Equal Rites

It has been quite some time since I've read a Discworld novel and I'd forgotten how wonderfully enjoyable they are! Terry Pratchett's wit is both funny and wise and never fails to make me giggle and laugh out loud, while at the same time contemplate life, people and the ‘bigger picture' as it were. This third volume in the series is a delight and filled with the kind of absurd imagination that I love about the Discworld series and other like-minded books who don't feel the need to make the fantasy ‘realistic' and instead embrace the weird, whimsical and absurd ness of the genre, while at the same time kind of poking fun of it. This volume almost felt like it could have been. Ghibli film. I liked all of the characters, but really loved the character of Granny Weatherwax the best. Esk's journey to become the first female wizard is both a fun and wild ride as well as being an interesting look at gender roles - especially in fantasy. As always, though Discworld novels are labelled a comic fantasy - and yes there is a lot of comedy - it also has something profound to say, it's just not bogged down by preaching and is a much more fun way to ruminate about deeper issues, and Equal Rites is no exception to that tradition in Terry Pratchett's writing.