Witches Abroad

This is the third book in the Witches subseries of Discworld. The last time I derived such great pleasure from a Discworld book was when I read the second Witches book, Wyrd Sisters. I'm still not certain if I have delved deep enough into Discworld to declare my favorite subseries, but Witches is definitely a top contender.

Just like the previous Witches book, this story mainly centers around the characters of Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat. Through a sequence of events, the three are compelled to embark on a journey to a distant land to handle an evil fairy godmother. Among other things, this godmother is attempting to force a girl to marry a prince of dubious origin. There are numerous references to familiar fairy tales, but they are often twisted in an entertaining manner. I felt that the overall plot in this book was much more coherent compared to most of the other Discworld books.

Although Magrat can be irritating at times, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are simply hilarious. Some of their reactions as they traversed through "foreign parts" had me in stitches. One minor gripe I have is that, in Wyrd Sisters, the same characters referred to other places as "forn parts". They seemingly have inexplicably learned how to pronounce "foreign" since then, and for some reason, I missed the "forn parts".

Happily, there is another Witches book just two books away on my Discworld list. So, I will have the opportunity to revisit this subseries in the near future.

As much as I have an unwavering love for the Discworld series, I must reluctantly admit that there are several subpar entries in its early days. By "early," I mean within the first 10 years. I often find myself thinking that the series might not have endured in the modern publishing world. I dare say that new books were perhaps released too frequently, with two per year for a significant portion of the series' lifespan.

"Witches Abroad" is one such entry that could have greatly benefited from an additional one or two revision passes before publication.

The main characters, namely Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick, are as wonderful as ever and manage to carry the book. Although they don't undergo any major development, it is always a delight to read about their interactions with each other and with hapless outsiders. However, other characters seem to be present merely as fodder for the main trio to act against.

The plot progress and pacing become rather choppy in the latter half of the book, and this is where the book as a whole starts to break down, albeit not as severely as in "Sourcery," which is the most blatant example of this intermittent problem in the series. Any Discworld fan knows not to expect something as ordinary as "chapters," but this book might have been improved by having a clearer separation between the main sections. The setup involves re-establishing the status of the witches in their home region of the Ramtop mountains and setting the plot in motion with the death of witch/fairy godmother Desiderata, who passes along her wand and charge. The next part shows our trio of witches traveling to "furrin places," and we enjoy seeing their reactions to these new environments or, more precisely, how they impose themselves in new locations.

The final section, beginning with their arrival in their ultimate destination of Genua, is where it largely falls apart. At this point, the plot ceases to flow naturally. The supposed plot payoffs were not adequately set up, and new elements such as the swamp, Mr. Samedi, Mrs. Gogol, and most of the enemy players were inadequately developed. The whole theme of stories fell flat. One intended major character revelation was spoiled a long time earlier for anyone with a basic knowledge of French.

In total, the attempt to use the witches as a framework for a Discworld take on fairy tales, similar to what was done with Shakespeare in "Wyrd Sisters," was well-intentioned and came close to success at one point but ultimately didn't work out. I wish Pratchett had spent a bit more time on this story, smoothing it out and adding the extra pages it needed to function properly. It's forgivable, and I still have a passion for reading the witches' stories, with another one coming up just two books later in publication order, namely "Lords and Ladies."

FINAL WORD: Nanny Ogg's tomcat Greebo has a prominent role in this book. I am extremely uncomfortable with the description of him as "rapey" with the intention of humor. If he were simply threatening to all the creatures he encounters and an eager suitor of female cats, that would have been sufficient. However, the text specifically describes him as a rapist of animals, not necessarily limited to his own species.

I've completed 6 Discworld titles so far. They are The Wee Free Men, The Color of Magic, Equal Rites, Mort, Sourcery, and Wyrd Sisters. And I have to say this is my very favorite one thus far.

I love the way Terry Pratchett takes things that most of us can relate to, such as traveling abroad, and turns them into hilarious and at the same time fantastic Discworld adventures. The three Lancre witches, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat, are some of my favorite characters in the whole series. Not to mention Nanny's cat Greebo, who reminds me of some Roundworld cats that I have known.

This volume starts off with Magrat being willed the wand (and duties) of a Fairy Godmother. She, along with Granny and Nanny, have to go to a foreign land to help a princess NOT marry a prince. I'll never view the fairy tales of my youth the same way again after reading this one. Defintely worth 5 stars. It's not necessary to have read any of the other books. But I think that having read at least Wyrd Sisters and possibly Equal Rites helps establish a good understanding of the witches and their motivations and characters. However, once again I don't think it lessens the enjoyment of this book if one hasn't read any of the other novels. It stands alone quite well.

For some reason, this terrible English cover was again chasing me, and I was reading the Ukrainian edition for the first time.

