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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven't read any of Pratchett's other work, so perhaps I'm only so enamoured with it for it being my first taste, but this is a properly wonderful novel. Each scene is, in and of itself, an absolute delight, and the magic comes from how every third or fourth one comes in as quite the surprise. It's really been a while since I was taken for such a ride with a book as this. The first third felt surprisingly slow, and I was wondering whether much would happen in the book. It was all very funny and charming, I had a big old grin for much of my reading, but was there to be a plot? Yes, I discovered, rather immediately as the action picked up. But then, again, I thought I knew where it was all going, only to have the plot continually pivot right up until the 90% mark or so, when it finally decides to take a well-earned turn back to the conventional for a feel-good ending.
Pratchett moves in the space of genre parody, so all of the pieces at work here feel familiar; the grizzled, alcoholic policeman, the bright-eyed recruit, the mystic cult doing dark magics, the would-be-tyrant. Of course each is subverted, as parody must, but Pratchett succeeds in going further by weaving each of those subversions together in a tapestry, so that there's a real sense of life to the city of Ankh-Morpork. There's the goofs and gags, and those are fun, but there's a beating heart underneath that makes this a page-turner, as I devour every whimsical detail about this strange city and it's peculiar inhabitants.
Now, I will warn, I think there's maybe some overstating in the online discourse of how much this novel succeeds as a leftist battlecry. It is about corruption within the police force, more or less, and the virtue of resisting that, but it is ultimately a heroic tale about cops bumbling their way into doing the right thing - not a pragmatic depiction of revolutionary action. I don't think that's to the book's hinderance. It's still a ripping good time, and the characters are a delight to ride alongside, but I don't imagine this is exactly going to radicalise anyone, nor provide much food for thought about how our real world woes might be overcome. Perhaps it's only regarded as so radical, in a world where so many fantasy tales thoughtlessly perpetuate status quo, and it doesn't hurt that it's a fantastic book besides.
Pratchett moves in the space of genre parody, so all of the pieces at work here feel familiar; the grizzled, alcoholic policeman, the bright-eyed recruit, the mystic cult doing dark magics, the would-be-tyrant. Of course each is subverted, as parody must, but Pratchett succeeds in going further by weaving each of those subversions together in a tapestry, so that there's a real sense of life to the city of Ankh-Morpork. There's the goofs and gags, and those are fun, but there's a beating heart underneath that makes this a page-turner, as I devour every whimsical detail about this strange city and it's peculiar inhabitants.
Now, I will warn, I think there's maybe some overstating in the online discourse of how much this novel succeeds as a leftist battlecry. It is about corruption within the police force, more or less, and the virtue of resisting that, but it is ultimately a heroic tale about cops bumbling their way into doing the right thing - not a pragmatic depiction of revolutionary action. I don't think that's to the book's hinderance. It's still a ripping good time, and the characters are a delight to ride alongside, but I don't imagine this is exactly going to radicalise anyone, nor provide much food for thought about how our real world woes might be overcome. Perhaps it's only regarded as so radical, in a world where so many fantasy tales thoughtlessly perpetuate status quo, and it doesn't hurt that it's a fantastic book besides.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Only not a 5 because I read feet of clay first and it’s hard not to compare the two in terms of characters and the overall message BUT loved this one too, so funny and hilariously satirical rip mr pratchett
This one got a little tiresome as it went on. But ultimately a reasonable addition to the series.
adventurous
funny
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes