Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching)

How to write about a Pratchett book without it degenerating into incoherent fangirly squeeing? I'll try, but I'm not making any promises.

This is the 3rd Tiffany Aching book, which is a subset of the Discworld series. Tiffany is a young witch-in-training.

In Wintersmith, Tiffany turns 13, which is a difficult enough time in any girl's life. But Tiffany's not just any girl, so things are exponentially more difficult. Her biggest problem starts when she (unintentionally, to be sure) steps into the dance between the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady, resulting in her taking on some of the attributes of the Summer Lady, and in the Wintersmith falling in love with her.

Then her current mentor, Miss Treason, announces that she'll be dying soon, and the race is on to decide who should take over her cottage. Tiffany is likely the best qualified, but Annagramma is older and more likely to be accepted by the locals.

Enter Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. Granny manipulates things in her usual twisted way, and Nanny is her usual blend of practicality and earthiness. And of course there are the Nac Mac Feegles, who are just hilarious.

Wintersmith is a young adult novel, but that's mostly because the heroine is 13. The story is universal enough and complex enough to appeal to adult readers as well.

Tiffany takes responsibility for a serious mistake--she gets advice and help along the way, but ultimately, she has to fix the problem herself.

She also has to bite the bullet, swallow her pride, and focus on what's best for everyone in the long run rather than what makes her happy now.

Both of those are lessons that aren't limited to young people--they're not easy for us grown-ups, either.

*sigh* Instead of squeeing, I ended up synopsizing. Sorry about that. It's a great book. I'd recommend reading Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky first, and maybe a couple of the Discworld witch books too, so you're familiar with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, but you probably don't have to.

Tiffany Aching has had quite a lot of adventures. At age 9 she battled the Queen of Fairyland in THE WEE FREE MEN. At age 11 she fought against a Hiver, an evil demon that takes refuge in bodies, in A HAT FULL OF SKY. Now, at the prime age of 13, Tiffany faces a new challenge --- the Wintersmith.

Still a witch in training, Tiffany has a lot to learn. First lesson: Never dance with the wrong men. Tiffany is now under the tutelage of a 113-year-old witch, Miss Treason, and rather than listen to her elder, Tiffany learns the hard way. Miss Treason is most famous for her "borrowing skills" of seeing and hearing through animals' (or peoples') eyes/ears. But even though the witch is one of the wisest and eldest, one cold night on their way to the villages, Tiffany does not heed her teacher's warning about interacting with a group of mysterious dancing men. The dance reminds Tiffany of the Morris dances she saw as a child in her home village in the Chalk. The Morris dances in the Chalk, however, took place on warm spring days, not on chilly autumn nights. Still, the dance makes Tiffany feel reminiscent of home. As a child, she danced along to the Morris dancers as they made their way through her village.

So on that chilly autumn night, the adventure of WINTERSMITH begins when Tiffany ignores Miss Treason's warning and jumps into the dance. And then, "The eyes of the dancing men glared at her as she skipped and danced between them, always being where they weren't. The drums had her feet, and they went where the beat sent them. And then...there was someone else. It was the feeling of someone behind her...The dancers froze but the world spun...The drumbeats stopped, and there was one long moment as Tiffany turned...her face turned towards stars that were cold as ice and sharp as needles. It felt...wonderful. A voice said: 'Who Are You?'"

Enthralled by Tiffany's dancing antics, the Wintersmith is officially smitten. But this is not a typical YA crush. The problem is that the Wintersmith isn't a boy at all. The Wintersmith is the essence of winter --- snowy, icy, cold, blizzardy winter --- and the only way it can shower Tiffany with affection is through these powers. For example, the Wintersmith makes Tiffany-shaped snowflakes that are all exactly the same and makes her roses out of ice. But it won't stop snowing and Miss Treason has a vision of her own death (witches can predict that, you know), so Tiffany is left to figure out how she will stop the affections of the Wintersmith and save her world from turning into a frozen land. Can Tiffany save the day once again?

