The Wee Free Men
Ratings235
Average rating4.2
Interesting and funny characters, Terry Pratchett humor, and a storyline that's NOT based in Ankh-Morpork for a nice change of pace. And so good to know there are several more books to this series.
I've read two Tiffany Achings before (yes, I'm WAY out of order) and at this point it feels masochistic reading Tiffany Aching. I feel like Pratchett was grieving someone he loved very much and that love comes through so strongly in these books. Pretty sure I teared up at least a dozen times, but I obviously LOLed too, I'm always down for some good wizard trash talk.
If you've had a grandmother or maybe parental or elder figure that you've lost this is either a content warning or a recommendation for catharsis. For me it was catharsis crying, especially the next up book, they are beautiful.
I think the next up in the series is stronger than this one in regards to the story and grief, but this is still excellent. Who can't fall just in love with Tiffany or the Wee Free Men?
YA for themes around critical thinking, trusting yourself and processing death of a loved one - which I think all translate absolutely perfectly to adult, I definitely benefit from these themes. And this does not read like YA to me at all, especially if you've read Discworld it's the same tone as the others.
I used to think that, were I stuck on a desert island, I'd bring the complete works of Terry Pratchett and be happy. Now – just this week – I've discovered the audiobooks read by Stephen Briggs and life just got so much more complicated. Now when they come to take me away to said isle I'm going to have to say “er, um, just a moment, I need not only the print books but also the MP3s, and a player, earphones, solar charger, and backups for each.”
Why are we humans like that? Why can't we ever be satisfied with what we have? I mean, pretty soon I'll be taking my digital watch, grapefruit spoon set, Kwan Yin statue, Kitchenaid, some paintings, an extension ladder to reach coconuts, a few close friends, their favorite things and people, and before you know it the island will just be too crowded. All because my friend K. loaned me this audiobook. (Not that I'm ungrateful, mind you. Just pensive.)
And then I got to thinking that every bit of progress, everything that makes us human, every neat idea from digital watches to Terry Pratchett books, has come from someone not being satisfied with what they have. So I guess it's OK for me to take these audiobooks with me.
(What? You were expecting a review of this book? Don't be silly. It's a Terry Pratchett book. It's one of the great ones. If you haven't already read it multiple times, you probably should, maybe on audiobook as well. There's nothing else to say, really.)
Super cute and I'm thinking of changing my name to “ Not-as-big-as-Medium-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock”
I liked this story. I'm glad I listened to it, the accents are so much better than what would happen in my head if I was reading it.
Delightful! Sometimes the book would get a little scary but then the wee free men would show up and everything would be alright. I don't generally read fantasy, I'm more of a science fiction guy, but every Pratchett book I have read has been great
Another great Discworld romp from Terry Pratchett. “The Wee Free Men” is the first of the Tiffany Aching books and her first meeting with the Nac Mac Feegle. At times dark, but most times funny this book was an enjoyable read.
Understanding the Feegle's accent was a challenge, but they are funny as hell.
