| Title | : | Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0060855908 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780060855901 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1987 |
| Awards | : | Margaret A. Edwards Award (2011), Premi Alba Millor llibre fantàstic per a joves traduït al català (2021) |
Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) Reviews
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I just recently re-visited this book after a couple years away from it. What's more, I've just recent re-read several of the more recent Witch novels from Pratchett, so they're fresh in my head.
Granny Weatherwax is one of my favorite characters of Pratchett's, and as an author, it does me good to see how she began as a character.
This book has some rough edges. There's nothing wrong with it, mind you, but it was still very early on in Pratchett's career, and it doesn't have the smoothness of his later work. Discworld is not nearly as developed, and neither is his writing style.
Granny doesn't have her friend Nanny Ogg as conversational foil and counterpoint in this book, and it's surprising how much that limits her character. What's more, while you can see elements of the character Granny eventually becomes, there's a surprising streak of country bumpkin in here here. In later books she loses most of that (which is for the best) and while she may not be worldly, she is still self-posessed and wise.
Another interesting echo is the relationship between Granny and Esk. Twenty years later, Pratchett brought a similar relationship to beautiful fruition with Tiffany Aching.
As a result, this book is merely great rather than utterly brilliant. Even rough-hewn early Pratchett is better than 75% of all books out there.
As a side note, this is not a bad entry point into reading Discworld. Normally I advise people begin at the beginning of the series, but despite this being the third book of Discworld, it makes for a better start than either of the first two books.... -
The problem with Terry Pratchett is that you keep wanting to read the good bits out loud.
In this particular case, I'd just reached the line "Her dress would have been both clinging and revealing, if it had had anything to cling to or reveal." Too late, I realized that not all the people around me were going to find this equally funny. I'm still embarrassed. Damn. -
Owning of both gender and fantasy stereotypes by the notorious badass and witty witches
„Men have to be wizards and women have to be witches, no debate about that, it´s the unwritten rule of doing it so since… What, stop asking stupid troublemaker questions about small girls being wizards, that´s impossible as women lack the…er… physiology to cast spells because one needs… sperm, yes, and body hair, muscles, you know, musk smell, the epic stink, to show the magic who is boss and dominance, yes, violent alpha male predator stuff, no sissy girly unicorn rainbow witching around. So go home, cook some lovely potions, leave the evil, complicated, over your pink small brain, complex mathematical calculations, and magic physics to the strong gender, avoid the nasty monsters and demons you would immediately faint when just hearing them coming closer, we protect you from that, if you would be conscious it would make you scream even more than the little girl you are if you saw them, haha. Take some condescending, belittling patting, yes, that´s a good witch.“
Pratchett was a feminist and there is no better way than the contrast between the first novels around the incompetent, and to a certain extent evil, Rincewind, and the selfless and clever witches to show and demonstrate mens´ hairy deficits and how he is rolling. Whenever the power hungry, manipulative, conservative, lazy, aggressive,… males, wizards, emperors, soldiers, merchants,... do something, chaos, destruction, and madness are a logical result while on the other hand, anything blessed with witches help, runs smoothly and peaceful.
This motive is repeated throughout the whole series, be it in the witch novels, Tiffany Aching, or the other sub series, it´s the most realistic part of this fantasy world, the reflection of the real world aberrations ruling for millennia since matriarchy was abolished by all the monuments of patriarch idiocy called human history.
I do completely agree with Pratchett and, using N world privilege
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph..., I can just confirm that the ratio of idiots between men and women is as amazing as it´s ashaming, something regarding genetics, epigenetics, inferiority complex, went terribly wrong and made men just the ridiculous way they are. See something funny, stupid, irritating? Bet it´s part of a mans´ world, that´s just how we seem to function. Giggle, I am just thinking about getting some six packs, self distilled booze ( I hope I don´t get temporarily blind again), the guns and the boys to shoot at whatever we find out in the woods, who cares about, yolo.
So, I´m back from the drunk cell, the pretrial is in 3 weeks, damned criminal records, heck, what a hangover, the brawl might be a reason too, but back to sophisticated literary criticism, beginning with laughing about the dirty old woman running gag and hoping to live long enough to become a dirty old man too. Would be fun.
Granny Weatherwax is in the house, only female lecturer of the Unseen library, now first time entering the stage, so watch out, all of you misogynic wanna be Harry Potter wizard bit****. Try to analyze how her character changes over the novels, one of the few greater evolutions of a main character in the Pratchettiverse. The cool thing is that in many of the appearances, even the dialogues between the witches and the other protagonists are full of wisdom and benevolence while the male conversations are often an exhibition of malice, stupidity, or both.
Don´t get me wrong, I instrumentalize anything to fit my agenda and continually misuse and wantonly misinterpret the code of objective reviewing, you should have already get used to it if this is not my first review drivel you read, but I at least don´t breed new prejudices. I am only saying, just like Pratchett, that all human problems are related to power hungry, already wealthy males that just can´t get enough.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together. -
If I was not already a Terry Pratchet fan, I would be after reading this exceptional book as we are formally introduced to Granny Weatherwax, witch.
