Terry Pratchett's Discworld 06- Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters

Corgi

Terry Pratchett
1988

Other Terry Pratchett Reviews- The Colour of Magic - The Light Fantastic - Equal Rites - Mort - Sourcery - Wyrd Sisters - Pyramids - Guards! Guards! - Eric - Moving Pictures - Reaper Man - Witches Abroad - Small Gods - Lords and Ladies - Men At Arms - Soul Music - Interesting Times - Maskerade - Feet of Clay - Hogfather - Raising Steam - A Blink of the Screen - Sky1 Adaptations- Dodger - The Long Earth (w Stephen Baxter)

 

'Witches just aren't like that,' said Magrat. 'We live in harmony with the great cycles of Nature, and do no harm to anyone, and it's wicked of them to say we don't. We ought to fill their bones with hot lead.'

In one foul swoop, Pratchett's sixth Discworld book introduces another group of soon-to-be immensely popular characters who will go on to feature in a handful of the series' most popular books; the three witches. Pratchett reaches back to the third book, Equal Rites (feminism and witchcraft) and returns to the tiny yet incredibly magic-filled country of Lancre, and the character of Granny Weatherwax, matriarchal witch, giving her two companions in Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlic. Wyrd Sisters in its most simple description is Pratchett does Shakespeare, with all the satirical twist that implies; in this story the three witches are the heroines of the piece. The result is another piece of literary magic.

After five books of almost entirely high-stakes, end of the world action, Wyrd Sisters tones the scope of the story down a few notches (a welcome relief after the excess of Sourcery). As previously mentioned, Lancre is a small, out of the way country-bumpkin grow-your-own-cabbages type of place known mainly for its witches and its cheese. One day things go haywire as the King of Lancre, King Verence is murdered by the evil Duke Felmet and his manipulating Lady MacBeth-esque wife, who suitably proceed to take over the crown and make life miserable for their subjects. As these things go, the three-strong coven of witches led by Granny Weatherwax must use their plentiful amounts of cunning to put things right.Clearly the story isn't particularly complicated or far-fetched but that's really not the point; Wyrd Sisters exists as one of the first full examples of Pratchett exploring the idea of narrative causality, where events occur in a fashion that the story demands because the story demands it. It's something that will later be explored more fully in the next witches story, Witches Abroad, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The aspect that makes Wyrd Sisters so great is the fantastic characterization. Granny Weatherwax is such a massively more developed character here than before; a wonderful exploration into the psycology (or 'headology' as it is here) of magic and the mind. Granny is always one step ahead of everything else, as wise as wise can be, but just as sarcastic and biting, she's kind of an anti-hero kept on the straight and narrow by her two supporting witches who are a little more sympathetic.

In parts a love-letter to Shakespeare, yet also a full-on massively intelligent magical drama in its own right, Wyrd Sisters is a brilliant piece of literature showing off the abilities of an author firmly grasping the potential of a brilliant universe that's all his own to play with. It's not even the best witches novel, but it is a fantastic start to their series of adventures.