PhoenixFalls - , reviewed on 10/30/2010 + 185 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

This was my first experience with Discworld, and thus also my first experience with Tiffany Aching, and it was overall a quite enjoyable experience. The book stood alone well, and while I could tell there were quite a few references to events in previous novels (both in the Tiffany Aching series and in the larger Discworld series) they didn't get in the way of the story being told and didn't seem to spoil anything if I decide to pick up the earlier novels. (At least, nothing more than the jackets would have spoiled for me anyway.)

It's very definitely aimed at young adults (say 10-12 and up), with its teenage protagonist dealing largely with the issue of learning to act as a thoughtful independent agent. The Discworld setting was there as backdrop, but largely irrelevant to the story at hand, and while there were comic moments, particularly with the Wee Free Men, this was not a laugh-out-loud sort of book. It was focused on several themes common (but nonetheless vital) to young adult novels: finding your place in the world, thinking before you act (especially if you are short on sleep), and most importantly not standing idly by while those around you suffer. It also sounds a stern warning not to get caught up in the madness of crowds. And, impressively, all of those themes were well served, because Pratchett makes sure that the reader sees that there are no Bad Guys, just people reacting (often without thinking) to the people and circumstances around them.

Tiffany is a good heroine, strong-minded and action-oriented, but with a knack for self-reflection and enough humility that she quickly owns to her own mistakes and errors of judgment. I particularly enjoyed the fact that, unlike most heroines, she was expected to stand on her own two feet, and there was no one waiting in the wings to save her if she fell. This was unfortunately undercut by a mild love story that, while not in any way objectionable, simply didn't feel like it belonged in the tale of such an independent character. However, what was lacking in that department was made up by two very strong central images (the title and the hare) that Pratchett wove throughout; they are what I will take away from the novel long after I've forgotten (though not totally forgiven) its little bit of soppiness.

So all in all, a solid, well-paced and well-written work of fantasy for younger readers.

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