Equal Rites, Sir Terry’s third installment in the Discworld series is a peach of practical magic. Telling the story of a young girl’s conflicting talents for wizardry and / or witchery.
In the Discworld, men are wizards and women are witches – at least that is how it has been up to the point when young Eskarina Smith sort of becomes – both. Pratchett spins a deliciously tangled web about the age-old contest between the men and the ladies.
“I’m not a lady, I’m a witch,” said Granny.
Eskarina may be the protagonist but there is no doubt that Granny Weatherwax stole the show. Filling the witch role in the small village of Bad Ass and always appearing in serviceable black, Granny kicks ass and takes names throughout the fun narrative. I am very pleased to learn that my favorite witch will make many more appearances in Pratchett’s series – nine more to be sure.
A good witching time atop Great A'Tuin, Equal Rites is one of his best. This would be a great introduction for new Discworld readers.
*** 2021 reread
Back to the Discworld!
I've been thinking of revisiting Sir Terry's fantastic universe for a while and decided the time was right and I could not have picked a better book to get back than the first novel of the witches.
Spending time with Granny Weatherwax (one of my all time favorite characters in literature) was a treasure but this time around I noticed what how much I liked Eskarina and I wonder if she was a template upon which Tiffany Aching was later drawn.
We also visit Unseen University and the wizards and OOK! the Librarian.
Too much fun and now I'm off to re-open the second in the Witches series.
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Lovely tome, this. I fell for Pratchett only recently, after giving “Guards, Guards” a try. To me, he’s the fantasy equivalent of my favorite Science Fiction humorist, Douglas Adams. I enjoyed “Equal Rites” just as much as “Guards, Guards.”
In “Equal Rites,” Pratchett takes on feminism in a very ‘why not’ sense. As is custom, a dying wizard attempts to hand down his powers to his eighth son. When it turns out that this eighth son is a daughter, well chaos, adventure, and hilarity ensue. Pratchett makes me verbalize laughter (I must say it that way, because ‘laugh out loud’ doesn’t really mean what it says anymore). You’re reading along, minding your own business, when he slips in little phrases that catch you off guard and make you chuckle audibly. Phrases such as:
“Time passed; which is basically it’s job.”
“It was like being reminded that eggs were unborn chickens.”
“The light was misty and actinic, the sort of light to make Steven Spielberg reach for his copyright lawyer.”
Of course, you’re just as likely to run into phrases that are wonderful little packets of truth, such as:
“Esk felt that bravery was called for, but on a night like this bravery lasted only as long as a candle stayed alight.”
“...it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done.”
“She was already learning that if you ignore the rules people will, half the time, quietly rewrite them so that they don't apply to you.”
Anyway, if you enjoy British humor, witty prose, and irreverent fantasy, then you’ll enjoy this book. It’s original, fun, and entertaining. My only complaint is that we only get a way too brief visit from Death – my favorite Discworld character. Another satisfying Discworld tale, from the mind of a comic virtuoso, with peril, adventure, mayhem, and a wizard staff like you’ve never met before. -
3.5 stars. A fun read exploring sexism within magicians
I quite liked this book, and it was entertaining from start to finish. It's a smaller book and certainly doesn't "wow" the reader, but it has some interesting concepts that I have yet to see delved into in fantasy novels - while maintaining a humorous tone.
The story is about a wizard who is dying who passes his staff the eighth son of an eighth son (which is required to become a wizard). Unfortunately for him, he was a bit careless and the eighth son was actually a daughter. So this girl goes on an adventure to become a wizard in an all-male university.
It doesn't have the huge laugh out loud moments that later discworld books have, in part because Pratchett was still finding himself as an author at this stage -- but it's a good addition to the Discworld universe and serves as a solid starting point for the Witches line of Discworld books.
Check out my new youtube channel where I show my instant reactions to reading fantasy books seconds after I finish the book. -
Another fabulous reread in the Witches Discworld series by the terrific Terry Pratchett who here takes on the issue of gender equality, where witches are witches and well, wizards are wizards. Upon approaching death, wizards pass on their power to the eighth son of an eighth son, but in the Bad Ass village, an error is made, when a dying wizard slips up by passing his gifts to a newborn baby girl, Eskarina. Oops! Esk is raised by the wonderfully old curmudgeonly witch, Granny Weatherwax, who educates her in the art of being a witch, only her wizardly powers refuse to be contained. Eskarina’s proper place is at the Unseen University, but they don't admit girls, on the premise they cannot be wizards. Mayhem and adventure follows in her footsteps as she tries to gain entry. This is a wonderful entry in this joyous fantasy series. Many thanks to the publisher for a copy.
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This was just so incredibly funny, brilliantly written and truly a joy to read.
More tomorrow
Now I have in the past read probably a dozen or so Discworld novels and have come across some of the major players in this epic series, Granny Weathwax included, who was the star of this book. Whilst I don't remember ever actually reading this book it was wonderful to get reacquainted with Granny W.
I know that the books get even funnier, wittier and just more and more involved with the wonderful world that Sir Terry created, but this was just a 5 star read, laugh out loud funny and world building from the RamTops to the Rimfall.