In his third installment of the Discworld story, acclaimed author and Carnegie Medalist Terry Pratchett brings us right back into the fun-filled adventure. The loveable and humorous Nac Mac Feegles (the Wee Free Men) are still looking after Tiffany and return with their usual zeal and wacky dialogue. Plus, our beloved heroine, Tiffany Aching, will remind readers of Hermione in the Harry Potter books and Lyra Belacqua in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Like these other adventures, WINTERSMITH is a fast-paced, magical read mixed with humor and danger at every turn.

--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson

Tiffany Aching's a sheep girl. Raised in the Chalk Downs lowlands, her family, as with all families there, raise sheep. Standing on a small hill allows you to see a long way and she's used to wide vistas and openness. Tiffany's not in those lowlands any more. She's in the mountains learning to be a witch. The mountains are dark, forested and mysterious. Girls like Tiffany, whose Gran was likely a witch, go there to learn the craft. Even in this strange land, Tiffany has others her age to associate with - even when those associations are tempered by competition. For each, there is the possibility of becoming the Leading Witch someday - even though the Leading Witch, Granny Weatherwax, insists there's no such thing as the Leading Witch. There is another level that might be gained, however. Ascending into the realm of the gods.

Tiffany, with a single misstep, has taken a pace into that realm. Attracting the attention of the Wintersmith, the "elemental" who brings blizzards and icebergs, she discovers she's being courted. At "almost thirteen" that seems a bit anomalous, but her Mum was married at fourteen. The Wintersmith is serious about being a suitor. He wants a Queen to share his rule and will go to extreme measures to gain her. He will even assemble the components humans are comprised of and become a "man". It's no small feat, and it's typical of Pratchett that he would bring this topic into a book for young people, doing so with his usual finesse. It's also typical that while the other apprentice witches deal with lofty and esoteric aspects of witchcraft, Tiffany's role reflects her background. She knows how lambs are made and she knows the risks of birth. Pratchett, while extolling Tiffany's practical sense, thankfully avoids discussion of what Wintersmith-Aching offspring would be like.

A young girl learning a new career needs a mentor. Tiffany has one in the person of Miss Treason, a respected witch, if one with some bizarre habits. Miss Treason uses mice and ravens for eyes and ears, since she's blind and deaf. Those eyes reveal another factor in Tiffany's life, the Nac Mac Feegle, her protectors. Led by Rob Anybody, this mob of little blue men are, to put it mildly, ubiquitous. They are anywhere Tiffany is, and she's shocked to discover they watch over her when she's bathing. But they are mandated to watch over the "wee big hag" and the Wintersmith, as her suitor, brings major challenges. Yet, Tiffany's future rests in her own hands, as Granny Weatherwax reminds us. Wouldn't a view of the whole Disc be even grander than the vistas of the Chalk Downs? Is Tiffany "mature" enough to make the choice?

Another challenge confronts the Wintersmith, however. What does it mean to become a "man". He's scooped up limestone, phosphorus, a bit of gold and "iron enough to make a man" in a nail. Assembling these elements and giving it form should be enough, right? Clothes may not make the man, but chemical elements are indispensable. But are they enough? Will Tiffany, who's not even a "teen-ager" yet, be impressed with his effort and take up residence in the ice castle he offers? How Tiffany responds to his offer and why she does is Pratchett at his most magnificent. Throughout the story, he has offered us glimpses of humanity in essentially poetic form. Not as a saga, but in terms we all know well. When the Nac Mac Feegle are assigned the job of finding a Hero, the results keep you reeling with mirth. Yet, the underlying question is serious - can an inept human "hero" best an artificial "man"? What forces would be needed for such a victory?

It's always interesting to pick up a Pratchett with the publisher's label "Ages: 12 and up". "And up" is the operative phrase. His early books were frequently tagged that way and you have to wonder how many editors are hidden away babbling to themselves from trying to categorise Pratchett. The publisher may recommend what they wish for "Ages", but the truth is Pratchett is too wise, too clever and too inventive to fit any niche. Like the Wintersmith, he will excel whatever bounds you apply when it suits him. Any you will be the beneficiary of that outbreak. Read this to see how. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I always try to space out my Terry Pratchett books now that I'm finally catching up to the latest books, so when I saw that the newest Tiffany book would be coming out, I decided it was time. Needless to say, this book once again reaffirmed my love for Pratchett.

