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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
10/5 stars (and I never rank comedies that high). Death is one of my favorite characters I've read this year.
adventurous
funny
Fun, off-kilter Christmas story. Plays off a lot of holiday tropes but isn’t afraid to depart from them a bit too
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
"REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE."
actual rating: 3.5
The Discworld books continue to be incredibly frustrating for me because they contain such amazing insights into human nature and are highly quotable when looking back at them, but as I'm reading them I often find myself drifting in and out because I don't feel that these things are held together with much overall plot or character development. Don't get me wrong, Death and Susan are pretty good characters, but everyone else feels much less real. Also, and I know these books were written quite awhile ago and I do appreciate Susan, but it's kind of annoying when there's like 20 male characters to one female one. I definitely think I'm going to pick up the Witches series next.
"REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE."
actual rating: 3.5
The Discworld books continue to be incredibly frustrating for me because they contain such amazing insights into human nature and are highly quotable when looking back at them, but as I'm reading them I often find myself drifting in and out because I don't feel that these things are held together with much overall plot or character development. Don't get me wrong, Death and Susan are pretty good characters, but everyone else feels much less real. Also, and I know these books were written quite awhile ago and I do appreciate Susan, but it's kind of annoying when there's like 20 male characters to one female one. I definitely think I'm going to pick up the Witches series next.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A perfectly Pratchett Christmas.
Not sure what to say about this one. It was a gift from a friend, and it's very Christmas-y, the way Small Gods is Christian and Witches Abroad is a fairytale.
I think Pratchett's forte is talking about big, complicated things in very simple ways, with some witticisms and absurdity to highlight the sort of cosmic joke that is the fact that humans construct such complications in the attempt to bring simplicity to our lives.
There, that's what I'll say about it. Defintely one to re-read.
The audio narration was very good, however I must say, this is not a good fall asleep book as the volume changes are a bit too extreme.
CONTENT WARNING:
Not sure what to say about this one. It was a gift from a friend, and it's very Christmas-y, the way Small Gods is Christian and Witches Abroad is a fairytale.
I think Pratchett's forte is talking about big, complicated things in very simple ways, with some witticisms and absurdity to highlight the sort of cosmic joke that is the fact that humans construct such complications in the attempt to bring simplicity to our lives.
There, that's what I'll say about it. Defintely one to re-read.
The audio narration was very good, however I must say, this is not a good fall asleep book as the volume changes are a bit too extreme.
CONTENT WARNING:
Spoiler
serial killer, child abuse, violence/murder, mistreatment of folks with disabilities/mental health issues
Listened to this via Audible, read by the great Nigel Planer. In my humble opinion, this is the perfect Christmas read.
An assassin has been sent to kill the Hogfather, the Disc's version of Santa Claus, and subsequently his role needs to be filled. So DEATH dons the red costume and fake beard while failing to utter a festive "HO HO HO" and goes on to deliver presents. His granddaughter, meanwhile, investigates Hogfather's disappearance with the help of the Death of Rats and a morbid raven. Can they save the Hogfather before Hogswatch Night?
Very entertaining, absurd, crazy, funny, and thought provoking all in once. DEATH is one of my favourite characters ever, Teatime is wonderfully crazy as well as his motley crew, Susan as a governess gone rogue is hilarious too. Yes, this book has some lengths and overdoes it in some points but it captures the spirit of Christmas...errrr. Hogswatch.
HAPPY HOGSWATCH EVERYONE. HO HO HO!
5 Stars
(Here's a funny quote explaining what I meant by thought provoking. Susan talks to his granddad, DEATH. If you've never read a Discworld novel, this is also a great way to start!)
_____________________________________
"All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
"They're not the same at all!"
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
MY POINT EXACTLY."
An assassin has been sent to kill the Hogfather, the Disc's version of Santa Claus, and subsequently his role needs to be filled. So DEATH dons the red costume and fake beard while failing to utter a festive "HO HO HO" and goes on to deliver presents. His granddaughter, meanwhile, investigates Hogfather's disappearance with the help of the Death of Rats and a morbid raven. Can they save the Hogfather before Hogswatch Night?
Very entertaining, absurd, crazy, funny, and thought provoking all in once. DEATH is one of my favourite characters ever, Teatime is wonderfully crazy as well as his motley crew, Susan as a governess gone rogue is hilarious too. Yes, this book has some lengths and overdoes it in some points but it captures the spirit of Christmas...errrr. Hogswatch.
HAPPY HOGSWATCH EVERYONE. HO HO HO!
5 Stars
(Here's a funny quote explaining what I meant by thought provoking. Susan talks to his granddad, DEATH. If you've never read a Discworld novel, this is also a great way to start!)
_____________________________________
"All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
"They're not the same at all!"
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
MY POINT EXACTLY."
funny
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced