Pratchett, Terry - Maskerade

[oyceter]

And we continue to be All Pratchett, All the Time!

Let us not talk about my sleeping habits or what I am not doing in lieu of gobbling down Discworld.

I really loved this one. Not as much as Lords and Ladies because I didn't like this one's ending as much, but this had me giggling like a maniac on the train. I think right now the Witches books are my favorites, but that may also be because I've read the most of them. Also, it helps that they're mostly female and that there's the young-woman-coming-into-power plot in several of them, which apparently is a button of mine and explains why I am so addicted to YA.

Plus, awesome older women!

Anyway. Agnes Nitt has gone to the Ankh-Morpork opera to Be Someone; namely, Perdita X Nitt, opera star and all-around glamorous person. Sadly, it's just not quite happened yet. Instead, there's an Opera Ghost wandering around, people getting murdered, and she's stuck with a ditzy soprano named Christine who can't sing as well as Agnes but can fit in the costumes much better.

Back in Lancre, Nanny Ogg finds that a two-person coven just doesn't work. Nanny and Granny go off to A-M and probably terrify half of Discworld in the process.

rilina's mentioned how much of Pratchett enjoyment lies in familiarity and love of the subject. I loved some of the prior Witches books because they dealt with Faerie and fairy tales, but this one is even more awesome because it's Phantom of the Opera! In Discworld!

(I fell into Phantom in sixth grade and have since never quite recovered, despite not liking it much now.)

I loved all the theater mentions and Christine and the mirror and people with their hands by their heads and the chandelier. All of it! I love the loving mockery of opera, I love how Pratchett takes a minor plot point in Phantom and makes it a major one (the voice subbing), the Discworld versions of the managers from Phantom, Andre vs. Raoul, everything.

Also, I absolutely adore Agnes, which was why I didn't like the ending as much. On the other hand, I loved how opera the ending was, down to Death's appearance, and it felt like all the meta anime out there ever making fun of anime tropes and conventions. Oh cracktasticness, I love you so much.

Spoilers

Other things I loved: Granny vs. Death OMG SO AWESOME!

Nanny Ogg is just all-around great and gets better with each book. I particularly love her scheming against Granny Weatherwax in this one. And the knickers! And the recipes!

Death of Rats! Coming for the rat-catcher! Who gets reincarnated as a rat!

I'm a little curious: does Pratchett have pet rats or something? Or did Death of Rats just sort of spring up as a joke and continue because it was too good to discard? Just wondering, since usually rats don't show up that often in books ;). And it's not like I'm complaining about his inclusion of rats!

Also, I am now afraid!! That I speak!! Just like Christine?! Exclamation point!!!!

Oh, every time there was a note with written out hysterical laughter, I nearly died. Ditto with Salzella going somewhat insane near the end and punctuating!!!! Excessively!!!!! I think he hit five at one point!!!!!

And OMG! Death dressed as the devil coming for Faust! I think? I've never actually seen that much opera, but it's sort of seeped in, and have I mentioned just how much love I have for takes on genre tropes, particularly cracktastic ones? I mean, I loved the take on fairy tales and Faerie as well, but there are more of those around. Much fewer on Phantom and opera and musicals.

Anyway, if you couldn't tell, I enjoyed this a ton. I think it's the Discworld book I've laughed the most with so far.

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Have you read Carpe Jugulum? Agnes is in that one, too.

[oyceter]

Not yet, I think that's next...

[kate_nepveu]

Hee. I've always thought of this as a minor book, but your enthusiasm is reminding me of at its good bits, so thanks.

[oyceter]

It probably is a pretty minor book -- none of the revelations had the same weight as, say, Hogfather, but still! He is satirizing Phantom! I have so much love just for that!

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

I read this book, then read it aloud to akycha. I burned out my voice doing Granny Weatherwax (who turns unfortunately Appalachian when I read her) AND Christine, but damn it was fun.

[oyceter]

Oh man, reading Christine in particular must be really fun!! Totally!!

[tavella.livejournal.com]

I found the ending really annoying. I'm not fond of Granny's smug -- I don't dislike the character in general, but when she gets her smug on it grates. And I didn't feel that Agnes deserved that. There are options other than opera singer and dragging home to do what your elders smugly want, and it annoyed the hell out of me.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I definitely didn't like the ending. I want Agnes to go for what she wants, not end up settling because she feels like she has no other choice. I mean, it would have been different if I had felt that she really did want to go back, but was too stubborn to say so and Granny's smug gave her an excuse, but that didn't seem like it was the case.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

Have you read The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents?

[oyceter]

Twice! I squee at all the rattiness in it.