This was my first Tiffany Aching book, which I loved on its own. Coming back to it after having read the first three in the series was like coming home after a long absence. Everything was richer and my understanding and love of the characters was deeper. Also, Preston is one of the most perfect surprises of the whole series. ( )

Hardcover ( )

C+ (Okay).

A teenage witch vs a moral panic. A lot about this book didn't quite work - especially the villain, who shows up late and only ever makes sense as a metaphor. And a lot of the ideas and minor characters feel like their arcs have been erased. It's not a bad book; I just really want the Tiffany Aching series to be as good as its first couple books.

(Jan. 2024) ( )

I am always amazed at how much folk wisdom Terry Pratchett can cram into a book, in this case even just the first couple of chapters. If you have not had the good fortune to read his Tiffany Aching series, do yourself a favor and rush out right now and get The Wee Free Men . Don't pause just because it is marketed as a Young Adult book, for you are only depriving yourself of a great literary treat. I Shall Wear Midnight is, in some ways, not quite as satisfying as its predecessors, because Tiffany is growing well into her role as the witch for the Chalk region and so there aren't quite as many discoveries for her to make (and us along with her). Nevertheless, she is a lovely character to know and a knowing character to love. I will definitely be re-reading this book someday.

2024-02-24 - That day would be today. And it is still as wonderful as the first time. ( )

This book is the third of what I see as a trilogy about Tiffany Aching growing into the responsibilities of being a witch, and this book engages with the downsides of it: when you're willing to do the things no one else is willing to do, but society needs done to keep going, then you might find yourself under a bit of suspicious from the rest of the community.

I really liked this. I enjoyed the second through fourth Tiffany books a lot, but this one was my favorite of all of them. It's the darkest, opening with a posse coming for a man, and Tiffany being the one who protects him even though he kind of deserves what he gets; when there are neglected children, only Tiffany stands up to protect them. As the old lord dies, Tiffany comes under suspicion, and suddenly finds herself at odds with her old boyfriend, the old lord's son.Pratchett is at his best when he uses the Discworld to shine a light on the issues of our world, the dimensions of power and prejudice, and this book is as strong an example of it as I've seen. While the City Watch novels let him explore state power, this explores the issues of social prejudice on a personal level; the Watch novels looked at those who directed the power, but Tiffany—for all her magical powers—is the person that power is directed against.

And yet, Tiffany keeps on going, because there are jobs to do, and is she doesn't do them, who will?

Marvelous stuff, if not perfect; the big bad, in particular, seems taken care of a bit too easily. But this book is the kind of magic ones goes to the Discworld for. Probably my favorite of the thirteen I've read, other than Jingo.