Since there's so many reviews out there already, I'm going to skip the description paragraph. If you're a Terry Pratchett & Tiffany Aching fan, you'll know what this book is about. If you aren't aware of either, I really do suggest that you start with the previous books. You could probably read this without reading the previous once, but you'd miss out on a lot of fun & backstory.

There's a lot to like in this latest book. It's interesting to see what makes up the majority of witch training (mostly housework, if you were curious) & as always, I love seeing the interactions between Tiffany & Granny Weatherwax. Readers will also enjoy seeing Tiffany mature- she's starting to move past her childhood years & is starting to gain more confidence in herself as well as start noticing (reluctantly so) the opposite gender. Especially fun is the advice Nanny Ogg gives her as far as dealing with the opposite sex in general. (On a side note, Nanny's home is called Tir Nanny Ogg- how cute is that?)

While the book does have a few scenes that dragged a bit, overall this was an entertaining read that fans of Tiffany Aching in particular & Terry Pratchett fans in general will absolutely adore!

When a new Terry Pratchett book comes out (and I'm talking actually new and not the-republished-old-stuff-he-just-happened-to-have-sitting-around-the-office-Johnny-Maxwell-dribble) you can bet that it's gonna be good. Now right from the start I was a fan of his Wee Free Men books. "Wee Free Men" was bonny and bright and "A Hat Full of Sky" made me physically guffaw in a very quiet bookstore setting (shaming me into buying it, no less). But I'm no sucker. You can't just put a blue guy in a kilt on a book's cover and say that I'll roll over for it. You can't just assume I'll love EVERY title Pratchett pulls out of his neverending Discworld-pocket. You can't just . . . hey. Is that Daft Wullie saying, "waily waily" on page five? God, I just LOVE this book!

You all remember Tiffany Aching, right? The young witch who would much prefer to spend her days on the Chalk with her villagers and her lambs. Well, Tiffany's still learning the art of witchery and that means an apprenticeship of sorts. By and large, most of the witches Tiffany's age have steered clear of Miss Treason. She's creepy, no doubt (because she's blind she sometimes uses your eyes to see with . . . while they're still in your head, no less) but she knows her stuff. Then one day she takes Tiffany to see a Dark Morris Dance in the wood. A dance that Tiffany is told not to join. So, of course, join she does and now there's a problem. You see, the spirit of winter (known as the Wintersmith) had never really seen a girl before. Now he's smitten with Tiffany, and smitten hard. So what do you do when winter itself thinks that it's in love with you? When the snowflakes themselves all look just like little portraits of you? Or how about the frost on the windows? How do you deal with the frost spelling out your name all over the world? Yeah, Tiffany's hitting puberty and she's got a massive problem to deal with. Cause winter, for all its charms, has a hard time taking, "No", for an answer.

If Terry Pratchett makes the Morris Dance something beyond the butt of countless "Black Adder" jokes (to say nothing of Great Britain as a whole) he'll have done the dancers a great favor indeed. Now if I'm going to be blunt with you, I'd like to confess something. I loved the first two books in this peculiar series, but if truth be told I think "Wintersmith" is the strongest of the bunch. Hear me out, people! Books one and two had their charms, but in general Pratchett is far stronger on his story build-up, characters, language, and plotting than he is his conclusions. Until now I hadn't read a Pratchett book that ended in such a way that I was able to follow exactly what was going on. "Wintersmith" changes all that. I could follow and appreciate everything that was happening. Add in the wonderful little flourishes that make every Pratchett book a wonder and you've got a newly formed classic on your hands.

