Absolutely loved this reread. I can't recommend this audio enough! Andy Serkis nails all the voices and emotions; it was perfection.

I haven't read this trilogy since I was in middle school, though I've seen the movies multiple times. I really only remembered the main difference being the addition of Tom Bombadil and all the singing (which, on the audiobook, is actually singing! with melodies! Andy Serkis is a great singer!). I'd forgotten how many of the funny lines from the movies are directly from the books. If I'm remembering correctly, I think the first movie is the one that stays truest to the book, but I'll have to see if I still think that after rereading the other two. Anyways, even though I know the story, I found myself cracking up at the funny moments, and I was not expecting to be in tears at the end, but that's how I found myself (and it wasn't over anyone's death).

Samwise is even more precious in the book than he is in the movie...it might just be because this is fresh on my mind, but I think he is my favorite literary character ever.