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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
Not the best discworld book however a touching final book in the series still worth reading.
It's my understanding that having finished this book I have now read all the mainline Discworld books (excluding the various supplementary & companion books, children's book, short stories, and Nanny Ogg's cookbook that I just ordered). This series is truly a treasure, and I'm not sure how I didn't end up reading them earlier in life. To be honest some of them are just okay and a few are bad, but the [disc]world and the characters Pratchett created to live there are magical & hilarious, and as in some of the other best books I've read they feel real, dang it. They feel alive (even DEATH)! Terry Pratchett was basically a wizard himself.
I'd put off the Tiffany Aching series because I'd heard it described as [YA] Young Adult and I'm neither young anymore nor much of an adult really. After getting deep into the rest of the series I'd actually bought the Tiffany Aching books for my young niece knowing by then the quality of Pratchett's work and thinking she might eventually enjoy them one day, however it remained sitting on my shelves waiting for her to learn to read. When I ran out of the other Discworld books, I figured my (still very young and mostly illiterate) niece wouldn't mind me borrowing the gift I hadn't given her yet so I could finish out the series and I very much enjoyed it. Pratchett avoided a lot of the unevenness present in some of the other sub-series and let some of his wonderful witches shine as supporting characters in stories here that are honestly better (IMHO) than most of the books in their own sub-series. Every time I finished one I felt joy & sadness at the same time. I'm glad I saved these books for last and I'll miss Discworld a lot.
I'd put off the Tiffany Aching series because I'd heard it described as [YA] Young Adult and I'm neither young anymore nor much of an adult really. After getting deep into the rest of the series I'd actually bought the Tiffany Aching books for my young niece knowing by then the quality of Pratchett's work and thinking she might eventually enjoy them one day, however it remained sitting on my shelves waiting for her to learn to read. When I ran out of the other Discworld books, I figured my (still very young and mostly illiterate) niece wouldn't mind me borrowing the gift I hadn't given her yet so I could finish out the series and I very much enjoyed it. Pratchett avoided a lot of the unevenness present in some of the other sub-series and let some of his wonderful witches shine as supporting characters in stories here that are honestly better (IMHO) than most of the books in their own sub-series. Every time I finished one I felt joy & sadness at the same time. I'm glad I saved these books for last and I'll miss Discworld a lot.
I thought Tiffany's tale had been wrapped up nicely, so I was dubious about this, but it felt right. It reminded me of Magrat's growth as a character all over again and said goodbye to one of my favourite characters from any universe.
Mind how you go.
Mind how you go.
I began this book in tears and as I ended it a single tear was falling along my cheek.
My last unread book by Terry Pratchett...non his best, but the best one to be the final one. Many strings were tied and are no longer left hanging, but its end speaks of life and future, as only a great writer can.
I miss him as much as the day he's gone, but will never forget him and all that he wrote and that means he's still with me, with all of us...as are his many characters and stories
#GNUPTerry
My last unread book by Terry Pratchett...non his best, but the best one to be the final one. Many strings were tied and are no longer left hanging, but its end speaks of life and future, as only a great writer can.
I miss him as much as the day he's gone, but will never forget him and all that he wrote and that means he's still with me, with all of us...as are his many characters and stories
#GNUPTerry
I will preface my review by saying that this was my favourite authors final book before his death and I am therefore not an independent source when it comes to my ratings and views.
Prose: 6/10 - The first few chapters might have some of the most basic and formulaic writing of any Pratchett book, but after that it really flows and pulls together for the story.
Re-readability: 8/10 - solid read and Pratchett’s final book. The death of one of his most iconic characters, led away by his most iconic character, was particularly momentous, touching, and emotional for me.
Character development: 9/10 - Tiffany’s development draws to a close in this book, with the closing of the circle with her Granny Aching. I have enjoyed Tiffany’s journey throughout the five books and it was a significant draw to complete them all.
World building: 10/10 - I don’t know what else needs to be said than Terry Pratchett and Discworld. A world that is so infinitely intricate and gave Pratchett so many different stories (repeated from every one of my Pratchett reviews).
Pacing: 7/10 - The story flowed fairly well but there were sections of the book that felt slower or weren’t fully explored. I suspect this is due to his untimely death prior to the books finish, it missed that final polish.
Ending: 8/10 - A good end to the Aching stories but I have to confess that I was hoping for that happy ever after ending in the final ever Discworld novel. But that wasn’t Pratchett nor Discworld and it felt fitting that it didn’t end in that fairytale, happily ever after, boy meets girl ending.
Overall: 8/10 - this was an excellent final book in the series and it leaves me feeling slightly empty having finished it. The characters are incredible draws and the gentle and nuanced humour is pure Pratchett. I would recommend the Aching books to everyone I know.
Prose: 6/10 - The first few chapters might have some of the most basic and formulaic writing of any Pratchett book, but after that it really flows and pulls together for the story.
Re-readability: 8/10 - solid read and Pratchett’s final book. The death of one of his most iconic characters, led away by his most iconic character, was particularly momentous, touching, and emotional for me.
Character development: 9/10 - Tiffany’s development draws to a close in this book, with the closing of the circle with her Granny Aching. I have enjoyed Tiffany’s journey throughout the five books and it was a significant draw to complete them all.
World building: 10/10 - I don’t know what else needs to be said than Terry Pratchett and Discworld. A world that is so infinitely intricate and gave Pratchett so many different stories (repeated from every one of my Pratchett reviews).
Pacing: 7/10 - The story flowed fairly well but there were sections of the book that felt slower or weren’t fully explored. I suspect this is due to his untimely death prior to the books finish, it missed that final polish.
Ending: 8/10 - A good end to the Aching stories but I have to confess that I was hoping for that happy ever after ending in the final ever Discworld novel. But that wasn’t Pratchett nor Discworld and it felt fitting that it didn’t end in that fairytale, happily ever after, boy meets girl ending.
Overall: 8/10 - this was an excellent final book in the series and it leaves me feeling slightly empty having finished it. The characters are incredible draws and the gentle and nuanced humour is pure Pratchett. I would recommend the Aching books to everyone I know.
This was a hard book to read. It's hard to shake the idea that He knew and we know that this is the last Discworld book. Some of the story took on new meaning as ideas of death and mortality and human weakness are involved.
The story is a typical Discworld. Witty. Wise. Well Worth reading.
A fitting goodbye from the master.
The story is a typical Discworld. Witty. Wise. Well Worth reading.
A fitting goodbye from the master.
This wasn't truly Tiffany but it was a beautiful farewell. Thank you for everything, Terry Pratchett.
Starting out with a challenge to myself to listen to the entire Discworld series as audio books has been quite a ride. I had expected to be hugely entertained, to laugh a lot, and feel a bit sad in places. I hadn't quite expected to be as thought-provoked as I turned out to be, with the range of issues that Pratchett cast light on, granted in a funny way mostly, being as wide-ranging and pertinent as they all turned out to be. I had expected characters that I would grow to really like, but nowhere near as much as I grew to love Tiffany, Granny, Nanny, Sam, Sybill, young Sam, Carrot, Angua, Cherry, Detritus, Rincewind, the Librarian, Wizards, Archchancellor, The Dean, the Bursar, dear Mrs Whitlow, everybody, every single one of them. I've loved spending time in their company and I dreaded finishing THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN.
I'm not even vaguely interested in criticism or discussion of Terry Pratchett's plotting and writing when it comes to this last outing, the man was dying of an insidious, vicious disease, and the fact that he managed to write what he wrote is something I'll always be slightly in awe of. Knowing that he'd died by the time I listened to this, I found THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN hugely entertaining, in a desperately sad, end of an era in more than one aspect, way. It's the story of Tiffany Aching really stepping up to the mark, struggling with the workload, and the threats, learning her limitations and finding ways and means of coping. It's the story of the death of the great leaders of one generation, and the passing on of the crown to the next. It's all about trust, and love and care for each other in a way that, frankly, had me sniffling and diving for the tissues on more than one occasion.
It has me back lurking around https://wiki.lspace.org/Main_Page, renaming poultry pens with Discworld names, and basically hanging onto the world for as long as I can. It has me wondering how long it will be before I start the odyssey again - right back at the start. I absolutely love this series. Everytime I read, or listen to, each of these books, I find something else that I missed, something else to really admire, something to make me laugh a hell of a lot, something to make me go hmmmm.
I'm not even vaguely interested in criticism or discussion of Terry Pratchett's plotting and writing when it comes to this last outing, the man was dying of an insidious, vicious disease, and the fact that he managed to write what he wrote is something I'll always be slightly in awe of. Knowing that he'd died by the time I listened to this, I found THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN hugely entertaining, in a desperately sad, end of an era in more than one aspect, way. It's the story of Tiffany Aching really stepping up to the mark, struggling with the workload, and the threats, learning her limitations and finding ways and means of coping. It's the story of the death of the great leaders of one generation, and the passing on of the crown to the next. It's all about trust, and love and care for each other in a way that, frankly, had me sniffling and diving for the tissues on more than one occasion.
It has me back lurking around https://wiki.lspace.org/Main_Page, renaming poultry pens with Discworld names, and basically hanging onto the world for as long as I can. It has me wondering how long it will be before I start the odyssey again - right back at the start. I absolutely love this series. Everytime I read, or listen to, each of these books, I find something else that I missed, something else to really admire, something to make me laugh a hell of a lot, something to make me go hmmmm.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No