I Shall Wear Midnight

I Shall Wear Midnight
by Terry Pratchett

After Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and Wintersmith, we meet Tiffany Aching yet again as a 16 year old practicing witch, doing the needful for the needy, nothing glamorous, nothing fanciful, just back-breaking work that touches people's lives in a way that only witches care to do. She is the hag o' the hills. Chalk's very own witch.

But then, witches are suddenly becoming unpopular. Not that they were popular to begin with - they were ignored and perhaps feared, but they were duly acknowledged and accepted, they were respected. Not anymore. A whisper, a thought, a feeling rears up and the witches are condemned and scorned, hated and hunted.


Traditionally witches wore black. Tiffany preferred green. They also wore pointy hats. Tiffany was going to make her own hat. The title refers to something Tiffany says in A Hat Full of Sky, ""When I'm old I shall wear midnight, she'd decided. But for now she'd had enough of darkness." 


I was terribly torn as I read the book - none of the usual buoyant humor and witty social commentary that I've come to love Pratchett for. This book is dark with a rather meandering story arc, with some unappealing and one-dimensional characters. 


The brilliance of Pratchett's writing, his ability to string the words into a perfectly fabricated sentence that delivers the punch while being side-splitting-ly funny and instructive, is what I treasure more than just the plot and the characters and the clever narration. 


I Shall Wear Midnight is sadly not one of those books that I shall treasure for the sheer joy of reading. And it breaks my heart to admit it, because, clearly, Pratchett is losing his battle with early-onset Alzheimer's and the world is losing a genius. 


But then Pratchett's worst is still better than others' best. And this is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. Pratchett's keen observation and understanding of human workings comes through in piercing depth.


It was painful to start the book reading in detail about domestic violence and child abuse and murder and the ferocity of the lynch-mob and the poison of rumors and hatred. 


The characters were difficult to empathize or identify with. The Pettys, Letitia, the Duchess, Derek, even the eyeless villain, Cunning Man, were all rather distasteful, no redeeming features. Unfortunately, even my favorite Feegles suffer from this treatment - the impish, fiercely loyal, funny and riotous Feegles turn rather insufferable at times in this narration. 


The Watch meets Mistress Weatherwax meets Tiffany Aching story has so many possibilities. But, this book did not explore or present much in terms of appreciating the combination.


Having gotten that out of my chest, I must add that there are layers of subtle commentaries on relationships and machinations of the world that are quite thought-provoking. While Tiffany's relationship with Roland ("we're good friends") is much talked about in Chalk, that romantic aspect is incidental to the story, yet masterfully explored. What do people expect of their witch?

Tiffany is not a normal teenager. But then, which teenager is really normal? Which teenager, witch or otherwise, doesn't wonder, Will anyone understand me? Will they know what I go through? Will they always treat me like an outsider? Will they not realize I am human?

I was able to finish this book in a day, thanks to July 4th holiday, but the book was not an easy read.

All's well that ends well. How Tiffany beats Cunning Man seems rather hastily stitched together, just to get it out of the way and done with. Tiffany advocates for social progress with a new school and maybe a medic for the village and so on, very noble, very thoughtful... and the new Baron, her good friend Roland, does indulge her wishes very kindly.


[image source: terrypratchett.co.uk]

Wintersmith

Wintersmith
by Terry Pratchett

The third book in the Tiffany Aching series, Wintersmith is a delightful read, as always, narrating the story of what happened when almost-13-year-old Tiffany felt the urge to dance.

 Not any old dance, not an ordinary girlish frolic, easily indulged and without much consequence, with a village friend. No. She steps into the Summer Lady's spot where the Wintersmith has tangoed with her for eternity in the Dance of the Seasons.

I met Tiffany in Wee Free Men. At 9, she didn't like not being the youngest and didn't like having to babysit her brother, but, willingly  stepped into Fairyland armed with a frying pan to retrieve her brother from the Queen of the Fairies.

At 11, in A Hat Full of Sky, Tiffany's entry into witch-hood (witchdom?) was quite dramatic, thanks to the hiver that takes over her as it had taken over thousands before, only to destroy them in the end. Tiffany's successful apprenticeship and return to Chalk, her home, etched her in my mind.

