Witches Abroad

Hello Everyone and Welcome Back to The Boss Book Club!

Today we will be looking at the 12^th book of the 41 long Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. This book is called Witches Abroad and features the three main characters previously introduced in Wyrd Sisters: the boisterous, fun loving Nanny Ogg, the stern and scary Granny Weatherwax and the wimpish amateur Magrat.

This novel sees our loveable trio step outside their comfort zone and go travelling to foreign places after Magrat is unexpectedly given the task of being a Fairy Godmother. It is her job, with her companions in tow, to seek out the young Princess who is to be her charge, and ensure that a magical wedding is prevented.

Terry Pratchett’s work always contains an element of satire, and this time, as you may guess, this book centers around the ideas of storytelling, happy endings and fairy tales. Terry takes the conventions and turns them upside down, all with his trademark humour, quips, plays on words, and funny asides.

The three main characters feel like friends, and accompanying them on their journey to fairytale lands is full of such adventures as winning their way out of being bankrupted by card sharks, putting a big bad wolf out of its misery, trying a voodoo witches gumbo (and befriending her zombie boyfriend) and tasting banana daiquiris whilst flying around on broomstick.

This book, along with all the others of the Discworld series is recommended for people of all ages and genders. It’s fun and light- hearted fantasy with loveable characters and a quick pace.

You will have a great time!

Happy Reading and thanks for joining us at The Boss Book Club!

Wyrd Sisters

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Boss Book Club!

 

Today we’re continuing on with the Terry Pratchett Discworld Series by jumping into one of the books from the Witches Collection: Wyrd Sisters.

 

Wyrd Sisters tells the tale of three witches: the strict and foreboding Granny Weatherwax, the fun drunkard and eccentric Nanny Ogg and the enthusiastic but inexperienced newcomer Magrat. When the King of the Kingdom is murdered and the baby prince thrust unexpectedly into their care, it is the job of the witches to find the prince a new home. Many years later, with the kingdom thrown into turmoil under the dictatorship of a madman (the replacement King, the poor bugger) and a psychopath (that would be the Queen- think Lady Macbeth on steroids), it again falls to the witches to reinstate the proper order of things and, hopefully, save the kingdom.

 

This book is filled with the wonderful sense of adventure and humour that is instilled in all of Terry Pratchett’s novels. This book sees a return of Granny Weatherwax, who featured in the previous witches novel, Equal Rites. Her no-nonsense, cut the rubbish attitude will remind you of that teacher you had in high school, but you can’t help but like her all the same. The comraderie and humour shared between the witches is the highlight of the story; they are all loveable in their own right and make for great leading characters.

 

As always there is an element of satire in the book as well- this time the world of the theatre gets a serve. There is a parody on the famous globe theatre, as well as the crafts of acting and scriptwriting getting some attention. If you are a person who has acted in a play before, or would like to, then you will find these parts of the book funny and endearing.

 

What I love about the Discworld Series is that you can easily digest one of these books over a lazy weekend, they are easy to read and you’re guaranteed a laugh no matter what age you are. Terry Pratchett’s writing style is warm and welcoming, like being read a bedtime story by an eccentric uncle. Enjoy!

 

Please join us tomorrow for a review of Huruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Hello Everyone and Welcome Back to the Boss Book Club!

Today we will be looking at Equal Rites, the first book of the witches collection that makes up the wonderful Discworld series.

For those that have been following along, I’m reading my way through all 41 books of the Discworld fantasy series. They can be read in chronological order, or you can read them in terms of their themed groupings, or “collections.” I’m reading them by collection, according to whatever interests me. I’ve just gotten through the death series, now onto witches!

Equal Rites was published in 1987. It is the third book of the overall Discworld series, and the first of the witches collection.

This book is tightly focused on two main characters, Esk, a young girl from modest beginnings who’s life’s ambition is to become a wizard, and her guardian and friend Granny Weatherwax, a traditional witch who tries to teach her the ways of witchery, but eventually, if not begrudgingly, ends up helping her travel to the Unseen University, to help her reach her wizarding destiny.

The book is filled with satire and humour about gender. In this world it is traditional for girls to be witches, and specialize in the magics that involve herbs, animals and curing potions, and for boys to be wizards, who do more ‘serious’ magic, geometry and star- gazing. Esk is a rebel by nature, upsetting the status quo by demanding to know exactly why a girl can’t be a wizard.

This book is different to those of the Death Collection; it focuses mostly on the relationship, friendship and adventure of the two main characters,. It is a more intimate story, and it is filled with rich descriptions of the towns and lands through which they travel, along with Pratchett’s wonderful humour. In the Death Collection there is more action and more characters, there are various stories intertwined and very few descriptions of landscapes. It’s a matter of personal taste as to which you will like better: this story has two very likeable, funny and inspirational lead characters and the story moves at a slower pace, which is a good thing as it gives you the time to get to know them, and enjoy their journey.

This is a wonderful book for all to enjoy, but is particularly inspiring for young ladies to pursue their dreams and not let anyone tell them what girls should and shouldn’t do!

 

Happy Reading, see you next time on The Boss Book Club!