However, it is primarily a story about a world. Here’s a couple of paragraphs from the first page that give you a taste of Pratchett’s tone, writing style, and humour: I love the opening few paragraphs because they really set the tone for this unruly, chaotic novel.

Nothing feels forced or out of place.įrom the very first section of the novel, where Drum Billet passes on his power to what he thinks is the eighth son of an eighth son (usually a seventh son of a seventh son but Pratchett liked to play with myth and folklore), I found the plot, the characters, and the writing engaging. Pratchett’s writing appeals to your sense and your emotions but in a very natural way. Equal Rites had so many wonderful comedic moments and these were often intertwined with discussions of serious issues – gender roles, misogyny, and internalised misogyny – and moments of melancholy. I really enjoyed reading about Esk’s journey to become the first female wizard in the Discworld, joining her as she travels to Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork with Granny Weatherwax, a well-known witch, as her “guide”. Pratchett had a real knack for writing thrilling adventure stories. It’s a fantastic book and it was a great pick-me-up in the cold winter months.Įqual Rites is the third book in the Discworld series but it is the first in the Witches mini-series which makes it a perfect novel to start with if you’ve never encountered the Discworld before. If you’re ever looking for a funny, light-hearted book with wonderful characters and a wild plot then look no further than Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels! I loved every single moment of Equal Rites. But now it’s gone and happened, there’s nothing much anyone can do about it.

Everybody knows that there’s no such thing as a female wizard. Unfortunately for his colleagues in the chauvinistic (not to say misogynistic) world of magic, he failed to check that the baby in question was a son. The last thing the wizard Drum Billet did, before Death laid a bony hand on his shoulder, was to pass on his staff of power to the eighth son of an eighth son. Summary: They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it’s not half so bad as a lot of ignorance.

Equal rites book