I think that there may have been an objection voiced by some that "A Hat Full of Sky" didn't have enough Wee Free Men in it. Well, "Wintersmith" may well have less of a drunken-blue man group presence than its predecessors, I confess. But when the Wee Free Men are active, they burn up the pages. Once again they're filling out clothing and armor to look like full-grown people (with poor Big Yan forever stationed in the knee). They're even trying to help Tiffany with her love life (remember Roland?) by getting her trashy romance novels and reading through her diary. As if adolescence wasn't hard enough, imagine trying to grow up with a pack of attentive tiny blue men watching your every move. It's amazing Tiffany's as sane as she is.

Unlike the previous two books, "Wintersmith" doesn' have much in the way of a villain. How can you hate a guy like the Wintersmith? He's so sweetly clueless it's almost endearing. That is, if he wasn't killing vast numbers of creatures in the midst of his obsession. Pratchett would probably hate to hear this, but I suspect that "Wintersmith" will be overwhelmingly beloved of teenaged girls. I know that when I was a fifteen-year-old dreamy-eyed twit of a gal I would have worshipped this tale like no other. It's the fact that it's a romance that does it. Crazed godlike fellow carves ice roses out of the earth for the woman he loves? That's fabulous! But don't let anyone tell you it's not a great book in and of itself. Insane as it sounds, this may well be my favorite Wee Free Men adventure yet.

I'll confess one other thing to you. I'm a children's librarian. So it was with the greatest of joy that I read the following portion of this book, "The librarians were mysterious. It was said they could tell what book you needed just by looking at you, and they could take your voice away with a word". Lord grant me the power this book promises unto me. And grant too that as many people as possible find out about it. I daresay you should probably read the two books that came out first before tackling, "Wintersmith". But if you didn't it wouldn't be the end of the world. A great book that stands up beautifully on its own. Oh, yes. And there's a sentient blue cheese involved. How on earth can you beat that?

First published in 2006, "Wintersmith" is set on the Discworld and is Terry Pratchett's third book to feature Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men. Tiffany was raised on an area called the Chalk, where her grandmother was a very influential figure and a revered shepherdess. Tiffany idolised her Granny Aching and, having long suspected she was also a witch, is now following in her footsteps.

Tiffany is currently being trained by Miss Eumenides Treason, a rather frightening 113 year-old witch : so far, she's lasted an impressive three months at the cottage, where most other students only lasted a single night. The house is full of cobwebs, despite its lack of obvious spiders, and everything in black. (Tiffany even has to make her cheeses black. One of them, Horace, is a rather lively cheese - he's a bit like a dairy-related version of Rincewind's luggage. He has his own personality and can move about by himself). Miss Treason's favourite candle-holders are skulls, while legend has it there's a pile of gold in her cellar guarded by a demon.

Tiffany has seen the 'standard' Morris Dance at home : the dancers danced, summer came and she never gave it too much more thought. The Dark Morris, however, is its mirror image : it's not so widely known and when it's danced, the winter arrives. Miss Treason, who has never missed it, says it also has to be witnessed. However, Tiffany is given strict instructions not to talk, to look only at the dancers and - most importantly - NOT to move until the dance has finished. Unfortunately, the beat gets into Tiffany's feet and she can't stop herself joining the dance. Before you can say Tiffany-shaped-snowflakes, the Wintersmith (the elemental in charge of winter) has fallen in love with a certain young witch who danced the Dark Morris with him.

Obviously, this spells trouble for Tiffany - luckily, however, she has Granny Weatherwax, Miss Treason and Nanny Ogg to help her out. Better yet, she has the Wee Free Men on her side. Also known as the Nac Mac Feegle, these Pictsies were thrown out of Fairyland for being drunk, disorderly and generally rebellious. They are covered in tattoos, have red hair and blue skin and wear little other than kilts and swords. An extremely strong and agile race, they are extremely fond of fighting, stealing and drinking - Granny Aching's Special Sheep Lineament is a particular favourite. For a while, Tiffany was their temporary Kelda (or Queen) - as a result they have a duty to always protect her. However, it won't be easy against a lovesick Wintersmith...

Like everything else I've read by Pratchett, this is an excellent book. It's easily read, features plenty of likeable characters and there are plenty of laughs. Although it's probably better to have read "The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky" before this, you'll not feel too left out if you haven't. Definitely recommended !