And now, at 13, she has done it again. Only, she didn't know what she had done. Or how to undo it. Can Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegles help her out once again before the world freezes over?

It is no secret that I keep going back to Pratchett's books for his writing. Out of context, and randomly quoted, his words may seem just bits of frivolous indulgence, possibly funny but not all that deep. However, when taken in with his wisdom and commentary on human nature, his words simply stagger my mind. I wonder, did he just set out to write that sentence as it is and just type it out? Or did he write down the idea, scratch and polish over time to get that perfectly shining sentence conveying exactly what it does at face-value but much more as the mind unfolds it in its unique way?


The summary of Wintersmith is simple: Tiffany makes the mistake of dancing with the Wintersmith who mistakes her for the Lady of Summer and is immediately smitten with her. He follows her with his iciness and freezes the world for her to be his. But when the wee lambs are dying of cold and the world feels doomed to chillness forever, Tiffany manages to take charge. She finds a way to reunite the Summer Lady and the Wintersmith and bring Spring back to the world. 


Tiffany, like any 13-year old, initially loves the attention from the Wintersmith, but her Third Thoughts tell her it is not right. Her Second Thoughts wonder why she likes the attention. Her First Sight sees little Tiffanys in the snowflakes and wonders if that is the worst thing that can happen to embarrass her. 


And what about Roland? Sure, she incidentally rescued him from the Queen of Fairies when she got her brother back, but, is he as dense as she had assumed? Does he hold a torch for her? If so, does she care? And if she does, will she do anything about it? Other than curtsy and make him nervous? 


We learn a lot more about Tiffany, the Feegles, their Kelda Jeannie, and the sorority of witches and how they keep a watch on each other. 


Rob Anybody, with Daft Wullie and the Feegles, are irrepressible and rather adorable. The Scots conversations are a treat to read, the characters forming clearly even as they are clumped together as a clan of little blue men who love to steal and drink and fight. 


Just because the protagonist is a young adult, the book itself is not just for the Young Adult. In fact, there are very few Pratchett books that I think the young adult would experience at a depth that age/experience/wisdom allows.
[image source: terrypratchett.co.uk]

A Hat Full of Sky

A Hat Full of Sky
by Terry Pratchett

The second in the Tiffany Aching adventure, following The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky showcases this plucky young 11-year-old heroine's mettle as she embarks on her apprenticeship in magic.

Tiffany is a hard name for a witch to live down. But, in ancient tongue it also means Land Under Wave, something hard to live up to. But, Tiffany is up for it.

The Hiver, at once terrifying and curious, is a creature with no body, no real mind, but just a sort of parasite that holds the echoes of the memories it has taken over since before time began. The hiver seeks power more for its sustenance, for its existence at some level, than for some grand end. So, the hiver naturally finds Tiffany, a powerful young witch who does not know quite how powerful she is and why.

With Granny Weatherwax's and the Nac Mac Feegles' support, it would seem like Tiffany is well-armed, but, she must face the hiver alone, in her mind. And it will take all of her resource and courage to deal with it, perhaps more.

What struck me about this book is the pre-teen Tiffany's bundle of emotions portrayed expertly by the author, once again establishing his mastery over not just the nuances of the language but of the human emotions and social entanglements.

Arriving at Miss. Level's cottage, naive yet determined, Tiffany was most certainly not ready for the double Miss Levels - two bodies with one mind, but not in the traditional "twins" way. But she takes it in her stride and manages quite well despite the invisible neat-freak Oswald tidying up after her even before she is done messing up her room.

She has no friends yet; she is far away from Chalk, her home; she does not know what the apprenticeship involves; she hopes it will be all about learning to be a witch but is slowly finding out that it might not be all about the conventional abracadabra magic but of the more subtle sort; she is quick to form opinions but quick to change them when reason demands it;  and she is certainly sure of herself, at least until the hiver takes over her.

Will she turn "evil" and start to cackle? Because we all know that a witch is only one step away from cackling if nobody is keeping an eye on her and she forgets the difference between right and wrong and no longer feels the need to be accountable for her decisions.

