Which Witch Is Which? (Equal Rites - Terry Pratchett)

Member Name: karenuk

Product:	Equal Rites - Terry Pratchett
Date:	29/01/03 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great characters, funny

Disadvantages: not as good as some others

My Pratchett phase continues. The latest book I’ve finished is Equal Rites – the third Discworld novel and the first foray into the chronicles of the Witches. Perhaps unfortunately for me, I read Carpe Jugulum beforehand – a Pratchett book which is brilliant in every way – so Equal Rites had a lot to live up to and just didn’t manage it in my opinion.

The story is about a young girl called Esk (short for Eskarina). She is a wizard. Well, kind of. She possesses special wizard powers and even owns a wizard’s staff. There’s just one slight problem, one slight six-legged insect in the ointment of Eye of Bat – her gender. Yes, Esk is a girlie. Girls with magical powers are witches. The Unseen University - home of wizardry on the Discworld – promotes equality in the same way as oppressive religious beliefs strive to reinstate the mini skirt as a fashion must-have.

However, Esk cannot be dissuaded from her goal. Luckily for her (but unluckily for any who cross her path), she is championed by Granny Weatherwax - witch extraordinaire and scary old lady with a penchant for old clothes (especially silk) and a phobia of broomsticks.

Together they set off from the poetically named village of Bad Ass on the long journey to Ankh-Morpork. There, they hope to seek the bright lights and fame and fortune associated with a big city. Unfortunately, the stinking river and crime-ridden alleyways may have to suffice.

The story is an adventure really, a tale of Esk and Granny Weatherwax’s physical journey and a spiritual journey too, one of enlightenment, education and a changing perception. They learn about other parts of their world, meeting lots of different people and travelling across the Disc with a mixture of threats, bribes and a few nasty spells.

As you would expect from Pratchett, it is a very funny book, but this one seemed to have more than its fair share of bad puns and
less of the hilarious satirical wit of his later novels. Having read about twelve of his, this one would not be in my list of favourites and I think the humour was partly to blame.

The plot itself seemed a bit weak and uncomplicated compared to his other books too. The characters were excellent though, as always and I loved the way the wizards were described, especially the wonderful Cutangle. His fledgling relationship with Granny Weatherwax was my favourite part of the book with their humorous interchanges and naïve flirting providing many laughs in the latter part.

I’ve never read a bad Pratchett book (although I couldn’t get into Strata, but I’ll let him off, as it was pre-Discworld) and Equal Rites isn’t a bad book either. I would recommend any fans to read it, but for those that haven’t ventured into the world of Pterry <sic> yet, choose something else to read first.

This lacks something. It may simply be experience, as this was Pratchett’s third Discworld novel and after two Rincewind books, a new venture for him with brand new characters. The witches’ books are amongst his best overall, but I wouldn’t rate this particular one as highly as his others I have read. Still, at 283 pages, it’s worth a few days of your time. But it’s nowhere near as good as Carpe Jugulum, which is a far superior tale of the witches.

Recommended – with reservations. Not awful, not great.

Still in my Pratchett phase, I am now reading his latest novel Night Watch.

Summary: