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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Haven't cried like that after reading any of the other 35 Terry Pratchett novels I've read this year. Wow.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One of his best. An excellent book.
adventurous
medium-paced
You wouldn't have thought a book allegedly about new Army recruits would be among my favorites, but this was so fantastic. I especially enjoyed the last fourth of the book. It was a delightful audiobook experience as well.
Reread 2020: I learnt so much about this book from L Space on this reread. The title is based on the pamphlet "The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women" in 1558 attacking gynarchy (a new word I've learnt and I'm probably mispronouncing). I enjoyed reading about the Ins and Outs regiment again with Sergeant Jackrum.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
There is no good entry point to the Discworld. The earliest novels show it at its silliest, blokey-est worst, and the later novels are often confusing and have a lot of cameos from characters in other books. I began my relationship with Discworld with Monstrous Regiment which is not a bad place to begin, but it's still confusing. I didn't realise how much work Pratchett was doing to unpack the sexism in his earlier novels, or how much he was making fun of his own tropes. This book mostly works on its own terms, but it's also subversive in ways a new reader can't appreciate. On my first reading, I found it confusing, and the ending a bit convoluted -- but I did enjoy. On this reread, I realise that I LOVE it -- it's clever, surprising, heart-breaking, and really plays around with gender in interesting and unexpected ways. It also sows the seeds for Pratchett's later heroine, Tiffany Aching, who is like Polly Perks (protagonist of this book) in many ways, in that she's scrappy, angry, and motivated by a deep sense of injustice as well as love. Tiffany is a more developed character because she has four books, but I'm very charmed by Polly and all of the monstrous regiment. All in all, not a bad place to begin, but also hugely worth rereading.
Review from April 2017:
Bergovia is at war. It's been at war for as long as Polly can remember. When she realises her brother, who has joined the army, needs her help, Polly decides to dress as a boy and enlist too. I have read a few Pratchett novels, and often struggled with getting to grips with the complex Discworld universe and the wide cast of characters. This novel stands alone, and it's a wonderful introduction to Pratchett's writing. Polly is a vivid, enjoyable character, and the plot's many twists and turns are engaging and believable. I love how Pratchett writes about women in this novel, and it's a really good anti-war story too.
Review from April 2017:
Bergovia is at war. It's been at war for as long as Polly can remember. When she realises her brother, who has joined the army, needs her help, Polly decides to dress as a boy and enlist too. I have read a few Pratchett novels, and often struggled with getting to grips with the complex Discworld universe and the wide cast of characters. This novel stands alone, and it's a wonderful introduction to Pratchett's writing. Polly is a vivid, enjoyable character, and the plot's many twists and turns are engaging and believable. I love how Pratchett writes about women in this novel, and it's a really good anti-war story too.