jacobeiserman's Full Review: Terry Pratchett - The Wee Free Men
The Wee Free Men is billed as "A Story of Discworld" right on the cover, but fans of the series may be a bit taken aback if they pick it up only for that reason. Pratchett's trademark incredibly ridiculous humour is toned down quite a bit here, with a few parts feeling almost like a typical humourless fantasy story (though as the average Discworld book is approximately 913 times funnier than, say, Naked Empire, Pratchett's got a lot of leeway). Does that make this a bad novel? No, just different.
After all, it's a special Pratchett book...one written for kids, or perhaps "young adults". However, like the Narnia series, and some of the best books ever written, this is the kind of kids' story enjoyable even to those whose fashion sense is no longer dictated by Sum 41 or Avril Lavigne.
The story relates the quest of Tiffany Aching, a farm girl of about 9 or 10, to rescue her annoying little brother from the Faerie Queen of Air and Darkness. Along the way, a tribe of six-inch tall Scottish-style "pictsies" (let me spell this out..."pixies" + "Picts"), called the Nac Mac Feegles, come to help her out of respect for her deceased grandmother, the "guardian witch" of the Chalk, a giant hill constituting an entire Barony. For some reason, they think Tiffany is also a witch. Is she or isn't she? Well, given the popularity of Harry Potter lately, the answer is fairly obvious, though I don't think Pratchett is trying for a piece of that action...he's been writing children's books for at least thirty years. And this story is quite far removed from the tales of good Mr. Potter, although the same elements of humour and adventure are much in evidence.
As in all good stories, character development is a major focus. Tiffany is a strong-willed female hero who will appeal to children who are outsiders or a bit smarter than average. She is perhaps a bit more introspective than is realistic for her age, doubting her motives quite often, but I haven't been there for over a decade, and was never a little girl anyway, so who knows. She sums up her character quite nicely in a moment of self-discovery near the end of the novel: "I'm careful and logical and I look up things I don't understand! When I hear people use the wrong words I get edgy! I am good with cheese. I read books fast! I think! And I always have a piece of string! That's the kind of person I am!" To some this may sound like an AR nightmare waiting to happen. But a witch has to be in control of herself, right?
The "Wee Free Men" of the title add a major element to the story. Tiffany first discovers them around the farm, inexplicably doing her chores for her. She gets to meet them after her brother disappears; Tiffany has already had some strange supernatural encounters and not much can shock her by this point. The Wee Free Men, the most dreaded of all fairy races, speak in a Scots-style brogue, are blue-skinned, red-haired, incredibly strong and about inversely intelligent. Ruled by a female "kelda" in a government somewhat resembling a beehive, the clan is large and predominantly male. A few Nac Mac Feegles get actual names and characters, such as Rob Anybody, the leader; William the gonnagal (piper and wise-ish elder); Hamish the aviator, Daft Wullie, and Not-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock (supposedly illustrating the paucity of appropriate Nac Mac Feegle names, this fellow makes you glad most of the tribe members remain nameless). The rest of the group talk a lot about drinking and fighting, shout warcries, and say things like "Crivens!" Most of the humour in the story is due to these little fellows; a favourite quote of mine which may have more meaning to a slightly more "mature" audience is overheard when Tiffany is supposed to choose a mate from the clan: "Big wimmin is a' very well, but if a laddie was to try tae cuddle this one he'd have tae leave a chalk mark to show where he left off yesterday."
A few other characters make an appearance, including members of Tiffany's family, but the only noteworthy ones are Miss Tick, a witch who inspires Tiffany early on, a talking toad that gives occasional advice but cowers and whines more often, and Granny Aching, the deceased grandmother, who is seen in many flashbacks. Quiet and strong, she's a lot like our young heroine.
The plot moves at quite an acceptable pace for the age group, with some early mysteries and revelations moving into the quest through the evil Queen's realm, a place of dreams and nightmares. Though somewhat stock in effect, it's an interesting place with a few twists and turns. This is a kids' book, and a Pratchett one at that, so a happy ending is rather predictable. But the plot still retains excitement and suspense all the way to the final showdown with the Queen.
Overall, this story is a great one for younger teens or adults. I enjoyed it immensely, as did my 17-year old brother, and I'm sure my Grandma would like it almost as much as the aforementioned Potter series. If you're a fan of simple, humorous stories with some hidden jokes and not too much complexity, this should be perfect. And if you've been reading a lot of thick, heavy novels lately, this might just be a nice change of pace.
Featuring full-color art, special foldouts, and all-new material by the author, this lavish gift edition is a must-have for all fans of Pratchett and ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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