You could fill a whole book with witty musings from Granny W, and there were plenty in this book, but I shall just limit myself to "be shure to wear loose clowthing also that no vysitors exspected", oh and "Nevertheless I think that on the whole I would prefer you to move your hands ".
One could go on and on about the book as it is so very enjoyable and just a laugh from start to finish, as well as being a great story, but as I said, I know Sir Terry just gets stronger as the books pour from him, so I know I shall be writing more as my challenge continues. -
This was a blast!
Introducing:
Witch supreme (or that's what I'm calling her) - and that only because of her stare, to say nothing of her actual magical talents. And yes, I can totally see Maggie Smith playing her in a movie!
Esk, 8th "son" of an 8th son (on the Discworld, 8 is the most magical number), who inherits the staff of a pretty powerful wizard because - instead of listening to Granny - he is eager to pass on his wizard's staff before he dies and assumes that Esk is going to be a boy.
The Unseen University, wizarding school that is not actually located on the Discworld but has a few access points there, one of which is in Ankh Morpork.
The Librarian
He used to be human, but due to a magical incident during Rincewind's adventure, he was turned into an Orang-Utan and decided to stay an ape because that was easier (and he likes the bananas).
It's the first book about the witch called Granny Weatherwax. She is, amongst other things, a midwife in the Ramptops (the area where she lives) and is therefore present during the birth of Esk when the dying wizard makes his fateful mistake. Since girls can't become wizards any more than boys can become witches, Granny Weatherwax wants to teach Esk witchery. She soon discovers however that it isn't enough - Esk's magic continues to burst forth and since Esk's staff is quite cheeky too, all Granny can do is get Esk to the Unseen University.
There, naturally, there is even more ignorance and prejudice about girls and wizardry so a bit of headology (trickery to get people to do what you want without really using magic) is needed.
At the university, the librarian seems the only one smart enough to see Esk and see her for what she is - and to be kind to her (granted, only after she gave him bananas but still).
And then there is the magical incident, first in the library itself and then ... but you should discover that for yourself, it's quite bad-ass.
I was quite surprised that there was so much world-building and we only got to Ankh Morpork and the UU so late in the book because that didn't leave much room for the final problem to arise and then get sorted out, but it turns out that is was just the right amount of everything, mixed together perfectly for the optimal outcome.
Generally, the book is about gender roles and inequality. What I admire most of all is that Terry Pratchett never lay it on too thick. He was never preaching. On top of that, if we simplify the parties (men vs. women), both sides are almost equally ignorant. Sure, Granny makes allowances for Esk at some point, but she never stops having prejudiced opinions about everything.
There is quite a lot of magic too (I particularly loved ), along with wonderful descriptions of the Discworld, Ankh Morpork, and the Unseen University including the library. Everything is just so quirky *thinks of the ad for the Guild of Thieves* and, as far as I know, unique.
The previous two volumes had been fun but definitely weren't as funny as this one. I sat in the bookstore's café yesterday and burst out laughing on several occasions (like when Esk is REALLY dense about sex) and I also love how Pratchett seemlessly incorporates popculture references such as Steven Spielberg!
The star, to me, was the staff at first. The fact that it can't speak and how Pratchett found a way to still give it so much character (even more than Luggage from the previous two volumes) is simply amazing! It didn't take long though for Granny to steal the spotlight even from the staff. Her dry sense of humour, her sharp observations of the world (despite being quite prejudiced against all manner of things), her goodness concealed by grumpiness make her my new favourite character (she might even surpass Death) - she often didn't even need words, actions or her famous stare were enough! Just look at some of the quotes I liked that showcase her verbal and behavioral badassery. :D
Add to that the fact that the narrator of this audiobook, Celia Imrie, is a genius in giving each character here an individual voice, but being most perfect for Granny herself.
In short, I can't wait to read more books with Granny (read by this narrator). -
The Great Pratchett Re-Read Continues!
The third book begins the "real" development of the whole Discworld mythos, and rather than focusing on setting, it goes whole-hog (or Witch) into character and a rather deep social issue.
It is, at its core, a novel about breaking down the walls that the sexes tend to put up to keep the other side out. Witches can be wizards and vice-versa. :)
I didn't appreciate this as much the first time although I got the whole social bit perfectly... and mainly that was because I hadn't quite gotten as invested in the characters that would soon become the main driving force of the novels.
But now that I've had the pleasure of reading every novel, I'm fine. Just fine.
But Weatherwax seems to be not quite fully formed here. Isn't that odd? Or perhaps it isn't. This is the first time we see her and I have nothing but fond memories of the woman she reveals herself to be later. BUT, of course, such things always come with time. Thankfully, the wizard/witch battle was still brilliant. :)
Standing out was the Head Librarian, again, and Simon. And of course, our little witch was fun to follow but, unfortunately, she's not Tiffany.
Even so, I'm so glad to be revisiting all this! :) -
I have now read the first 3 books in the series and this is the first about witches. I have to say that I felt this was a bit serious. I know there were jokes in it, but Granny Weatherwax is a bit serious and it really makes for a serious tone. It gets sillier toward the end of the book when they get to Unseen University. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the humor in this book, but it was serious.