Tiffany Aching, the heroine of this wonderful series for young readers (chronologically and mentally), is continuing her apprenticeship to become a witch. She lives with Miss Treason, a rather unusual witch to say the least. Tiffany learns as she goes, does her chores without complaints and realizes that witching is learned by doing. It has little to do with magic, except, maybe, for a bit of "boffo". Now almost 13 years old, she is experiencing new and complex emotions, in particular as they concern "boys". She also has to learn to take responsibility and that one simple little error of judgment can have dramatic consequences, reaching far beyond her own life.

Pratchett has spun another great yarn around witches, young and old, linking it to the previous books in the series and adding new twists. Trying to be useful to Tiffany are the familiar older witches: Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Miss Tick. But, with Tiffany in trouble, the Nac Mac Feegles cannot be far away. The tiny blue good-for-trouble creatures have to leave their favorite pastime for a while to help their "wee big hag" to confront the great danger that is potentially engulfing everything. Less helpful and preoccupied with their own lives, competing with each other, but as important to growing up, is the coven of young apprentice witches.

So, what is the great danger? Despite being warned not to, Tiffany joins in the secret dark Morris dance. The opposite from the light cheerful May dance that welcomes the summer, the dark dance announces the beginning of winter. And Tiffany's dance partner is no other than the "elemental" of winter, the Wintersmith. The young girl is torn between fascination and fear by the unlikely suitor who has fallen in love with her. She is touched by the attention and icy presents created for her: flowers, snowflakes in her image, and much more. At the same time she knows the devastating destruction that come with each appearance: storms of increasing intensity that cover everything under a deep blanket of snow. How can she extricate herself and her surroundings from the dangers that loom? Can she rely on her tiny blue friends? Can the witches solve the puzzle? Read it to find out.

Pratchett is a master in building characters and spinning intricate and multilayered stories. This is another one to treasure. My recommendation, though, is to start the series at the beginning, you'll have more fun. [Friederike Knabe]

Thirteen-year-old Tiffany Aching is a witch--pointed hat and all. Because she's a young witch, she is assigned to help out the older witches--and Tiffany's older witch is really old--113 by her count. For the most part, Tiffany acts responsibly, even when she's tempted to be nasty by some of the other young witches. But when her mentor, Miss Treason, invites her to the Dark Morris dance that brings in winter, Tiffany can't resist the temptation of the dance--she jumps in when she sees an obvious hole.

In Discworld, though, a dance isn't just a symbol for the passing seasons. It's a completely real part of the change, attended by the Wintersmith himself (itself). And when the Wintersmith sees Tiffany, his eyes are open to the reality of people--and he falls in love.

Snowflakes carved with Tiffany's face are one thing--sort of cute and romantic. Huge iceburgs in the shape of Tiffany that threaten shipping are something else. And the Wintersmith is intent on becoming human--and on bringing Tiffany under his control. If he does so, Winter can remain forever--and summer must retreat to distant deserts. While Tiffany's Feegle friends (the Wee Free Men) are willing to help, the Wintersmith is not exactly someone they can battle.

Author Terry Pratchett has created a wonderful series in the Tiffany Aching books, and WINTERSMITH just might be the best. Simultaneously funny and thoughtful, Tiffany's struggles to do the right thing and to understand the importance of the ordinary are perceptive and strong. Tiffany makes a wonderfully human character--both with her willingness to help others and her petty jealousy when she thinks her friend (but not boyfriend) Roland might have spent a bit too much time looking at another girl's watercolors.

There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in this book, especially when the Feegles come into the picture. But it's the moments when the book hits you, makes you stop and think, lets you see the world in a new way that make it really special.

WINTERSMITH is pitched at the teen audience and should be popular with teen readers. But it is certainly something that thoughtful fantasy-loving adults will enjoy as well. I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

This is the third book is the Tiffany Aching series (after The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky, and before When I Am Old I Shall Wear Midnight).

It's the beginning of a long, cold winter, and twelve-year-old Tiffany Aching has to save the lambs.

