, no wife, no children (except of course Curufin). But of all of the, Maitimo should have been a father, should have had that little cottage that he imagined for himself. It is so unfair. This reminds me too that Carnistir tells Nelyo tha the does not have ot be the same as Rumil- all that terrible future wating for them. And in the final senstece, you make my heart ache, Dawn, and make me cry for Rumil ,for little Carnistir who i love, and our lovely, beautful, tragic Nelyo.

Hurray! Lovely Maitimo is happy for a while at least and I am going off to read everyhting else that you have ever written - knowing that perhaps Annwende will vanish and htere be no explanation because you have made it so clear that this is NOT an AU and cannot have a happy ending, though he finds it for a while as does Macalaure. Rushing onto the epilogue now.

Wonderful, brilliant, sublime writing- sorry ot be boring and just repeat what I have already written but really, I just can't say anthing more. Seminal work on the family of Feanor and the happy times fo their lives. And for that glimpse into a happy time, thank you.

Now I've come to the end and read your responses, I really hope your nose is better! You are probably on holiday now so I hope these reviews are a nice surprise for when you come back and inspire you to write a few more of those lovely in-between bits!!!What I haven't seen is anyhting on why /how Morgoth was able to steal the Silmarils- where the sons of Feanor out hunting? Did they cower when Morgoth struck? Did Carnistir weep and see the lovely yellow of Finwe leaking out into the dark? I hope Nelyo was not there or chose to protect his brothers rather than the Silmaril? I have grown to see the brothers in the way you have presented them in Another Man's Cage rather than anything else so I will always read anyhting now through that filter.

Thank you for a wonderful week of reading this- I have shamelfully neglected everything else but am now replete and can leave now feeling replenished and inspired.

Every time I need a gentle Tolkien fix and have nothing else new to read, I come back to your wonderful story. Your writing is utterly compelling and the details are so finely observed. Like Carnistir on Feanaro's shoulder as he chops one handed. I htink this is my all time favourite SIlm fic. I don't even leave you a review every time I drop in here and I should.

I think this is one of my favourite chapters- I love the jumping off the cliff scene and Findekano finds his legendary valour because his wonderfl Nelyo beleives in him. SO wish there was a sequel to this.

Oh you have given me such pleasure to know this. I can't wait!! Good luck with the thesis- your writing has such an intellectual content, thoughtful and provoking, which is one of the many reasons I love it so much.

Ah- I love Beowulf, bit I have only read bits in Anglo-saxon- I'm not good enough to do it justice so read the Seamus Heany instead - i love Seamus Heaney's poetry and he does a smashing job in my view. Well good luck with the thesis- I am stil lreading bits of AMC. Loving every second of it.

Of all the ambitions Atar has, I share but sparks of them. When I close my eyes and dream, I wish only for a small cottage near our home, with my wife and our children around me, a shelf for my books and a desk for writing, and a table to which I shall always welcome my little brothers."
"You will make a good father," I tell him, echoing the words Macalaurë spoke that gave him such joy, and collapse into his arms and sob against his shoulder.

This is anothe rone of my favourite scenes with hte absolute silliness of Macalure and Nelyo- and I love the line Feanaro has about hairy legs and the way they all fall together. Yopu made me love the Feanorians you know- and I have greatest sympathy with your wonderful Carnisitr who gets such a bad press everywhere else. It is so clear in your writing where hte nightmares come from and the misery he endures because of it. I want someone to understnad him and love him too.

I love Vingarië! She is fresh, sweet and bold- just what he needs, and those scenes where Macalaure just drifts into music, so like Feanaro, are wonderful. And that delicate relationship he has with Feanaro, alongside Nelyo's easy comfortable one is very well presented- easy to see and to understand exactly the family dynamic and so, so 'real'! I like too that you have Nelyo scientific- so he experiments; I have always htought he would be scienctific- and although not a creator like his father perhaps, an intellectual and purer science mind than the more technolgical one perhaps of Feanor. I iimagine Feanor using Nelyo's discoveries, and pushing htem furhter, applying his knowledge to materials - I have always thought that as Madhros, Nelyo would continue to be science orientated- becuase necessity would drive him- metal, agriculture, medicine- all would thrive at Himring because he would see that it would furhter their battle against Morgoth. (I'm rambling now!) 

But most lovely, are the words you give Feanaro to speak of his love for his children. And that is all encompassing. He is a wonderful character in canon but you give him that humanity and depth that Tolkien never does.