This was written in 1987 and I can see this book back then being more of a punch. It is fairly stale as a feminist book at this point things have progressed so much. Still, I enjoyed the mess of wizard can't be woman and men can't be witches.
I thought the staff was a delightful invention and takes the place of the traveling luggage. I enjoyed Esk and Granny. The climax seemed to almost come out of nowhere, but he had some great ideas in there about shadows.
I'm loving the Discworld and I can't wait to meet more of the characters. I don't have Mort at this time, so unless I get it from the library, I will wait a bit until I can acquire Mort. I found a whole slew of these books 2nd hand and now have about 25, but Mort and Sorcery were not among them. I want to find them used because the new ones are a different size and they don't match up. My Equal Rites is longer and doesn't match. Bummer.
Terry Pratchett is a delight to read. -
This was a reread for me but it is years since my first read and I did not remember much of it!
Loved that Death popped up right at the beginning and then Granny Weatherwax made her first appearance. Of course this book is vintage Discworld and these two, along with others, appear again and again later in the series and develop into much more rounded characters. Nevertheless Pratchett's humour is here in full force along with his wonderful descriptions and clever stories.
These early books are light reading - I polished this one off in a few hours -but they are still so good! -
Similar in spirit to the first two books in the Discworld series, once again we have a delightful duo on a journey, encountering many a merry mishap on the way. This book is not as funny as its predecessors, though the plot seems more cohesive and a little less meandering.
Despite the distinct lack of trolls, this is probably my favorite so far. I really enjoyed the "Girl Power" theme to the book. At least I think I did. It could just be those darned witches using their "headology" on me. -
Pratchett's comic fantasy satire of feminism and its impact on a male dominated status quo. A number of coincidences result in a learned Wizard passing on his legacy to a baby girl in a world where it is simply unheard of, for a woman to become a wizard. The most interesting and definitely funniest (as in in a few places I actually found some humour!) Discworld book out of the first three I have now read. 4 out of 12
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Classic Discworld story full of humor and adventure
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Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches #1), Terry Pratchett
Equal Rites is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the third novel in the Discworld series and the first in which the main character is not Rincewind. The title is wordplay on the phrase "Equal Rights".
The wizard Drum Billet knows that he will soon die and travels to a place where an eighth son of an eighth son is about to be born. This signifies that the child is destined to become a wizard; on the Discworld, the number eight has many of the magical properties that are sometimes ascribed to seven in other mythologies. Billet wants to pass his wizard's staff on to his successor. However, the newborn child is actually a girl, Esk (full name Eskarina Smith). ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دهم ماه می سال 2016 میلادی
عنوان: مجموعه جهان صفحه - کتاب 03 - آیین های برابر؛ نویسنده: تری پرتچت (پراچت)؛ مترجم: آرزو احمی؛ تهران، ویدا، 1392؛ در 302 ص؛ شابک: 9786002910035؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده 20 م
داستانهای مجموعه در جهانی با عنوان: «دیسکورلد» میگذرند، که صفحه ای مسطح است، و بر شانه های چهار فیل عظیم الجثه قرار دارد. این فیلها نیز، به نوبه ی خود، بر روی پشت یک لاکپشت غولآسا، با نام «آتوئین بزرگ» قرار دارند. در این کتاب، جادوگر: «درام بیلت» میداند، که او زود میمیرد، جادوگر در لحظه ی مرگ نیرویش را ب�� هشتمین پسر هشتمین پسر، که در همان لحظه متولد شده، منتقل می کند. این نکته که پسر در واقع یک دختر است، زمانی مشخص می شود که دیگر دیر شده است. ا. شربیانی -
”-¡Me dijo que en su universidad no dejaban entrar a mujeres!
-Se equivoca.
-No, decía la verdad Yaya, yo siempre cuando…
-Niña tonta, lo que pasa es que él creía que estaba diciendo la verdad. El mundo no es siempre como piensa la gente”.
Qué ganas tenía de releer esta saga. Es una de mis favoritas de Pratchett (por el momento). Esta novela la encontré de casualidad en una tienda de segunda mano en Oviedo. En ese momento estaba leyendo la saga de la muerte. Otra saga que también recomiendo bastante y también pendiente de releer ( tengo más lista pendiente de relecturas que de nuevas lecturas pero en fin).
“Un lugar así, un lugar que solo existe sólo porque los dioses también tienen sentido del humor, debe ser un mundo en el que la magia puede sobrevivir. Y también el sexo, por supuesto.
Justamente este es el primer libro que conforma la saga de las brujas, pero que sin embargo el lector puede pasar al segundo porque no hay relación directa entre los dos libros. Cronológicamente este libro se sitúa 10 años por lo menos antes de las aventuras de las brujas. Sin embargo sí que conocemos por primera vez a uno de los personajes más entrañables de Terry, Yaya Ceravieja:
“Era una bruja, circunstancia aceptable en las Montañas del Carnero, donde nadie decía nada en contra de las brujas. Al menos, nadie que se quisiera levantar por la mañana con la misma forma que tenía al acostarse”.
