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booksandyarniness's review
3.0
A few good twists towards the end, but this one was too predictable for me to rate it any higher.
crazycatgeek's review
3.0
My, I love these Witches books - almost more than the Tiffany Aching sequence, even! When I saw the title for this one, the song from Phantom of the Opera was instantly stuck in my head (and that kept happening every time I happened to glance at the cover of the book lying around my house, too); but I didn't know how accurate that would be until a little way into the story. A classic Phantom of the Opera parody, and one that's marvellously done as well. Granny and Nanny are always hilarious to read about and the other characters, especially Slugg, Agnes, Christine, and Walter Plinge, were wonderful. Oh - and let's not forget the Librarian. Brilliant. I wish the Discworld could have had a hundred more books, but at least right now there are still about 30 more for me to enjoy!
telthor's review
4.0
phantom of the opera jokes are my number one jam. fill me with cheesy goodness and sharp remarks on masks and secrets and lies and music and magic.
It's not gutwrenching or sharp like some of the Discworlds (see: Night Watch), but it also doesn't feel as jokey as, say, Moving Pictures. It's a good, solid middle-of-the-mood read. Not a good indicator of the sort of stuff this series is capable of, but nevertheless an enjoyable romp in Ankh-Morpork.
Also, I have the audiobook's cadences memorized; I've listened to it so many times. I love this audiobook. Love love love love lovvveeee.
It's not gutwrenching or sharp like some of the Discworlds (see: Night Watch), but it also doesn't feel as jokey as, say, Moving Pictures. It's a good, solid middle-of-the-mood read. Not a good indicator of the sort of stuff this series is capable of, but nevertheless an enjoyable romp in Ankh-Morpork.
Also, I have the audiobook's cadences memorized; I've listened to it so many times. I love this audiobook. Love love love love lovvveeee.
ninotchka's review
3.0
This one skewers Opera and Andrew Lloyd Weber. Can't go wrong with a Discworld book for a fun and fast read.
claire_luna's review
5.0
This Witches novel is absolutely hilarious, Pratchett is the king of tongue-in-cheek social commentary meets fantasy, the witches are all A+ characters and the mystery had me engaged and guessing till the very end. Really, I have zero negative things to say about this book, it just has me hankering for more!
beatricelo's review
4.0
This wasn’t my favourite book about the witches, but still really good. I missed Magrat and Lancre, though.
bookphile's review
3.0
The Witches series continuous to be witty and hilarious, but all I can really say about it is that the book is good.
I guess it's hard for me to read and fully enjoy serial books without seeing some sort of significant growth in the characters. But while we do find out a little more about Granny's and Nanny's past lives, they're such small tidbits that I wouldn't call them revelations or development. They're still fantastic, hilarious, amazing characters but I want more.
Plus I had a hard time liking Agnes/Perdita because she was such a ... I don't know, maybe it's not her that I don't like, but her story. She at least tries to get out of the small time, tries to fight and achieve her dreams, but the world won't let her and no one wants her too. Granny and Nanny, don't particularly force her into anything and don't tell her what to do, just keep the door open for her but it's just so not fair that in the end, Agnes left the opera not because it was her choice... but because she wasn't really wanted there. Even though she was the best goddam singer there, no one wanted her because she is fat. And that was cruel... I mean, in most of his books, Terry always makes the ending - no matter how bitter - feel just and right in the end. And this one still felt wrong and bitter. No one will regret losing Agnes, there was no realization of losing the greatest opera singer in Discworld history... and that just didn't feel right.
I guess it's hard for me to read and fully enjoy serial books without seeing some sort of significant growth in the characters. But while we do find out a little more about Granny's and Nanny's past lives, they're such small tidbits that I wouldn't call them revelations or development. They're still fantastic, hilarious, amazing characters but I want more.
Plus I had a hard time liking Agnes/Perdita because she was such a ... I don't know, maybe it's not her that I don't like, but her story. She at least tries to get out of the small time, tries to fight and achieve her dreams, but the world won't let her and no one wants her too. Granny and Nanny, don't particularly force her into anything and don't tell her what to do, just keep the door open for her but it's just so not fair that in the end, Agnes left the opera not because it was her choice... but because she wasn't really wanted there. Even though she was the best goddam singer there, no one wanted her because she is fat. And that was cruel... I mean, in most of his books, Terry always makes the ending - no matter how bitter - feel just and right in the end. And this one still felt wrong and bitter. No one will regret losing Agnes, there was no realization of losing the greatest opera singer in Discworld history... and that just didn't feel right.