Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Finished reading Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett, which is actually the first of his Discworld books for kids that I’ve read, since they fell in the period (from about 2001 on) that I stopped reading every Pratchett book as it was released. Only midway through did I realise that Wintersmith was the third part of Tiffany Aching stories, and that there are a fair few more books I need to read before I can once again say I’ve read all of Pratchett’s novels (and since that process has been going since I was about 7, I probably ought to re-read a handful!).

I enjoyed the book, though. I tend to like his stories about witches, which always seem to have more warmth and heart than the other continuities. I also think that if his stories for kids tone down the clever-clever satire and often jarring need to insert parodies with the real world, that might make for more sincere, likeable books.

I was just a little disappointed that the preview chapter I read was followed by a skip back in time that lead back up to it, because it was the prospect of the story continuing from that point that appealed to me, rather than the slow realisation that it will be almost the very end of what will unfold, but that is a minor quibble, because the story was rich and intriguing and sweet enough that I enjoyed it throughout. I’ve even grown to like the Nac Mac Feegle, who I initially thought were such a bad idea. Best, though, is the evocation of a gentle, bucolic lifestyle that is hard but noble and where practical skills are what is really important in life. It’s all done with such conviction.

It’s hard for me to be objective about Pterry, so much of my life, and early life, being influenced by what he wrote. Some of his earlier books will always be very dear to me, and I have utmost respect for him. I haven’t liked recent novels so much, and am well aware that I will likely be disappointed with a few of the books if I go back to reread them and find flaws that I didn’t notice as a child, but this was a genuinely good, solid, simple but well-wrought yarn.