All's well that ends well, as always in Pratchett's wonderful Discworld tales. Tiffany manages to send the hiver away to a place it cannot return from. She earns the respect of fellow young witches and the greatest witch of all, Granny Weatherwax, who is one of the most intriguing and complex characters in the Discworld.

Tiffany learns a lot about herself, about witching, and about making her own hat. Granny Aching wore the wind for her coat and Tiffany will wear the sky for her hat. She may not be able to fly the broom without getting sick or make a shamble in a hurry (unless she really needs to), but, she can certainly open the door and show the departed the way into the next world, just like that.

Pratchett's genius always leaves me awed and inspired. His keen observation and accessible presentation, not to mention his flair of language and the side-splitting-ly funny narration makes his books a much-savored experience every time I read one.

[image source: terrypratchett.co.uk]

The Illustrated Wee Free Men

The Illustrated Wee Free Men
by Terry Pratchett
illustrated by Stephen Player

In this first book in the Tiffany Aching series, Pratchett packs it with his usual touches - unforgettable characters, out-of-the-world situations, romping adventure, brilliant wit, plus his inimitable humor and perspective on social issues.

The Illustrated Wee Free Men is quite a visual experience. Be it the full page pictures that sort of form the background for the text superimposed on it, or the wee little Feegles hanging precariously off a letter or quietly trying to make off with one along the edges, or the shadows and typography lending the ambiance, the illustrations complement the text superbly, neither interfering nor distracting but in perfect harmony with the images the words manage to paint in our heads.

Tiffany Aching of the Chalk is all of 9 years old, but very practical and efficient at carrying out her duties, blessed with keen observation and strong intuition, not to mention her cheese-making talents, who never misses an opportunity to do some extra learning on the side whenever she can spare the extra carrot or the egg - the fee for gaining knowledge from traveling teachers.

A girl cannot know enough, especially if she is a witch. She is not thrilled about babysitting her little brother Wentworth as much as she has to, but, she does it nonetheless. "He's a nuisance! He takes up my time and I'm always having to look after him and he always wants sweets."

But when her brother is stolen, she will not say Good Riddance and get on with her life. No. She will go to the end of the world, into the dream world, muster all the strength, determination, knowledge and courage she can to bring him back home safely.

Thankfully for Tiffany, she doesn't have to do it alone. The 6-inch tall, blue-skinned, red-haired, kilt-wearing, Scots speaking Nac Mac Feegles always keep an eye out for her, their Wee Big Hag.

"Crivens! Gang awa' oot o' here, ye daft wee hinny! 'Ware the green heid!... Nae time for fishin'!"

With Rob Anybody, their Big Man o' the clan, Daft Wullie, William the gonnagle, Hamish the aviator and a lot more weird ones, the Feegles are easily the at-once-simple-yet-richly-complex characters encountered in Pratchett's menagerie. They are pictsies (not pixies, oh no)  full of vigor and the fighting spirit, as well as the alcoholic spirits which they imbibe in copious amounts whenever they can, stealing anything not nailed down, tending to scream 'Crivens!' and 'Oh Waily! Waily! Waily!' a lot, fiercely protective of Tiffany yet terrified of her wrath, jumping headlong into unknown situations and coming out fine in the end... if we end up loving them in the end knowing what a nuisance they can be it is thanks to Pratchett.

What can I say about Granny Aching? Well, other than what the story reveals, of course? Almost all the matronly women authority figures in Pratchett's books are awesome, some more authoritarian while others rather quietly compelling. Granny Weatherwax is an all-time favorite of mine, but close on her heels is Nanny Ogg, and now the no-longer-with-us Granny Aching, Tiffany's grandma.

It is quite a wild ride when Tiffany sets out into the dream world where Wentworth is trapped. She not only manages to get back Wentworth but also rescues the Baron's son, Roland, who was decomposing there unbeknownst to him.

All's well that ends well. It is indeed something when one finishes the book but the book is not finished with one. I caught myself going back to it, flipping to favorite pages and relishing the experience. Of course, I do that with all of Pratchett's books.


Although it is a suggested Young Adult novel, the book is a wonderful read for older readers. This is another of Pratchett's books that I would love to have on my bookshelf to pass on to my kids when they are ready for it. 

[image source: amazon.com]