A Hat Full of Sky

A Hat Full of Sky: The Continuing Adventures of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men by Terry Prachett.

This book is hard to review because all I really want to say is "Terry Prachett is the bomb."

So, this is a Tiffany Aching book from the Discworld series (is series really the right world for Disworld? It doesn't quite fit, but I can't come up with a better one.) Tiffany's excited to start learning how to be a witch, but it turns out her apprenticeship has more chores than magic. The one bit of witch-y stuff she does get is flying, which makes her horribly ill. But, an hiver is after Tiffany. An hiver that possesses her and controls her body, and tries to take over her mind.

Seriously guys, Terry Prachett is the BOMB. He writes this quirky and hilarious books set in this crazy universe, but at the same time, raises really deep points and makes you contemplate the larger questions of the universe, all while laughing your head off.

In this book, I especially enjoyed the other apprentice witches and the high school girl dynamic you get with them and how Tiffany sees through it without seeming cynical or over-mature. Plus, lots and lots of MacFeegles trying to help and create as much mischief as possible.

I do recommend Discworld even to those who aren't fantasy readers. I only picked up my first one because it was assigned reading, and I'm so, so glad I did.

Must read more Discworld. MUST.

Book Provided by... my wallet

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Color of Magic

The Color of Magic: A Discworld Novel Terry Prachett

This is the first-ever Discworld novel. I’ve read most of the Tiffany Aching books and Nation and fell in love with Prachett, so I thought I’d read more Discworld.

Rincewind is a failed wizard who gets stuck playing tourguide to a naive, but eager, tourist named Twoflower. Hijinks and chaos follow them wherever they go to Rincewind's dismay and Twoflower’s sheer delight.

Overall, I was a bit “eh.” It was enjoyable but wouldn’t tempt me to pick up any more in the series. I will pick up more, but that’s just because I love the Tiffany Aching books and everyone’s told me that Color of Magic is one of the weaker books and you really shouldn’t start with that one anyway.

My main problem with it was that while it retains the silly absurdity of Prachett’s other work, it lacks the GREAT TRUTH that underpins it. My favorite thing about Prachett is his dark humor, the way he takes some GREAT TRUTH and cracks wise about it, but still really gives you food for though on the deeper meanings of life, religion, and everything. This one just cracks wise and didn’t make me think much.

So, if you’ve been meaning to pick up some Prachett, don’t start with this one!

Book Provided by... my local library

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Wee Free Men

The Wee Free Men Terry Prachett

So I'm approaching Discworld a bit oddly-- the first one I read was Wintersmith, which is the third book in the Tiffany Aching arc. This is the first book in that arc. Eventually, I'll even read some of the adult Discworld books! I want to read the whole series.

This is the book in which Tiffany first meets the Nac Mac Feegles, those blue pictsies, with their drinking and shouting. I love the Nac Mac Feegles. It's also where she first meets a witch and the witches discover her.

Another world is colliding with this one. Tiffany first sees it when Jenny Green-Teeth first comes up from the river and Tiffany bashes her with a frying pan. Then, the Queen of Fairies kidnaps Tiffany's little brother. With a talking toad and the Nac Mac Feegles, Tiffany ventures into the darkness and nightmare of Faerie in order to save her brother, and the world.

HILARIOUS! I feel like I'm the last person in the universe to discover the genius that is Pratchett. He captures such profound truths of the human experience and makes it hilarious and moving all at once. I'm not sure how.

While there are many things that struck me when reading this, the one that stayed with me is the fact that Tiffany is from the chalk. Witches take their strength from the earth, they're born onto hard rock, not chalk. But Tiffany is from the chalk and has the Nac Mac Feegle on her side... she's one to keep an eye on...

Book Provided by... my wallet

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Oh no! It's the pursin' o' the lips and the tappin' o' the foot!

Wintersmith Terry Pratchett

Ok, this is my first Tiffany Aching and, in fact, first Discworld book. While it was obvious it's the third in a series, I think it stands alone fairly well.

Tiffany is an apprentice witch who goes to see the Dance of the Seasons. She can't help herself, the music is in her feet, and she throws herself into the dance. As a result, Winter falls in love with her. Winter sets out to find what makes a man so that he can be human for her. Meanwhile, the world is trying to turn Tiffany into Summer, because Winter partners with Summer. Summer isn't overly happy about this.

Winter's attempts to woo Tiffany are disastrous to those Tiffany loves (it never stops snowing flakes that look like her, giant iceberg sculptures of her likeness cause ships to be lost) and his attempts are humanity always miss the mark.

But the Feegles are there to help and Tiffany won't let Winter bully her into never-ending cold.

Hilarious! I loved it (especially the Feegles). It's funnier than Nation (which I found to be really funny.) but still meditates on the fear of the unknown, the changing of the seasons and what makes a man. I've only read the two books by Pratchett, but am so impressed with his ability to have deeper meditations on the meaning of life and what makes us human while still making me shoot milk out my nose.

I'm so excited for Pratchett 2010 Reading Challenge!


Book Provided by... my local library

Links to Amazon are an affiliate link. You can help support Biblio File by purchasing any item (not just the one linked to!) through these links. Read my full disclosure statement.

Productive! PRODUCTIVE!

Sometimes, on a good day, I sing the "Productive" song, to celebrate my productivity. The productive song is to the tune of "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof, except you sing "Productive! PRODUCTIVE!" instead of "Tradition! TRADITION!" Today was productive in odd ways. I still have a mountain of things to do, but I did some SCARY things that paid off, so I feel good.

Also, a bleg-- a friend of mine wants to tap into/connect with the kidlit scene in Chicago. I passed on a few names that I already knew, but if you're in Chicago, let me know so I can play matchmaker.

And now, a review.

Nation Terry Pratchett

Lately, I've been reading a lot of books because I have to for work. Upcoming book discussions come with reading lists! Also, I'm preparing my presentation on Trends in YA lit for May's Maryland Library Association conference. In general, this is a good thing, I've had to read a lot of books that I otherwise wouldn't have and, in general, have really enjoyed them.

One such book is Nation, which I just finished at lunch today. It absolutely BLEW me away. I hadn't read any Prachett before this, and I'll have to look for more of his stuff.

Mau is returning home, to Nation, when the tidal wave hits. Daphne is on her way to where her father is governor on the other side of the world. Mau finally arrives to see that the wave wiped out his entire village and left a shipwrecked beast, the only survivor being the ghost-girl.

Together they survive. Mau questions the Gods who took away everything--how can Gods exisit if they make such things happen? He rages. Daphne, confined to a woman's place in upper class repressive society finds herself suddenly useful and smart and it's liberating.

The smoke from their fire draws in other survivors of the wave from other islands and a new community forms.

Initially heartbreaking, Nation ends up being laugh-out-loud funny. It's not often you have completely enjoyable works on the nature of culture and religion and international relations.

It completely deserves the Printz honor that it won and I highly recommend it.