No queriendo entrar en detalles este libro narra las aventuras de la pequeña Eskarina la cual ha heredado un cayado de un mago. Todo esto estaría bien sino fuera porque las mujeres no pueden llegar a ser “magos” pues esto es un rol relegado solo a los hombres mientras que las mujeres solo pueden ser “brujas”. Sin embargo, el autor se burla de ello y nos muestra que ella es capaz de eso y más. Eso sí, las pullitas entre magos-brujas nunca me cansan.
“No deberías pasar tanto tiempo entre magos, niña, estás empezando a tomartelos en serio. Todos se autodenominan Altisimo Señor lo que sea y no sé que Imperial. Es parte de su sistema. Hasta los hechiceros lo hacen, una habría imaginado que eran más sensatos, pero no, en el fondo son todos iguales”.
Yo tengo que admitir que los magos no son tan de mi agrado como lo son las brujas salvo el bibliotecario, esta es la excepción a la regla (quienes lo conocen sabrán por qué. Es un personaje bastante peculiar…). Eso no significa que vuelva a darle una segunda oportunidad a los magos.
Eso sí, este libro no es de los mejores del autor y menos de esta saga. Para mí por el momento me quedo con Brujas 2,3,5 y 6. También entiendo que es de los primeros libros que escribía de Mundodisco.
En conclusión, la saga de las brujas está muy bien, no te desanimes por el primer libro, el segundo cambia totalmente. Dale una oportunidad a esta saga. -
“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.”
This was hilarious. I enjoyed every single page of it. If you saw me reading it, chances are high that you will have caught me cackling and giggling throughout most of the book. I never thought that I would pick up any Discworld novel but the more I read of them, the more I'm inclined to pick up another Pratchett book. They are light, fast-paced and highly entertaining.
I skipped The Light Fantastic because a friend of mine recommended I read the Witches series first. He is quite the fan. I cannot wait to read Wyrd Sisters, the second instalment of the Witches series, next. I am also looking forward to reading Mort. Any more Discworld recommendations? Let me know!
Find more of my books on Instagram -
Three books into the Discworld series (which, yes, I am reading in the order of publication and no, I will not be taking feedback about this from hardcore Pratchett nerds), I finally get my formal introduction to Granny Weatherwax, and she's just as delightful as promised.
Equal Rites has the most straightforward and dare I say traditional fantasy setup of any book in the series that I've read so far - it lends itself to easy summary, to the point where the setup sounds suspiciously like your typical YA fantasy adventure. The book starts with a dying wizard accidentally bestowing his powers on a newborn - what was intended to be the eight son of an eight son, who would carry on a proud tradition of wizards in the Disc. Unfortunately, the child turns out to be a girl named Esk. Her early magical education therefore falls to local witch Granny Weatherwax, until Esk decides to travel to Ankh-Morpork and attempt to get accepted to the Unseen University, where (strictly male) wizards are trained.
The setup, in other words, sounds like a very typical Tamora Pierce-style adventure, where our spunky heroine infiltrates a traditionally male space and dominates at everything. But of course, this is a Terry Pratchett book, and after only three books I already know that he won't go the traditional route. The plot structure of Equal Rites is definitely not what I was expecting, and if I had one major criticism of this book, it's that the plot only really picks up speed when we're almost at the end. But it's still a fun ride from beginning to end, and honestly the characters are such a delight I don't even need them to be having world-in-peril adventures; I can just watch them hanging out.
Up next is Mort! I hear that's a good one. -
![[ J o ]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1673171874i/4639825._UY200_CR4,0,200,200_.jpg)
[First read: 15th February, 2013. 3 stars.
Second read: 7th September, 2018. 4 stars.]
It was good thunderstorm country, up here in the Ramtop Mountains, a country of jagged peaks, dense forests and little river valleys so deep the daylight had no sooner reached the bottom than it was time to leave again.
Up in the Ramptops, the Eighth Son of an Eighth Son is about to be born, and a Wizard is ready to hand over his staff. But it seems they've all forgotten that babies can be girls as well...
I firmly believe that Equal Rites is the best book to start with if you've never read Terry Pratchett or Discworld.
Reading this after I've just finished the Tiffany Aching Discworld books makes me draw a lot of parallels. The Tiffany books is probably where Terry was going with this, but couldn't quite manage it. This is only the third Discworld novel, and that is apparent, and it's quite a short read. There are quite too many our-world mentions and weak gags and occasionally the plot stutters, but altogether it is impossibly wonderful.
It's a heart-warming book focusing on the Man Jobs and Women Jobs of the Discworld-and indeed our own. I hate the word "relatable" and think anyone who uses it in book reviews should be shot, but it is, especially with the New Wave Feminism and all the stuff about Equality being bandied about. And hey, it was written in the 80s. By a man! I know.
We are also introduced to my favourite-my MOST FAVOURITE-character of the Discworld: Granny. Here she is as cantankerous and stubborn and wonderful and ridiculous as ever, and showing power that she rarely shows in other books. We also see her wonderful flaws even this early on: not wanting to admit she's wrong so she just headbutts ignorance right full on in the face. We also get her all alone without Nanny or any other witch, so it's quite an important role she's got here as the introduction to Discworld Witches. Pratchett introduces her very well and keeps her grounded with her stubborn nature and inability to accept she doesn't know things.
