I've owned the HOME series for a few years now, but just got around last night to reading the full story of Finwe and Miriel. What a tragedy. Of course I've been familiar with the story in general ever since I first read The Silmarillion years ago, but I never knew the full story until last night. I did not know that Finwe never returned from Mandos. I didn't know that he volunteered to stay among the Dead so Miriel could return to the Living. What an awful loss for the Noldor, and what a magnanimous act by their King.

I was especially disturbed when Miriel, upon being reborn, only returns in time to the Halls of Vaire, making Finwe's sacrifice unnecessary. Miriel now probably rates as my least favorite character of all time. What a despicable, careless person! Her existence was filled with despair and weakness, as Ulmo rightly judged.

I feel especially terrible for Indis.

-----------------------------
Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Feanor were driven from their land. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses; and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him. He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Orome himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar. Thus he came alone to Angband's gates, and he sounded his horn, and smote once more upon the brazen doors, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came.