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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Look, this is not truly a five star book. But if you think I am giving Sir Terry Pratchett's final book--written while he was in the throes of Alzheimer's and not able to get his final polish--anything less than five stars you are nuts. Plus, this is definitely a four star book at minimum. It has heart, it has a great plot, it has the characters we love, it has Nac Mac Feegles... it's exactly what we need to end this great series on.
Of all the Discworld books that I have read, I have had a special fondness for the Tiffany Aching books. This book was a wonderful way to say goodbye to new books in the series as we get to see Tiffany come into her own as Witch.
There were wonderful understory lessons throughout the book... the idea of roles people play - be it perceived gender roles, perceived societal roles, or other roles we are expected to play in our lives.
I cannot say what moved me about this book to like it so much. Perhaps it was knowing that this is the last book Sir Terry wrote. Perhaps it just came to me at the right moment. Regardless, this was an enjoyable book.
Though, unlike other Discworld books, you really do need to have read at least the first 4 Tiffany Aching books to get the full story.
There were wonderful understory lessons throughout the book... the idea of roles people play - be it perceived gender roles, perceived societal roles, or other roles we are expected to play in our lives.
I cannot say what moved me about this book to like it so much. Perhaps it was knowing that this is the last book Sir Terry wrote. Perhaps it just came to me at the right moment. Regardless, this was an enjoyable book.
Though, unlike other Discworld books, you really do need to have read at least the first 4 Tiffany Aching books to get the full story.
Terry Pratchett's last book before he passed away, and a beautiful farewell to Discworld. Not perfect, as he didn't have the time to do all that he wanted to with it, but the first 60 pages are flawless. I've loved this world and these characters for decades, and I'll miss them and their creator something fierce.
This was a very hard book for me to read. The Shepherd's Crown does not contain concepts that go against my moral fiber nor difficult word choices. As Pratchett's last book, this book was hard for me to read. In a way, it felt like it was a goodbye.
While reading this book, I remarked to my sister, and fellow Pratchett lover, that it did not read as a usual Pratchett book. And reading the afterword, now I know. In it, it's pointed out that Pratchett was not able to finish this book before his death. It now makes sense.
There were times I had to put this book down because it is a very somber book (I rarely laughed while reading this book) and it did make me cry. In a way, I do not know how to sum up my feelings for this book.
While reading this book, I remarked to my sister, and fellow Pratchett lover, that it did not read as a usual Pratchett book. And reading the afterword, now I know. In it, it's pointed out that Pratchett was not able to finish this book before his death. It now makes sense.
There were times I had to put this book down because it is a very somber book (I rarely laughed while reading this book) and it did make me cry. In a way, I do not know how to sum up my feelings for this book.
It's hard to review this book. The writing draws you in. Pratchett's way with language is still good and all over this book. But the story to be told here doesn't work for me. It's similar to Raising Steam in that it feels like the jokes are just pointed in slightly the wrong direction. Like, there's a point to be made, it's not a bad point, I just don't think it's made clearly.
First of all, this idea of 'women really control everything and are domineering' doesn't fly in a world where Tiffany is looking after domestic violence victims and had to convince a mother not to starve her baby daughter in favor of keeping her two baby sons alive. Second, these men were under no obligation to sit around moping, they could have done things. Nothing was stopping them. And it isn't like Tiffany wasn't helping them out as well. They had no complaints.
The other thing is that this book is trying to play at a gender equality in a way that doesn't really work for me at all. In the real world when men enter fields that are thought of to be women's fields they get extra credit for doing so and then take over. Cooking is women's work but master culinary chefs are often men. That kind of stuff. So having a boy go into witching doesn't have nearly the same impact as a girl going into wizarding. So yeah. The book tries to do stuff, but ultimately is not successful.
Spoiler
Okay. So there's a significant portion of this book that revolves around the 'neglect' of old men by their women. It's saying that these men are forgotten about and neglected while the wives do all the work then look down on the men. The men are bored and tired and not looked after properly. Then they get sheds and now everything is good. It just seems to miss the point.First of all, this idea of 'women really control everything and are domineering' doesn't fly in a world where Tiffany is looking after domestic violence victims and had to convince a mother not to starve her baby daughter in favor of keeping her two baby sons alive. Second, these men were under no obligation to sit around moping, they could have done things. Nothing was stopping them. And it isn't like Tiffany wasn't helping them out as well. They had no complaints.
The other thing is that this book is trying to play at a gender equality in a way that doesn't really work for me at all. In the real world when men enter fields that are thought of to be women's fields they get extra credit for doing so and then take over. Cooking is women's work but master culinary chefs are often men. That kind of stuff. So having a boy go into witching doesn't have nearly the same impact as a girl going into wizarding.
Spoiler
especially when that woman wizard stopped wizarding and is raising kids. Which isn't a problem in and of itself, but a problem that breaking the mold doesn't extend past getting in the door. Why couldn't she wizard and mother? It's dumb.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so wholesome — a great audiobook listen. Terry Pratchett’s humor really shone in his last book. Had me in the feels about what home means and the power it brings you and coming into your own.
The Final Discworld book. Made me cry so many times. Terry Pratchett, you will be missed greatly.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Where do I even start? Today is a sad day for me, the end of an era. I have read my final Discworld novel. A journey that started for me almost 20 years ago. I have loved and cherished each one. This one may have not had the polish or finesse of others but knowing the reason why is reason to love it even more. Sir Terry put in everything he could to give us one last time, one last adventure.
I know I can go back at any time and relive those past stories, but there was nothing like the first time, and knowing there will be no more will make each reread that much more bittersweet. We won't know what Rincewind will get up to next, whether Carrot will ever become King, what ingenuity Moist von Lipwig will come up with next.
And to borrow from Sir Terry, about Sir Terry: "FOR I CAN SEE THE BALANCE AND YOU HAVE LEFT THE WORLD MUCH BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT, AND IF YOU ASK ME NOBODY COULD DO ANY BETTER THAN THAT".
Goodbye Sir Terry, and thank you.
I know I can go back at any time and relive those past stories, but there was nothing like the first time, and knowing there will be no more will make each reread that much more bittersweet. We won't know what Rincewind will get up to next, whether Carrot will ever become King, what ingenuity Moist von Lipwig will come up with next.
And to borrow from Sir Terry, about Sir Terry: "FOR I CAN SEE THE BALANCE AND YOU HAVE LEFT THE WORLD MUCH BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT, AND IF YOU ASK ME NOBODY COULD DO ANY BETTER THAN THAT".
Goodbye Sir Terry, and thank you.
A fairly fitting way to end the Discworld series. Obviously Sir Terry did not plan for this to be the last book, but somehow it works out pretty perfectly for it.