Eskarina Smith-the Disc's first ever Female Wizard-is similar to Tiffany Aching in many ways. She knows her own head but has a childlike mentality about a lot of things and it seems that she shares a smattering of stubborness with Granny that makes their stand-offs great to read. However, Esk isn't as well-developed as Tiffany was (though Tiffany did get five whole books to herself) and I often felt like Esk was pushed out of the story a little to accommodate the other larger-than-life characters (Simon and the Arch chancellor of Unseen University to name just a couple).
It's a wonderful read with a journey across a good stretch of the Disc and many minor characters who colour the place and let you know what you're getting yourself in to. The bad points can be forgiven in retrospect: it was his third and the books that follow just get better and better. Re-reading is 1000% better than simply reading Discworld books. -
40'ın üzerinde kitaptan oluşan bir "Fantastik Seri" denilince "Diskdünya" bana okunması zor, birbirine bağlı, içine girdiğim zaman çıkamayacağım bir evrenmiş izlenimi vermişti. Bu önyargıdan sadece sondaki önerme, "içinden çıkamayacağım" kısmı gerçek oldu. Seve seve kaldığım bir diyar oldu. Fikrine çok güvendiğim dostlarım (Özellikle Ozancan Demirışık ve Hazal Çamur) bazı kitapların bağımsız olduğunu, istediğimden başlayabileceğimi, muhakkak okumam gerektiğini söylediğinde Terry Pratchett ile tanışmak istedim. İlk olarak "Mort"u okudum ve hayran kaldım. İkinci kitabım "Faust / Eric" olmuştu. Çok daha zorlu bir kitaptı (kötü anlamda değil, daha derindi). "Eşit Haklar" ise yine ve yeniden "Mort" tadını verdi. Harika bir kitap. Terry Pratchett fantastiğe sarmaladığı günümüz ile, inanılmaz dili, akışkanlığı, espri anlayışı ile muazzam bir adam/yazar. Kitapları beni hem istediğim diyarlara götürürken hicvi, taşlamaları, göndermeleri ile gülmekten yerlere yatırıyor. Muhteşem bir hayal gücü. Bence muhakkak okunması gereken bir yazar. Ek ve faydalı olabileceğini düşündüğüm bir bilgi olarak; "Diskdünya" serisini hangi sırayla okumak gerektiğini merak ediyorsanız FRP.NET'in (Aynı zamanda Deli Dolu Yayınları'nın) çok güzel, bilgilendirici bir grafiği var. Oradan istediğiniz seriye (evet "Diskdünya'da başlamak için çoklu seçenekler mevcut) başlayabilirsiniz. Bulamazsanız, benimle iletişime geçerseniz size özelden bildirim yaparım. :)
-
Second read-through, February 2021:
In Discworld, there are unwritten rules that govern magic. One of these is- guys are wizards and girls are witches. Wizards have staffs. Witches have pointy hats and work with nature.
When the eighth son of an eighth son has a daughter who is mistaken for a boy at her birth, a wizard leaving his legacy to someone who is destined to be incredibly powerful becomes somewhat of a problem. Untrained wizards are dangerous. But who is going to take responsibility for Esk, a girl who wants to be a wizard?
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." pg 37, ebook
Granny Weatherwax, that's who, the local witch and an all-around no-nonsense kind of person.
What follows is a rollicking adventure through Discworld but also an examination of assumptions from our ordinary world.
"Esk, of course, had not been trained, and it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done." pg 61, ebook.
It is also a delightful skewering of gender roles and what society expects from each.
"Granny had counted the temples with a thoughtful look in her eyes; gods were always demanding that their followers acted other than according to their true natures, and the human fallout this caused made plenty of work for witches." pg 76, ebook
Highly recommended for fantasy readers who enjoy heaping helpings of humor with their stories.
First review, seven years ago:
I was afraid that I wouldn't like this, the third book in the Discworld series, as much as the previous books since it wasn't starring Rincewind and Twoflower, but I shouldn't have worried. Granny Weatherwax and Esk were excellent heroines and just as fun to read about as the boys.
Pratchett's Discworld is such a fantastic and surprising place, so different from structured reality, that it was really interesting to explore native prejudices and expectations among the inhabitants. Girls are witches and boys are wizards until Esk is born and turns those expectations on their head. Her struggles to find her place in the magical world and Granny's attempts to teach her are slightly reminiscent of
The Once and Future King, but with a feminine twist.
This is a fun read that fans of fantasy will certainly enjoy. -
3.5-4*
En esta tercera entrega de Mundodisco seguimos a Eskarina, una joven que ha nacido destinada a ser una... maga? bruja? ambas? Bajo el amparo de Yaya Ceravieja las dos se embarcarán en un viaje hacia la Universidad Invisible donde pondrán patas arriba todas las convenciones establecidas hasta la fecha.
Me ha encantado cómo se trata el tema de los roles de género en este libro. Eskarina es una protagonista estupenda y Yaya...Yaya me tiene el corazón robado!
