Hardcover, 368 pages
English language
Published Oct. 28, 2008 by Doubleday UK.
A riotous, wise, and gripping junior Discworld novel from the Carnegie Medal-winning author and acknowledged master of comic fantasy.Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching thinks her Granny Aching - a wise shepherd - might have been a witch, but now Granny Aching is dead and it's up to Tiffany to work it all out when strange things begin happening: a fairy-tale monster in the stream, a headless horseman and, strangest of all, the tiny blue men in kilts, the Wee Free Men, who have come looking for the new 'hag'. These are the Nac Mac Feegles, the pictsies, who like nothing better than thievin', fightin' and drinkin'. Then Tiffany's young brother goes missing and Tiffany and the Wee Free Men must join forces to save him from the Queen of the Fairies-
I might just be a shallow person, but I enjoyed the earlier, more Feegle-heavy parts of this book the most. In the later interactions with the Queen of Fae, I had the uncomfortable impression Pratchett had one or more serious points about psychological abuse.
I haven't read this since I was a child and I'm glad to say it holds up extremely well. Despite being middle grade, I really enjoyed it and found the writing incredible; Terry didn't dumb his style down at all. All the fantasy elements were so beautifully complex in a way that a lot of YA and adult fantasy isn't. It's also really funny! I love the Nac Mac Feegles of course, but the toad especially was a delight I probably didn't find as funny when I was I kid
Tiffany was one of my favourite book characters as a child and she still is! I definitely see her in a different way now than then (I would have been her age when I first read it), she's clever in a very realistic way and her emotional journey really connected with me. I especially appreciated the flashback sections about her …
I haven't read this since I was a child and I'm glad to say it holds up extremely well. Despite being middle grade, I really enjoyed it and found the writing incredible; Terry didn't dumb his style down at all. All the fantasy elements were so beautifully complex in a way that a lot of YA and adult fantasy isn't. It's also really funny! I love the Nac Mac Feegles of course, but the toad especially was a delight I probably didn't find as funny when I was I kid
Tiffany was one of my favourite book characters as a child and she still is! I definitely see her in a different way now than then (I would have been her age when I first read it), she's clever in a very realistic way and her emotional journey really connected with me. I especially appreciated the flashback sections about her grandmother, they were so heartfelt and powerful.
Definitely a recommended read for anyone, regardless of age
This edition illustrated by Stephen Player is essential!