It is no wonder I keep coming back to this story- I love Carnistir:

Carnistir bares his teeth and prepares to bite Fëanáro on the neck, but Fëanáro quickly says, "What did I say about biting?" and Carnistir pauses with his lips skinned back from his teeth like a rabid dog and his eyes crinkled into a pout.
"But Atar, I love you. I won't make blood come this time, I promise."
"How about a kiss instead? Kisses don't hurt.

and

Macalaurë retches and spits the half-chewed snail onto the floor. Carnistir scrambles over to it, and before I can say, "Ah no, Carnistir, don't!" pops it into his mouth and chews with a contemplative look on his face.
"Maybe we've found the secret to getting him to eat," Fëanáro says, scraping the snails from the sheet and into a big ceramic bowl. "Maybe we have to half-chew his food for him."
"This is good, Atar," Carnistir tells him earnestly, chomping the snail in his back teeth. "They taste better cooked."
"Have you eaten them raw?" Fëanáro asks casually, without looking at Carnistir.
"Yes, Turko told me he'd give me a gold necklace if I ate one. It was slimy except for the shell. That was crunchy, like eating a bug."

These domestic and convincing details are such a delight to read- and underneath is the subtle sense of danger and forboding about waht is to come. The philosophical thoughts that wind seamlessly through all your writing is what makes me enjoy it so very much, it's the humour and the provocativeness, just pushing a little at the recieved wisdom/ assumed canon.

One of my other favourite chapters- Carnistir trailing along, his nightmare which foretells Nelyo's capture, and then the puppies - oh yes, wolf pups! I like the way Findekano goes along out of loyalty and kindness, and his generosity to both the sons of Feanor, and Turko's unhappy defiant running away- we've all done that but mostly not actually done more than shout tdown the stairs what our intention is! But the descritpions are so vivid and real- you feel the rain, the mud sliding, the cold morning.

ooh- just picked up this one. I havewnt follwed you- but will now. Fascinating. It's odd how much Tolkien inflicts on some of his characters and how dismissive he is of others- the woodelves for example that he dismisses as More Dangerous, Less Wise than the Noldor survivors of Rivendell and the silvan of Lotlorien -presumably because Thranduil isn't on the WC as I like to call it, or Sit-on-your-arse- council as Erestor calls it in my headcanon! It's funny how much he punishes Maedhros in particular and yet he has him stand aside in the burning of the ships and in abandoing the rest of the Noldor. And it's not in the least bit clear why Feanor does that either - you would imagine that, having raised their spirits and their hearts with his words, he would want them fighting with him agaisnt Morgoth. It's all very unsatisfactory.

I had not realised how deeply important this chapter is when I first read it- I love the oblique way you introduce the complexity of thoughts in Nelyo's head- through Macaluare's eyes. It gives a real sense of things going on outside of the story and that's what makes it feel so convincing and real.The content of those secret, private conversations between he and Feanor have't been even so much as hinted at really, until now- everyone else barred from them, we know about the 'blasphemy' and reformist views of the Valar but not those other thoughts that he has dicussed with Nelyo- and now here is MAcaluare dreaming that Nelyo has an 'empty' hand, and that their father will force Nelyo to choose and he would let him drown him rather than go agaisnt him, but he knows he will be destroyed. The middle section wihich is retrospective and alludes to the final time they were with each other -the brothers that is- just serves to underline heavily the sadness of their story and so points up the lightness and inevitablity of what happens now. Layers upon layers of meaning in this. Fabulous writing.

The end of this chapter is a lovely, tender moment full of heartbreak too becuase of what is to come, and now I read it always with that foreknowledge - it layers it with a deep sense of tragedy but never ever spoils the lightness and humour, which is a delight. The scenes of chaos and shouting and crying were so funny- until Maitimo storms out. I love this multi-facted narrative that shows us how differrently people (we) are percieved.

This story is absolutely brilliant!  A true classic that is as good as any published work I've read. Your writing is full of gorgeous phrases and insightful wisdom and not a trace of cliche anywhere. Your characterizations of Feanor and all his large brood are powerful, unique, vivid so that I feel I know them all.  You've shown a large family with all of its conflict, little hurts, kindness, competition, and most especially the love they have for each other in so many detailed, masterful ways, I've come to adore all of them and it makes my heart ache for the future we know is in store for them. I'm glad you stopped where you did, with them happy together and with both Nelyo and Makalaure anticipating their marriages since I think if you had continued it to its canon end showing us the madness and despair and deaths of this wonderful, artistic, proud, and fiercely loyal family, it would have broken my heart. Thanks for writing this -- even though I know it was quite some time ago, it holds up beautifully as one of the best Silm tales ever.   

Poor Findekáno.  My heart aches for him.  There must be someone who loves the poor child.

What a hoot! Did you write this song?  It's wonderful.