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theaceofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
''Genua had once controlled the river mouth and taxed its traffic in a way that couldn't be called piracy because it was done by the city government.''
Ah yes, the witches. Always an interesting experience. In this book, Magrat inherits a fairy godmother's wand is has to head off to "foreign parts" to prevent a girl from marrying a prince. And of course Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg decide that they have to go with her. And get mad about how different everything is and that witches don't get the same kind of respect and therefore can't get away with the same kind of bullying they do back home.
I loved all the warped fairy tale references in this book. I didn't, however, like Granny Weatherwax. Her sense of entitlement and inflated self-worth are really rather irritating. I felt sorry for Magrat, who was just desperately trying to do her best and figure out how her wand works, but the older witches (especially Granny Weatherwax ) were so unkind to her about it.
I definitely think that this was a book where I preferred the ideas and the plot to the characters for the most part. I know that Pratchett probably didn't go in with any bad intentions, but parts have just aged poorly. Still a fun read though.
Ah yes, the witches. Always an interesting experience. In this book, Magrat inherits a fairy godmother's wand is has to head off to "foreign parts" to prevent a girl from marrying a prince. And of course Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg decide that they have to go with her. And get mad about how different everything is and that witches don't get the same kind of respect and therefore can't get away with the same kind of bullying they do back home.
I loved all the warped fairy tale references in this book. I didn't, however, like Granny Weatherwax. Her sense of entitlement and inflated self-worth are really rather irritating. I felt sorry for Magrat, who was just desperately trying to do her best and figure out how her wand works, but the older witches (especially Granny Weatherwax ) were so unkind to her about it.
I definitely think that this was a book where I preferred the ideas and the plot to the characters for the most part. I know that Pratchett probably didn't go in with any bad intentions, but parts have just aged poorly. Still a fun read though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death and Rape
fatherprozac's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
While it was funny at times, many of the jokes have not aged well such as the rape jokes centered around Greebo. I also wish Pratchett had done more research on the Vodou religion as this book is full of stereotypes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Racism and Rape
bluejayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
I am having a really hard time with the Witches sub-series. The main characters of this series seem to be Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magret – they are the protagonists of all but the first Witches book so far, at least. And even though they end up doing interesting stuff, the character dynamics are awful.
I didn’t like Magret in Wyrd Sisters. She was unmemorable and her entire role in that book seemed to be to complain about the older witches. In this book, she was much more memorable – mainly by inspiring pity. She’s been beaten down so much by Granny Weatherwax thinking she’s useless that her self-confidence is completely shattered. She is doing her best by herself but she can’t assert herself around others – not that Granny Weatherwax would let her if she tried.
Which brings me to Granny Weatherwax. There are very few kinds of characters I just can’t tolerate, and one of those is bullies. Granny Weatherwax is a bully. She’s rude, cruel, verbally and emotionally abusive to Magret, believes that she is the only person who is ever right and anyone who disagrees is hopelessly stupid, and will have her way no matter how she has to scheme or manipulate to get it. That’s not even mentioning her xenophobia, which is played for laughs (and failed to get any from me). She is not a good person. She is not a likeable character. And I am finally starting to accept that she must have some major character growth before the Tiffany Aching books because this Granny Weatherwax is mean and cruel.
Nanny Ogg I did like. She’s fun, often grandmotherly, a bit scatterbrained, and not exactly friendly but at least not cruel. Although I really can’t tell if I actually like her for herself but at a more level-headed, less-mean foil to Granny Weatherwax.
Itreally sucks that I struggled with the characters so much, because the plot and settings are actually interesting. The witches travel to a bunch of fascinating places, including Discworld equivalents of real-world places (the Discworld version of the Running of the Bulls was especially entertaining). There was also a fractured fairy tale element as the witches live out some fairy tales with dark and twisted underbellies. It even had some interesting commentary about forcing people to fit into narratives. But I had a hard time looking past the characters (especially Granny Weatherwax’s bullying) to appreciate it.
I really hope the rest of the Witches books are better, or at least that Granny Weatherwax gets some character growth and becomes less cruel to Magret. The ideas are interesting, but they’re overshadowed by the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
nicolaparty's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
Minor: Rape
I think that there's some classism throughout, but it's more something that seems to be on the part of the author, rather than it being a plot point.relin's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Ableism and Death
rini's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Alcohol