"You know, Granny, this is no longer Lancre…"

Here everything is also wonderful. I remembered everything in abstract details, so it was pleasant to recall. The Witches are going abroad. Here there are also dwarfs, and a cruise liner trip, and a baboon that wins at cards, and an absent-mindedness from a bull race (hello, Spain) and Genoa (which turns out to be New Orleans - funny, but in childhood I didn't know anything about New Orleans and thought it was a very fictional Italian Genoa, lol, and now I can clearly imagine everything, especially thanks to the series Interview with the Vampire, which I recently watched). I forgot that already in this book, Granny was transformed into a human, there were fairytales in the forest, and Baboon had an evil sister. And that on the journey they met Golem. And also the Lovelace Kazanunda! Already here! Tiffany, as always, is fire and the best character (constantly writes masterful letters home).

There was also a very heavy moment that I didn't remember, about a wolf who was lost in his identity. Truly a dark Pratchett. This is no longer fairytales for you.

In short, wonderful.

The books of the Discworld saga always guarantee you a great time of entertainment and fun.

However, the books about the witches are especially endearing with that great trio like Charlie's Angels traveling around the disc with their crazy adventures.

Here, Prachett creates a true masterpiece paying homage to the classic tales through the filter of the madness of the Discworld.

Whoever needs a boost of good cheer has it in abundance here.

The vivid characters and their misadventures make these books a joy to read.

You'll find yourself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations.

Whether you're a long-time fan of the Discworld or new to it, the witch books are a must-read.

They offer a unique and entertaining perspective on the magical world that Prachett has created.

So, pick up one of these books and prepare to be whisked away on a wild ride of magic and mayhem.

You won't be disappointed!

I'm gradually getting used to the fact that the Witches Collection is not a consecutive story in the same way that The City Watch was, at least not truly. There isn't really a single overarching theme. Instead, it's all about playing around with story tropes, shaking them up, traumatizing and scaring them, making fun of them when they cry, and then sending them back home with a lolly-pop.

The Witches series is absolutely hilarious. I have a deep affection for these characters. We're getting to know them more and more, and they seem both comical and even slightly idiotic. However, once you stop and think about it, they are actually quite poignant. The big question in Witches Abroad is what occurs when you attempt to force a story? What happens when you take well-known and beloved tropes and characters and compel them to act out the same story repeatedly, even when it no longer functions for anyone? The answer leans more towards what Stephen King writes rather than the Grimm brothers. It morphs into a horror story where unwilling people are coerced into doing things they otherwise wouldn't. What if Cinderella didn't desire to go to the ball? Or get married? What if she enjoyed being a servant? Who is the fairy godmother to make her? You simply can't save someone who doesn't need to be saved.

Either way, it's a great installment of the Witches series.

4.5

  'This is a story about stories. Or what it really means to be a fairy godmother. But it’s also, particularly, about reflections and mirrors.'

When Desirata Hollow passes away, she bequeaths her wand to Magrat Garlick. Along with the wand, Magrat inherits the responsibility of assisting Princess Emberella not to marry a prince. What Magrat is unaware of is that the princess has two godmothers, one good and one bad. Another crucial aspect in Desirata's will is that under no circumstances should Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg offer their help. We all know the consequences when it comes to those two and the word'mustn't'.

The three witches and one cat embark on a journey to aid the poor princess. Their destination is Genua.




The initial part of the book details their adventure. Along the way, they observe numerous strange occurrences - creatures from various fairy tales wandering the land. Granny, true to her nature, feels compelled to correct everything. Only Terry Pratchett has the ability to persuade you to take the opposing stance to the one desiring a happy ending. Some of the scenes in this book are heart-wrenching, while most are uproariously funny. Here, you'll encounter fresh perspectives on many familiar stories. There is even an element of voodoo. With Granny Weatherwax present, every story receives a unique treatment and her own distinct brand of conclusion.


I adored everything, from the fairy tales (each with a novel twist) and their incessant bickering to the choice of the villain. Even Greebo the cat is remarkable. However, what I cherished the most was Granny and her reactions to the things they encountered. My favorite, yet the saddest moment, is when Granny meets the wolf.


If you cannot tolerate a great deal of bickering, three distinct witches being their own strange, humorous, and occasionally irritating selves, and completely distorted fairy tales, then I recommend that you skip this one.


The character of Death also makes an appearance.

Headology and Symbology are far superior to ordinary Magic on any given day!!! ✨✨✨

This particular entry in the series is not only extremely thoughtful but also as enjoyable as ever. Just like always, the story takes a bit of a backseat to the ideas and situations presented. Every single sentence is filled with profound meaning, and the entire book can essentially be used as a source of quotes. The Maiden, The Mother, and The Crone are archetypes that everyone can easily relate to, and their power is truly universal. Stories are indeed alive, and we must be cautious about the stories we tell about ourselves and the ones we write ourselves into.

I have an absolute passion for the audio version of this series. However, in order to fully grasp all the wordplay and linguistic acrobatics, I would highly recommend reading it with your eyes first, or perhaps simultaneously with the audio.

*** 4.63 ***



I sincerely wish you all a happy reading experience, and may you always manage to find exactly what you need within the pages of a wonderful book