Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.00 You Save: $4.99 (62%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.74 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Wyrd Sisters
Book Review: A Coven of Witches on the Discworld
Summary: 4 Stars
Wyrd sisters is the second novel in the witches series and the sixth novel in the Discworld series. It features a trio of witches named Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and junior witch Magrat Garlick. Wyrd Sisters tells the tale of a murdered King and the search for his heir. In the Discworld, it if very uncommon that Kings die from what most of us would consider natural causes, so there is plenty of foul-play to be investigated. The witches eventually become aware of the situation and decide that they must attempt to steer the events as they are unfolding, even though that goes against the common rules for witches.
This is another example of the fine comedy and satire that Terry Pratchett consistently delivers. It is particularly funny to see the various reactions of the witches to various social constructs, in particular The Theater. The story is very interesting, and while maybe not the strongest of the series, good enough given some fairly strong comedy support.
Book Review: A Wizard's Staff Has A Knob On The End
Summary: 5 Stars
Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Wyrd Sisters" is the sixth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and his second (after "Equal Rites") to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch. It was first published in 1988 and was later made into a cartoon. Pratchett won the 2001 Carnegie Medal for "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" and was awarded the OBE in 1998.
Granny Weatherwax is joined in "Wyrd Sisters" by the two other members of her recently formed coven. One, Nanny Ogg, is the raucous head of the Ogg clan based in Lancre town. (She also owns a fearsome, one-eyed tomcat with an unbridled libido called Greebo). The other is Magrat Garlick, who has a few fanciful ideas about magic that Granny doesn't altogether approve of - dancing, occult jewellery, runes and the healing power of colours, for example. The trio are caught up in Lancre's political affairs when Duke Felmet decides it's time for his cousin, King Verence, to 'retire' - and kindly plants a dagger into the King's back. The King's infant son and the Kingdom's crown are delivered into the witches' hands by an escaping servant loyal to the deceased King - who now haunts the castle, desperately longing for the ability to eat. The coven, in turn, christens the royal orphan 'Tomjon' and, for his protection, put him in the care of a travelling theatre. The new king, however, is such a disaster they realise Tomjon must return to the throne as quickly as possible.
Although "Wyrd Sisters" is most obviously a parody of Shakespeare's "Macbeth", you don't have to have read the Scottish play to enjoy the book. Having said that, even a basic awareness of the Bard's work should increase the number of laughs. Hwel, the dwarven playwright for the travelling band of actors, seems to owe a little to Shakespeare himself and when the troupe settle in Ankh-Morpork their home theatre is named "The Dysk". (Shakespeare's, of course, was called "The Globe"). Hwel, at various points, was also on the verge of 'inventing' the Discworld's versions of the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. Duke Felmet's Fool, who falls in love with Magrat, not only hates his job but is clearly a good deal more intelligent than his paranoid boss. (The Fool and the young witch also deliver what is quite possibly the longest kiss in literature). However, it's Nanny Ogg - with her fondness for a 'knees up' and a vulgar song - who is my favorite character. Thoroughly recommended !
Book Review: A coven of wyrd sisters...
Summary: 5 Stars
Terry Pratchett has always excelled at barbecuing sacred cows. Here, he takes on Shakespeare and some of the trappings of fairy tales and fantasy novels, with a coven of odd witches, a bell-covered Fool who's no idiot, and a king who is, technically, dead.King Verence of Lancre has been murdered by his cousin Felmet and Felmet's wife. The frustrated king is left haunting the castle as a ghost, and wondering what has happened to his infant son, the heir to the throne. The baby has, in fact, been dropped with a crown into the laps of three witches: Formidable Granny Weatherwax, mildly drunken and very maternal Nanny Ogg, and naive flowery Magrat. The witches decide to get the baby out of the country to keep him safe, and see him off safely with a troupe of kindly actors.
But things are still awry. Felmet, now acting as king of Lancre, is pretty obviously going insane, and his unhappy Fool is the one who keeps giving him tidbits of advice. Felmet and his iron-willed wife decide to stamp out the witches through malicious lies and rumors. But the witches have a few tricks (and spells) up their sleeves, and with they intend to deal with Felmet with the help of the Fool, the dead king, and a lot of furry little animals...
This book has it all: sweet stammering romance, Shakespearean quotes and jokes (Felmet's repeated questions about "Is this a dagger I see before me?"), time travel, ghosts, political strife, and twists on such themes as the long lost heir of a kingdom. There is a Shakespearean dwarf who pens brilliant plays all the time, who will amuse Shakespeare enthusiasts. Pratchett even manages a mild lesson that won't make readers grit their teeth, about how easily opinions can be shaped by false information from movies/books/magazines, or in this case, plays.