Tiffany's an apprentice at Miss Treason's, the very, very old (she's 113) and blind witch. She likes working there, helping around, even though she finds it slightly irritating when the witch borrows her eyes. There she also learns about the "Boffo".

One night in a clearing, they witness the Dark Morris and Tiffany's dragged into the dance. The Wintersmith falls in love with her, and starts making Tiffany-shaped snowflakes and icebergs. And he wants to become human, too. For sure the girl is flattered, but if she doesn't do something about it, winter will never end, springtime will never come again.

To cap it all, Miss Treason is about to die. She makes it spectacular though! And naturally now the young Lancre witches are competing for her cottage, and since Annagramma's the oldest, she's most likely to get it. The problem is, she thinks witching is about Magick, whereas it's more like settling quarrels between farmers and midwiving, really. Hopefully, Tiffany's here to help (but shh, don't tell the other witches).

Of course, the Feegles are always around to lend their big wee hag a hand.

True to the Tiffany Aching books tradition, this third volume is a perfectly balanced mix between the funny (the Nac Mc Feegle's appearances for example, or Horace the cheese) but also real-world-relevant sides of Discworld, and a more bucolic, pastoral, romantic and nostalgic hymn to Nature and simplicity. Have I said I really really love the Tiffany Aching books?

(Some spoilers.)

Wintersmith is part of the Tiffany Aching JV series. Tiffany is a young witch, living on the Chalk Hills (nowhere near Lancre). The first book, Hat Full of Sky, shows Tiffany at age 9; Wee Free Men shows her at 11. She's 13 now...not a lucky number. She inadvertantly gets herself mixed up with the Wintersmith, the spirit of winter, who thinks she's an avatar of the Lady of Summer that he can finally get his elemental hands on, well, once he figures out how to make hands.

The book is great up to the ending, which doesn't have the same power as Pratchett's best books (the end of Thud!* was awesome). It isn't a big failing, just not up to what I'd been hoping for. It's almost like he ran out of wordcount...not badly plotted, just...rushed.

The thing that gets to me, though, is that this series (as with Pratchett's other JV series) is a kind of anti-stupid instruction manual for kids. That is, anti-stupid up to the point where sometimes things flip around and you have to do something stupid, because that's what has to be done. In this book, Tiffany is watching the Other Morris Dance (the one that welcomes in the winter), when her feet get the best of her and drag her into the dance...after she's been told not to do it. Tiffany says she didn't mean it, but the other witches laugh at her for not taking responsibility for herself. The rest of the book is Tiffany learning how to take responsibility for what happens, even if "it isn't her fault" or "it isn't her job." And how to say no to unwanted advances, also a useful thing to know.

Entertainment for girls has changed from "support other people" to "take leadership; be powerful." Wintersmith's message is "be yourself, but take responsibility for yourself, too." Much more useful, I think.

* How Not to Be Stupid about War for Adults

Though set in the Discworld, these Tiffany Aching books are off to the side of the full series. "Wintersmith" is the third in the sub-series ("Wee Free Men," "Hat Full of Sky"). Supposedly, the whole sub-series is for "Young Adults." But, it certainly isn't limited to them. This book, in particular, seems much more like the rest of the Discworld series than the previous two. It's got a good portion of the depth and cross-references to "classic" literature that the rest of the series has. Plus, along with including Nanny Ogg this time, this books comes closer to Granny Weatherwax's full personality. It's certainly not written "childishly." I'm 48 years old and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The book's weakness is that the ending seems a bit forced. Even though the story is enjoyable to read, the majority of it does NOT consist of any attempt to solve the Wintersmith problem. Instead, after many pages of exploring solutions to more local problems and merely reacting to the Wintersmith, Tiffany, Roland and the Wee Free Men find themselves at the endgame and just do the mythologically obvious. Also, although Roland played a key role in solving the issue, he just disappears at the end with no cathartic interaction with Tiffany at all. Still, because it's so enjoyable, I rate this at a Very Good four stars out of five. Recommended.

