SOUNDTRACK: hiatus
[READ: Summer 2021] Wyrd Sisters
This story reintroduces everyone to Granny Weatherwax. It also introduces two other beloved characters: Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick the other two witches in the region. It took six books to bring about Nanny Ogg!
This book owes a debt of plot to MacBeth. It even begins with the familiar opening scene. Three witches stand around a bubbling cauldron and one asks portentously, “When shall we three meet again.” And another, after a lengthy pause says. “I can do next Tuesday.”
The three witches are Granny Weatherwax, the scary, stiff, witch who takes no guff. There’s Nanny Ogg, the smiling, raunchy, seemingly good natured witch who also takes no guff. She has a brood of countess children and grandchildren and she loves them all (except the young girls who marry her sons). She also has the most evil cat in the world (Greebo, whom she thinks is a sweetiepie). And then comes Magrat Garlick, the youngest witch who is really into occult symbols and books and trinkets. The other two think this is a load of tosh and know that witch magic is all about headology.
This story is set in Lancre. The witches live on the outskirts or the middle of the skirt of the Lancre forest. But in the city proper, a regicide has just happened. King Verence I was murdered by his cousin Duke Felmet (at the urging of his wife).
Verence’s son (and crown) are secreted away to the three witches who will surely know what to with them. And they do. They give them away to a travelling acting company with the not at all confusing name of Tomjon.
The new King is a terrible tyrant, doing all kinds of things that even the lands of Lancre object to.
They discuss deforestation in order to expand the kingdom. And it is through the help of the king’s Fool (who is, naturally, wickedly smart) that they learn of clever ways to avoid telling the truth through euphemism.
The witches know that Tomjon will come and reclaim the throne, but they fear that 15 years (at least) is too long to wait. So it’s up to Granny Weatherwax to meddle in things–something she is quite loathe to do (no, really).
She manages to put a spell on all of Lancre (with the help of the other two witches) which will speed up time.
Pratchett has fun with the acting troupe, as well. He has them consider no longer travelling and simply settling down in the city where they can make a theatre so that people will come to them! And they call it…the Dysk. It also turns out that Tomjon is an amazingly gifted actor. When he speaks it’s like the words come to life. People can’t help but be moved by him.
And of course it’s hilarious seeing the very literal minded witches attending plays. Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax really don’t understand why people can’t see that the guy who died before is on the stage in different clothes. (Magrat is entranced, of course).
The troupe have a playwright named Hwel (pronounced Will in Welsh), a most unusual swarf who forsakes gold for the written word. And boy is he good at writing plays. So when the Duke (the new king) asks for a play that paints him in a good light and makes the Witches look bad, Hwel is the man, er, dwarf for the task.
The Duke’s wife is aware that the Witches hold a lot of power, even if they don’t seem to. Plus, and this is much worse, they don’t pay taxes. She knows that everyone fears them, so she intends to make them look bad.
But as Hwel starts the story, pieces of reality keep cropping in and changing the words. In fact, when the actors, especially Tomjon, start reciting the words, the Truth seems to appear on their lips instead. And we know the truth because King Verence’s ghost is hanging around the castle (he can’t leave) whispering it to people.
As with many Pratchett story, the various plots and characters meld together to save the day. The way that the ghost of King Verence uses Greebo to help get the Witches into the castle is wonderful. It’s also hilarious that Nanny Ogg finds herself enjoying the company of the ghost of King Verence and finds a way to bring him back to her place.
There’s also a subplot in which the Fool and Magrat really hit it off. But they are both so bad at romance (both are proverbial wet hens) that it’s unclear if either one even knows that the other likes the other one even after many hours of sitting around believing they are telling each other that they like each other.
The culminating play is very funny for the way reality chimes in. But also because the witches manage to get on stage and, at some point, Death steps in to play the role of Death (he’s very good at it).
The ending is good fun with some twists and turns and unexpected revelations (and cover ups).
It also concludes with Magrat and The Fool in a possible romance (they don’t know and nether do we).
Leave a Reply