Low Fantasy, Young Adult

Review: Wintersmith

Jay
Cover of "Wintersmith," featuring a girl with long brown hair in a white dress, her arms cupped in front of her; standing on her arms is an agressive-looking blue man with red hair wearing a kilt and holding a sword.

Title: Wintersmith

Series: Discworld #35

Author: Terry Pratchett

Genre: Low Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: Stalking, death, animal death, confinement, body horror (mild)

Spoiler Warning: Though reading beyond this point may have some minor spoilers for previous Tiffany Aching books (The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky), it won’t spoil any other Discworld books.

Back Cover:

Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch — now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance — the crossover from summer to winter — she does what no one has ever done before and leaps into the dance. Into the oldest story there ever is. And draws the attention of the Wintersmith himself.

As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle — the fightin’, thievin’ pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their “big wee hag.”

Review:

I knew that I had read Wintersmith before, a long long time ago, because I remember a witch named Tiffany in a world where witches weren’t as witchy as I’d come to expect out of fantasy books, and I remember the cover (and its exact location in the basement of my childhood local library). But as I read this again, I began to wonder if I had actually looked at the cover and read the inside flap at the library and then put it back, because I remembered absolutely none of it. But I found it recorded in the list of books I read in 2010 (yes, I’m that nerd who has records of every single book they’ve read for over a decade), so I did read it once. But I’m not even mad that I didn’t remember it, because it was great to re-experience like I’d never read it before, and this time with the context of the previous two Tiffany Aching books under my belt.

Tiffany is now nearly thirteen, still away from the Chalk and currently apprenticed to Miss Treason. When Miss Treason takes her to the dance that welcomes winter, she finds herself unable to keep from joining the dance – and not only draws the attention of the Wintersmith, but sticks herself in the middle of a story humans are not supposed to be in.

This book was really, really good. Tiffany herself is amazing, as always – great at witchery and sure of herself and her place in the world. I love Sir Terry’s version of witches. I love the Discworld, and the Nac Mac Feegle, and all the delightful absurdity that happens in these books, and the way wise and poignant moments are mixed with absolute ridiculousness without undercutting either.

As a preteen or young teenager, I have no doubt I would have unreservedly adored this book. Mature beyond my years and forced to deal with large and complex problems with little to no adult assistance, I’m sure I would have strongly related to Tiffany. (This is one of the reasons I’m surprised that I remember nothing of this book from my first read in 2010.) But reading it as an adult, I found myself getting angry at the older witches, especially Granny Weatherwax. Yes, it was Tiffany’s fault she joined the dance. But she was twelve years old, not even a teenager, and no one told her why she shouldn’t dance. Now the Wintersmith, the immortal embodiment of winter, wants to marry her, and Granny Weatherwax has a “she got herself into this, she’ll get herself out” attitude. And I just wanted to scream at the page, “She is a child! Being a witch does not erase the fact that she is twelve and you are an adult! She does not deserve to go through this with no support or assistance!”

Despite that, I did overall enjoy the book. Roland actually got to do things, which was an interesting addition, and all the side characters are delightful. I’m looking forward to reading the last two Tiffany Aching books – and, honestly, the rest of the Discworld series, because all of these books are great.

The Discworld series:

  1. The Colour of Magic
  2. The Light Fantastic
  3. Equal Rites
  4. Mort
  5. Sourcery
  6. Wyrd Sisters
  7. Pyramids
  8. Guards! Guards!
  9. Eric
  10. Moving Pictures
  11. Reaper Man
  12. Witches Abroad
  13. Small Gods
  14. Lords and Ladies
  15. Men at Arms
  16. Soul Music
  17. Interesting Times
  18. Maskerade
  19. Feet of Clay
  20. Hogfather
  21. Jingo
  22. The Last Continent
  23. Carpe Jugulum
  24. The Fifth Elephant
  25. The Truth
  26. Thief of Time
  27. The Last Hero
  28. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
  29. Night Watch
  30. The Wee Free Men
  31. Monstrous Regiment
  32. A Hat Full of Sky
  33. Going Postal
  34. Thud!
  35. Wintersmith
  36. Making Money
  37. Unseen Academicals
  38. I Shall Wear Midnight
  39. Snuff
  40. Raising Steam
  41. The Shepherd’s Crown