Wyrd Sisters

One of his masterpieces, and even better on rereading (although I can't remember my first reading). The tension in this one is painful: helplessness in the face of tyranny was especially excruciating right now, days before the 2022 midterm elections. Even his humor, sharp and insightful and at his best, has uncomfortable cautionary undertones.

As I was reading this book I was reminded of one of Nigella Lawson's cooking porn shows, in which she said she didn't know if she actually liked drinking tea or if she had convinced herself she liked it because she knew it was good for her.

I've attempted Pratchett before and found him hard-going, as I have with Douglas Adams and Ben Elton, who write in the same style. They take a lot of effort and, although I had a lot of I see what you did there moments, and a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments, I don't know that the effort I had to put in was repaid by the enjoyment I got back.

Classic Pratchett, featuring characters who go on to become fan favourites. This book is a great way to start the series for new readers. The trade mark wit is there and the plotting and characterisation is improved from early books. Granny Weatherwax deserves to be included in any list of beloved literary characters.