Granny Weatherwax of "Equal Rites" is more appealing here, with Magrat and Nanny Ogg to serve as counterpoints. (After all, Samuel Vimes of the "Watch" novels wouldn't be as appealing without Carrot, Nobby, Colon, and the others) Granny is tough, indomitable, but not without her flaws and weaknesses. Nanny Ogg serves as a sillier witch, with her instant attraction to alcohol and tendency to sing obscene songs (something parents will want to edit out). Magrat is a much younger witch, with dreamy ideas about occult jewelry, good witch godmothers, candles, runes, and no romantic experience whatsoever. Felmet is entertainingly crazy, but Pratchett doesn't let readers forget that he is a bad guy; his wife, on the other hand, is both evil and frighteningly sane. The Fool is also a refreshing character, a jester with a brain who hates his job. Tomjon (the prince) is unusually endearing for a Long Lost Heir; he seems like a real person. King Verence, despite being dead, is very vital and great to read about. And, of course, Death has his part to play, despite his inability to remember his lines.
Though not the best of Pratchett's novels, "Wyrd Sisters" is amusing and witty, wry and fun. A great read for teens and adults who love a good story.
Book Review: A nice twist on Macbeth and other things Shakespeare - though not my favorite Discworld book
Summary: 4 Stars
You never know for sure how you are going to respond to a book before you actually read it. I recently read two more books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, WYRD SISTERS and PYRAMIDS. (I had previously read about a third of the Discworld books, but I'm currently reading all of them in order of publication.) I had imagined that I was going to love WYRD SISTERS, knowing that it was filled with Shakespearean references, and imagined that I was going to dislike PYRAMIDS, since I am pretty uninterested in Egyptian mythology and religion. And given that the novel was set in an area of the Discworld in which we were not likely to encounter any of I was wrong. I enjoyed WYRD SISTERS well enough, but I didn't love it like I expected. But I absolutely adored PYRAMIDS. The novel is nothing short of absolutely hysterical, with Pratchett's inventiveness hitting on all cylinders, with one deliciously absurd character after another. The scenes where Dios exerts complete control over the actions of Teppic are among the finest Pratchett has produced, while the delightful beast known as You Bastard are among my favorite creatures in the entire Disc. The scenes in which Teppeic and Dios exchange words are unfailingly delightful. But I may prefer ever more the moments in which we learn that camels are the most brilliant creatures on the Disc and that they are oblivious to others because they are perpetually engaged in working out problems in higher mathematics. The book also has a brilliant encounter between Teppic and the Sphinx, with some typical Pratchettian twists on the tale.
I didn't actually dislike WYRD SISTERS. The problem was more that I have never really been drawn to the witches to begin with. Just a matter of taste. I did enjoy the references to Shakespeare. Have the joy of Pratchett is getting his various cultural allusions. For instance, any Gene Wolfe fan will love the title of Part Three of PYRAMIDS, "The Book of the New Son." But it isn't enough merely to have references to Shakespeare; the allusions must stand up on their own, and my own feeling was that the Shakespearean elements in the book were the weakest part of the book.
So here is the paradox: I thought I was going to love WYRD SISTERS and dislike PYRAMIDS, whereas PYRAMIDS is my favorite of the first seven books in the series while WYRD SISTERS is my least favorite. Just shows to go that you need to read books before knowing whether or not you will like them.
Book Review: A spot-on send-up of Shakespeare, witches and fairy tales
Summary: 5 Stars
Although Terry Pratchett has abandoned non-stop satire in his Discworld books after "The Light Fantastic," "Wyrd Sisters" is as much a satire as it is a character and world-building novel, this time taking some very solid shots at William Shakespeare, "Macbeth," "Hamlet," the popular conception(s) of witches, and even a bit of a riff on fairy tales.A jealous relative has killed the King of Lancre, who is now stuck (literally) haunting his castle. But his infant son has been delivered into the care of three witches, including the formidable Granny Weatherwax, who refuse to meddle in politics. Well, that's what they say, anyway ...
As a Shakespeare enthusiast, I found the parodies of both plays spot on and very fun -- elements of it hold up very favorably next to "Shakespeare in Love" -- and as a fan of fantasy novels, I was delighted to see how Pratchett handled the problem of needing (REALLY needing) to get a usurper off the throne with an heir to the throne who's not even potty trained.
A word of warning: The hamhanded marketing copy in the back pages of the book promoting the Discworld series gives away the end of this novel. I'm not sure what they were thinking there ...
Although I mostly prefer the Unseen University novels, "Wyrd Sisters" is easily one of my favorite Discworld novels, and indeed, novels in general. Whole-heartedly recommended to fans of Discworld, Shakespeare or fantasy with a sense of humor.