Discworld 'Equal Rites' Review

I finally got back to Equal Rites, the third book in the wonderful Terry Prachett's Discworld review.

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▶Mail: Jessie Earl
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[borjankosarac]

Humorously, back when this was published and Sir Terry wasn’t as well-known many female fans were convinced the author HAD to be a woman because there was no way a man could write women this well, right?

[catzkeet]

I kinda agree that Granny does have “some” terf’y characteristics in this book. Two things tho…….Granny grew……her opinions and attitudes (the character)matured, ‘and’ let’s be honest, rules are rules and expectation are expectations, but they don’t apply to Granny, in her mind……and gods help ANYone trying to tell Granny she can’t do precisely what she wants to do, male female, god or demon. Personally I’d say that in ER she talked a great deal about a “woman’s place” whilst totally ignoring any such restrictions and towing Esk along in her wake. In later books Terry felt able to make his witches much less concerned with being “proper” and just made them witches( you’ll understand once you read say, Lords and Ladies, or Witches Abroad) “what’s there to be afraid of?” Granny Weatherwax:”us”
Granny and Nanny Ogg are some of my favourite characters, but DEATH is still my ultimate fave and you’ll encounter him in Mort. Enjoy.

[jodieg]

I will never stop gushing over how much I love Sir Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series. Sometimes his observations and turns of phrase were the only things that were helping me keep my sanity because he more often than not was able to make an observation that wasn’t so obvious. One of my favorites, especially being a woman in a skilled trade, was in Feet of Clay with Angua talking to the lady Dwarf Cheery Littlebottom when Angua says “but lots of women in the city would love to do things the Dwarf way; you can do anything the men do.” To which Cheery replies “Provided we *only* do what the men do.”

[shamblepants]

The Discworld series is a very real journey, with the full life of Terry Pratchett within it. I find the awkward beginning and end of the series exceptionally moving as they reflect the artistic growth and health decline of this brilliant author.

Enjoy the ride - and enjoy each revisit to these books as they call back often for a fresh read.

Thank you for the review. This series is something very near to my heart.

[cathunsworth]

I hope you’re healing well.

I’m so glad you enjoyed Equal Rites. My heart sank a little when you said Granny Weatherwax had TERFy vibes, as she’s my favourite Discworld character (and possibly my favourite fictional character overall; I have a tattoo of one of her quotes, if that gives you an indication). But I know what you mean. IIRC this book shows her learning about something she had assumed, and adapting to that new information. In later books, she’s a more rounded out character, but I think even ER Granny is a better person by the end of the book than at the beginning.

The next book is Mort, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Pratchett’s writing keeps climbing the mountain of excellence.

[MysticMindAnalysis]

I recently read this novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree that the ending felt a bit abrupt, but Granny Weatherwax is a great character because she's forced to challenge her biases by new information. The wizard staff is almost a character on of itself, and despite her resistance, insists that Esk will claim it as a Wizard's staff.

What I love most about Terry Pratchett is how his approach to comedy writing is opposite to my own. Whereas I love to take mundane situations and make them silly, he takes ridiculous situations and gives them a very mundane response. Like, if Gargoyles are sentient, why on earth would they stay out in the rain instead of taking shelter?

The next book in the series is Mort, which I haven't read, but so far my favourites in the Discworld series are The Last Hero and Sourcery.

[Snowman_Style]

Granny Hype! She's a character who will only get more depth as we go! Pratchett's social commentary becomes more naturally engrained in his stories as they go on to the point where it feels less like an author with a point to get across, to someone who is trying to hold a mirror up to the way our society works today but explored using the fantasy tropes for fodder. It's very much a science fiction/douglas adams approach to Fantasy. Thanks for the review! And for the tip about the audio books, time to buy EVEN MORE AUDIO BOOKS!!

[Omahdon]

Always a pleasure to see another video as you go on your Discworld journey! Honestly, this is kinda inspiring me to go back and start from the very beginning again: eyes refreshed from over 20 years of having last read them and all!

[rosesrosesroses]

Omg I gasped when I saw the title I love your videos and I love terry pratchetts discworld!!!

[EvilDMMk]

So, next you get the first real character study of Sir Terry’s most popular character. DEATH.

[jeremysmith]

Sir Terry Pratchett's work is an absolute gift. I'm looking forward to checking out the audiobooks.

[ZipplyZane]

Guards, Guards is a bit away. Looking it up, it's Book 8 (I still haven't gotten to it.) Next is Mort, which is one *I'm* looking forward to.

And neither of them have the new audiobook versions out. They seem to have only released the Witches series, which are read by the same female actor.

Also, you did already hear Bill Nighy as Death in this.

[Daihatski]

Oh you're gonna have your first DEATH book next. Oh my. Can't wait to hear from that. I love listening to all kinds of people discovering Pratchett for their first time :) His books are near and dear to me. Glad you're enjoying it so far. I never quite grew warm with the witches books, but with the new audiobooks I might have to give them a retry. Lovely voice, it seems from the preview.

[stevena]

Here's the thing. The Discworld changes. With each passing book, the world morphs a bit. Granny isn't a static character. She pretends to stay the same, but really, she's one of the few people who KNOWS what the worlds all about and is in our corner fighting for people. I'LL agree that when she starts off, she's a hard pill to swallow and she's NOT quite there yet as the character that people love. She's on her way, but she's not QUITE done.

.... But you haven't met the coven yet.... And oh my lordy lord, I'm not spoiling anything for you, but THAT'S when Granny starts getting fleshed out. Can't wait for you to finally get to Monsterous Regiment because THAT'S gonna be fun.

Next up is Mort and Mort is one of my favourite books of all time. Oh I'm super jealous that this'll be your first time through!!

[MysticMuttering]

YES! Thank you SO MUCH for reviewing this, I’ve been SHOUTING FROM THR ROOFTOPS for more folks to get into Terry Pratchett

[gozerthegozarian]

I will, with great sadness, admit that the TERF-energy is strong in Granny Weatherwax, at least in this very early version of her. Hell, German TERF-twitter has a particular obnoxious specimen who uses the German version of her name* as her handle, even! HOWEVER Sir Terry himself absolutely said trans rights both during his life and in his books, through both plots and characters. Your journey through Discworld will have you encounter them soon, and I'm looking forward to hear your take on them!

* = fictional characters in media sometimes get translated/adapted versions of their names in translated versions of that piece of media: Falcor from the Neverending Story is Fuchur in the original German, if you try and pronounce that in English and remember that this is a children'sbook...yeah, I see why they'd re-name him! Captain Picard's lover Vash is re-named as Viriad in the French dub of TNG, since "Vash" sounds to close to the French word "vache", which means "cow" (Now there's an aspect that would have gotten "Sex in Star Trek Part 2 - TNG" demonitized faster than you can go "Mooo!"... ). Why the Dutch needed to re-name Neville Longbottom as Marcel Lubbermans, however, I have no idea...

[koivunen]

Ooh, I should reread this!
I read it as a teen, but I'd probably understand a lot more now as an adult.

I'm reading Monstrous Regiment right now.

[ArcticWolfe]

The witches are my favourite characters in the Discworld series, so when you said Granny Westherwax is a TERF I audibly gasped in shock. You're probably right, though.

Terry Pratchett was such a brilliant author. It's actually making me tear up (not for the first time!) to think about what we lost when he died.

[Blazingstoke]

I think some of Granny's characterization in _Equal Rites_ is part of the Early Installment Weirdness, as Pratchett is starting to morph the series from one that's primarily a satire of established fantasy franchises and tropes to a more independent franchise that he can use to comment on absolutely everything from nerdy references in history and cultures to Shakespearean ruminations on the human condition. By the time she reappears, Sir Pterry has a much better sense of what he wants to do with her.

As for which is my favorite, I'm gonna have to go with _Small Gods._

[YondaMoegi]

Your voice is getting clearer, it sounds like recovery's going well! I didn't really like earlier Pratchett's books, so I can't say anything about this one