Como siempre, un gustazo leer a Terry Pratchett. -
2022 Free Range Reading
A book chosen for fun, not part of any project, plan, or list. Part of my new appreciation of Discworld and Terry Pratchett. This is a new thing for me, begun this year.
This book is our first encounter with Granny Weatherwax, whom I knew from the Tiffany Aching books (my intro to Discworld). I was surprised to realize that this was only the third installment in the series as a whole (having previously been defeated by book 1, which really didn't grab me). By the end of the series, Granny has progressed, but she started out strong!
Pratchett wrote really good female characters. The trick, I think, is that he treats them just like his male characters, giving them clear, understandable motivations and not giving the impression that their aspirations are ridiculous. In this book, the Wizarding world doesn't know what hit it. Like so many institutions in our world (law, medicine, universities, clubs, etc.), membership has traditionally been men only. Eskarina Smith shakes things up, when she is accidentally the recipient of a great wizard's staff and legacy when he mistakenly assumes she is a boy. She comes into impressive power, but she needs to learn control. The Unseen University, however, has never admitted a female student. Granny Weatherwax does what she can for the young woman, but Eskarina does the heavy lifting, always asking, “Where is it written?”
Pratchett skewers the chauvanistic University and the misogynistic attitudes of the wizards. He effectively points out how pointless it is to mindlessly cling to things just because “it's always been that way.” Just like in the Tiffany Aching books, he gives his characters relationship options, but he doesn't centre the action on that—he makes it obvious that male/female teams can make the most effective discoveries and decisions.
Thank you, Sir Terry, for your clear eyed view of the world and your gentle way of tweaking us about it. -
I loved Terry Pratchett's way with words and Celia Imrie's sublime narration, they kept me enthralled.
Update: February 2023. Having read through the entire Discworld series, we are now going back and re-reading by the sub-series that make up the whole set. We started with the City Watch sub-series and now we are listening to the Witches. While Equal Rites is volume #3 of Discworld, it is volume #1 of the Witches. The other volumes of the Witches are: Word Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Masquerade, and Carpe Jugulum.
Favorite quotes so far from reading Equal Rites for a second time:
"For once the sky was clear, the high Ramtops standing out crisp and white like brides of the sky with their trousseaux stuffed with thunderstorms."
"his mind had never gone further than the inside of his own head."
I love this description of the dawn:
"So dawn isn't the sudden affair that it is on other worlds. The new day doesn't erupt, it sort of sloshes gently across the sleeping landscape in the same way that the tide sneaks in across the beach, melting the sandcastles of the night. It tends to flow around mountains. If the trees are close together it comes out of woods cut to ribbons and sliced with shadows." -
This was lovely, very different from any other Discworld novel I've read - more charming and less hectic. It also works as a great standalone story, regardless of its place within the Discworld series.
Infused with the spirit of second-wave feminism (as told by a well-meaning white man), it tells the story of a young girl who is destined to become a wizard, much to the concern of both witches and wizards alike. But to me it also felt like a tale about the older generation coming to terms with and learning to embrace the desire for change promoted by the youth.
This exploration of what kinds of magic women can and can’t do reminded me of the debate in modern Judaism about whether women should be able to perform mitzvot (commandments) from which they are traditionally considered ‘exempt’ (that is, only men are allowed to perform them). Rabbi Joseph ber Soloveitchik, for instance, argues that the reason men and women have different religious obligations is because they are ontologically different creatures, seeing the sexes as separate spiritual castes (for a layman-friendly breakdown of the modern debate surrounding the role of women in Judaism I recommend rabbi Hartman’s
The God Who Hates Lies, which I reviewed
here).
In Equal Rites, the wizards of Unseen University (and also the conservative Granny Weatherwax) firmly believe in this ontological difference between the sexes, which is apparent in the way they find it natural that there be gender-specific forms of magic, forms more in tune with what they see as each sex’s defining attributes (the earthy, nurturing and psychological power of witchcraft for women; the logical, calculative, energy-based power of magic for men).
The book’s clever reveal is that these attributes aren’t actually inherent to the sexes but socially accepted conventions, ingrained by a long history of patriarchal rule into the collective subconscious. As it turns out, there's nothing standing between a girl practicing magic and becoming a wizard but the patriarchy. That there is great feminist literature if you ask me. -
I liked how the issue of gender roles is portrayed in this book. Starting from the title which is a play on “Equal Rights”, to the characters to society's expectations, Sir Terry Pratchett has captured the real-world issues of gender discrimination in his magical world of Discworld.
Like many young girls, Esk starts off questioning gender roles. She isn’t satisfied with being a witch when she has what it takes to be a wizard. But when a wizard subtly belittles witchcraft, she stands up for it. She then decides to be both, a witch and a wizard, just like many girls/women who want to do it all.
Her experiences while trying to get to the Unseen University make Esk doubt whether it is possible for a girl to step into the wizardry world, which is a man’s land. Since society expects boys to seek fortune and girls to seek boys with fortune, she wonders that perhaps girls don’t have fortunes to seek. She almost decides to give up even before reaching the university, which is common for many girls in the real world. Fortunately, Granny’s guidance and her inner spirit make her fight on.
