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theaceofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
"Humans are always lost. It’s a basic characteristic. It explains a lot about them."
This was a reread and I remember enjoying it more the first time round. I wasn't a huge fan of the start (I even considered putting this down - not a usual occurrence with Pratchett for me) but I'm glad I stuck it out because it got more enjoyable when the plot got properly started. I loved reading about Magrat her struggles around adjusting to a royal life and loved that we got to see more of her strength when the other witches weren't constantly putting her down (although their treatment of her still frustrates me having dealt with similarly cruel people). I found the elves interesting and would love to learn more about their world. There is a rather emotional moment towards the end and I'm a little surprised at how hard it managed to hit given I had read this before (albeit a few years back).
Overall this was a fun read with some great moments, but it isn't my favourite Discworld book. Maybe it was just a matter of the wrong book at the wrong time in my case, but I know others will absolutely love this one
This was a reread and I remember enjoying it more the first time round. I wasn't a huge fan of the start (I even considered putting this down - not a usual occurrence with Pratchett for me) but I'm glad I stuck it out because it got more enjoyable when the plot got properly started. I loved reading about Magrat her struggles around adjusting to a royal life and loved that we got to see more of her strength when the other witches weren't constantly putting her down (although their treatment of her still frustrates me having dealt with similarly cruel people). I found the elves interesting and would love to learn more about their world. There is a rather emotional moment towards the end and I'm a little surprised at how hard it managed to hit given I had read this before (albeit a few years back).
Overall this was a fun read with some great moments, but it isn't my favourite Discworld book. Maybe it was just a matter of the wrong book at the wrong time in my case, but I know others will absolutely love this one
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Misogyny
Minor: Death
bluejayreads's review against another edition
3.0
I was a little apprehensive to start this one. Actually, a lot apprehensive, since I had so many issues with Granny Weatherwax in the previous Witches book, Witches Abroad. I had hoped that there would be some more books before I came to another Witches book, but there weren’t. So I went into this worried that I would spend the whole thing raging at Granny Weatherwax’s bullying.
But I was pleasantly surprised. Against a backdrop of attempting to stop elves (the inhuman, unfeeling, cruel variety) from getting into the world, Magret grew a spine and Granny Weatherwax ate some humble pie. Not a whole lot – this is Granny Weatherwax we’re talking about – but she’s starting to have some of that character development I knew had to come between Witches Abroad and the first Tiffany Aching book. It’s promising, anyway. And with Magret starting to take back her own agency and Granny starting to become less cruel, I’m liking the Witches sub-series more. It’s still not my favorite sub-series (currently, that honor is tied between Tiffany Aching and the first six Rincewind books), but it’s becoming tolerable.
I had a weird sense of almost deja vu with this plot. The main idea is that elves are trying to get through from their dimension into the world, and this is a very bad thing. It’s been so long since elves have been around that most people either think they aren’t real or aren’t so bad, so it’s up to the witches to stop them. Since I have read the books out of order, your reading experience might be different. But the basic plot is very, very similar to The Wee Free Men, just with a different cast of witches trying to stop it. I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it did make it feel less unique than other Discworld books.
In my opinion, this is one of the weaker Discworld books. I haven’t loved the Witches series generally, and this one is no exception. It lacked much of the humor and wit I’ve come to expect, there weren’t many serious themes (I can’t think of any at the moment, actually), and since I’d read The Wee Free Men previously the plot itself felt like it had been done before. The main redeeming quality – which, to be fair, is majorly redeeming – is the start of some fantastic character growth for Magret and Granny Weatherwax. This book is perfectly okay, if not fantasic, but I have hope that future Witches books will get better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Animal cruelty, and Kidnapping
Mind controljessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Torture
Minor: Infidelity, Bullying, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, and Animal cruelty
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