led's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
eol's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
lukerik's review against another edition
informative
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Far more interesting than it deserves to be considering it’s about a man who spent most of his time sitting down. It’s one for fans of Pratchett rather than fans of biography. Don’t come to it expecting Ackroyd or Tomalin. Wilkins has the disadvantage of being too close to his subject.
On the other hand, he has the advantage of being close to his subject. It’s intimate. It’s not a hagiography. There are numerous examples of Pratchett being a total arsehole. Particularly well done is his charting of Pratchett’s dementia. This might make you tear up at times. Of course, I didn’t because I’m a big brave boy. Having read the books as they came out I didn’t notice any effect on them until Raising Steam. There’s obviously something wrong with the novel. But then The Shepherd’s Crown is incomplete but what’s on the page is fine. What’s shocking is what a state he was in long before that. It beggars belief how he was able to continue for so long. Wilkins’s account of the writing of these two novels is very interesting.
It’s well written. Very readable, and the tone is spot on.
On the other hand, he has the advantage of being close to his subject. It’s intimate. It’s not a hagiography. There are numerous examples of Pratchett being a total arsehole. Particularly well done is his charting of Pratchett’s dementia. This might make you tear up at times. Of course, I didn’t because I’m a big brave boy. Having read the books as they came out I didn’t notice any effect on them until Raising Steam. There’s obviously something wrong with the novel. But then The Shepherd’s Crown is incomplete but what’s on the page is fine. What’s shocking is what a state he was in long before that. It beggars belief how he was able to continue for so long. Wilkins’s account of the writing of these two novels is very interesting.
It’s well written. Very readable, and the tone is spot on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, and Dementia
laurel1985's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.75
joshtenet's review against another edition
tore through this as quickly as I would with any Pratchett written book. very funny and very sad in equal measures. now to read all the Pratchett books I've never read, and the ones I've read before all over again. also, this is my 50th book of the year!
sherrybomb's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A touching memoir written by someone who truly knew Sir Terry.