Granny Weatherwax's character was quite heartwarming. She reminded me of a lot of middle-aged women who originally believed in the stereotypes and expectations of society but went on to change their minds as they encountered spirited youngsters. She went from “this is how it has always been, so we’re going to follow tradition” to “why does it have to be this way?”
At the beginning of the book, she hid the fact that Esk has the powers of a wizard and trained her to be a witch because in her opinion that is the natural thing for a girl. By the end of the book, she was arguing with a wizard for Esk’s sake and questioned where it was written that women cannot be wizards.
On the whole, this story felt very familiar and relatable even though it is a fantasy. Granted, I can’t fly on broomsticks or cast a magic spell, but I could relate to what the characters go through on an emotional level. So many dialogues in the book were very similar to what we hear on a daily basis. Even the magical terms were worded such that you don’t have to think twice to understand what real-world concept is being referred to.
I love the wit in Sir Terry Pratchett’s writing. You never know what to expect in his descriptions. They can be interesting like this:The storm walked around the hills on legs of lightning, shouting and grumbling.
Or unexpected like this:The scene is the blackness of deep space with a few stars glittering like the dandruff on the shoulders of God.
Or bizarre like this:It was the kind of storm that suggests that the whole sky has swallowed a diuretic.
There were many interesting dialogues, but this one caught my attention:She told me that if magic gives people what they want, then not using magic can give them what they need.
I may be overthinking here and this may not be what the author meant at all, but you can replace the word magic in this quote with money. We can buy whatever we want with money but things that matter and the things that we need cannot usually be bought. If this really is what the author meant, then it adds another layer to the gender roles theme of the story, since traditionally men earn money and women take care of the household.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. Although this is the third book in the series, you can read it without reading the first two since they feature different characters.
This review can also be found in my
blog. -
Executive Summary: Not as funny or as quotable as
The Light Fantastic, but very enjoyable for other reasons.
Full Review
I had to double check the year this was written. This book still feels very relevant today.
Wizards can only be men. Witches can only be women. Their magic is different and shouldn't be mixed. A women has no place learning to be a wizard. Witches "have their place". Does any of this sound familiar?
As someone who works in a field that is far too lacking in women the idea that certain disciplines are more suited for men or women is still a stigma we seem to be fighting today.
That isn't to say this book is preachy or in your face about it. It simply that the satire is definitely more directed at real world issues than fantasy tropes like the first two books. It sounds like this sort of thing is more common in later books, so I find it interesting that he changed up the style so early on in the series.
And while it wasn't quite as funny to me as
The Light Fantastic, there were more than a few laugh out loud moments and quotes that I highlighted for later.
Plus, Granny Weatherwax is a great character. I've read that she changes quite a bit in the
Wyrd Sisters and beyond, but I'm glad I can see how she started out before I jump into that.
Overall this book had to do something right, because I pretty much tore through it in a weekend, which despite it's short length is still rather fast for me.
I already jumped right into
Mort as Discworld seems to have its hooks into me right now. -
I'm fairly sure that this is only my second time reading this book since I first devoured the early books of the series back in the late 80s. Like
The Light Fantastic it's forced a re-evaluation of my opinion of the early Discworld books and in a positive way.
A dying wizard passes his staff to a destined wizard, the eighth son of an eighth son. Only he was a little careless and the eighth son is actually a daughter. Eskarina Smith grows into her magic young under the watchful eye of the witch Granny Weatherwax who tries to teach her witchery, but it becomes apparent that Esk's magic is of a different and potentially more dangerous type. Lacking other options Granny takes Esk to be admitted to the male-only Unseen University in the city of Ankh-Morpork and hijinks ensue.
This is the Discworld's introduction to Granny Weatherwax, one of Pratchett's most beloved and enduring characters. She is much more fully realized as herself in this book than I had recalled, but some of her best characterization won't come until she gets Nanny Ogg to bounce off of in
Wyrd Sisters in a few books time. The nine-year old Eskarina is pretty wonderful here as well, but I still have Tiffany Aching stuck in my head for contrast. Pratchett writing a nine year old in 2003 was a lot better than he was writing one in 1987, which is only to be expected. Mild spoiler regarding Esk: -
4.5
“...it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done.”
I started this book yesterday and found myself snatching any time I could to get back to it, even staying up late to finish it.
This was a surprise. I'm always a little reluctant when starting what is branded as a funny book, worried that it wouldn't work on me, which is why I usually go for the audiobook version - the performance and intonations of the voice artists being invaluable. Celia Imrie does an amazing job here, breathing life to Pratchett's words.
Equal Rites follows Esk, who is bestowed wizard power (and a very stubborn staff) at birth by mistake, which creates a whole world of trouble because of course girls cannot be wizards. Or can they? We see her first steps in this magical world, helped by witch Granny Weatherwax, who literally steals the show with her legendary stare. She is a brilliant character, which I hear returns often in the Discworld books, with her strengths and weaknesses, and a very particular way of seeing the world. Yes, I'm totally joining her fan group.
Pratchett delivers a great story that questions gender roles and inequality in a light and humouristic way, especially highlighting the ridicule, while throwing tons of clever play on words and cliches.