In this, the third Tiffany Aching book for young adults, Prachett continues the story and character development. The previous two books, "The Wee Free Man" and "A Hat Full of Sky", introduced us to Tiffany, a girl with the natural talent to be a witch, and the Nac Mac Feegle, small blue men who assist Tiffany in their own (often misguided) way.

Tiffany is almost 13, and faces all of the standard problems of adolescence. She has the additional problems of learning witching, which isn't about learning spells but rather learning about people and herself. Impetuously, she joins the Dark Morris dance, and the Wintersmith falls in love with her. The rest od the story is a reasonably standard adolescent story, written with the flair, insight, and humour that can only come from Pratchett.

Although this continues Tiffany's story, as well as the Discworld series, it isn't necessary to have read the previous books to understand the characters or their motivations. It stands comfortably on its own, but isn't repetitive if you are familiar with the previous books. Longtime Pratchett readers will be happy to learn more of Granny Weatherwax's formative years.

Thirteen year old Tiffany Aching is an apprentice witch learning to use her magic to perform spells. People don't want anything to do with witches until they actually need them. Tiffany is watched over by Feegles who are little blue men who live in mounds in the earth and will do anything for their HOG (Witch). Her mentor is Miss Treason who is a hundred and thirteen years old and has a lot of knowledge.

They arrive to see the winter dance performed and the rhythm of the music is so strong that Tiffany jumps right into the middle of the dance cutting out summer. Wintersmith takes notice of the witchling and creates snowflakes in her images, makes roses out of ice and showers her name in the snow. He wants to be human so they can be together always.. Tiffany with the help of the Feegles must rescue summer in time for her dance with Wintersmith to return the balance of nature.

Terry Pratchett's well crafted plot will appeal to teens as well as adults. The heroine is astute beyond her years and acts as a herb woman, a wise woman and witch depending on what the occasion calls for. Wintersmith is an interesting character who learns what it is to be human though he never will be one and his infatuation with Tiffany gives him a glimpse into a world he will never be a part of; but he enlists no sympathy because he is an elemental who has a higher purpose to perform.

Harriet Klausner

Tiffany is working for Miss Treason and learning the trade of witchcraft when she makes a mistake at a local ceremony. That mistake gained some unwanted, and possibly very dangerous, attention. The spirit of Winter, called Wintersmith, is now interested in Tiffany. It begins to woo her. First in simple ways and then in bigger and bigger ways.

To make matters worse, Tiffany gets reassigned. How can she keep learning and still deal with the unwanted attention from Wintersmith? Luckily she has the acquaintance of many wise witches including Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax. But can even their council guide her in keeping the story straight, keeping herself human, and preventing a new ice age? You will have to read to find out.

Tiffany Aching is a great way for the author to keep visiting his favorite character (Granny Weatherwax). Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegles (the small, blue-skinned pictsies) are wonderful characters and I hope we continue to see more of them. Pratchett fills the book with his unique brand of observation and reality. This may be the best of the Tiffany books as we really see her character develop and handle a lot of unusual situations. This is a must read fro Pratchett fans and Diskworld fans. Check it out.

This is a very satisfying conclusion to the adventures of young Tiffany Aching, witch-in-training, and her protectors, the Nac Mac Feegles. She's apprenticed to Miss Treason, aged 113 years (well, only 111, really), who gets her witchy bits from a novelty catalogue and starts rumors and myths about herself, just to make sure people understand she's a witch. Like all witches, Miss Treason knows in advance when she will die, and Tiffany has to deal with it all -- including the going-away party. But it *really* starts when Tiffany makes the dreadful error of jumping into the middle of the Dark Morris Dance that heralds the coming of winter. The Wintersmith -- one of the seasonal elementals -- confuses her with the Summer Lady, with whom he was *supposed* to dance, and after that it's all troubles and misunderstandings. The Wintersmith wants to become human but has only a limited understanding of what's involved. And Roland, the baron's son from back on the Downs, must become a Hero (under the tutelage of the Feegles) in order to help set things right. As always, Pratchett's style is extremely readable and his descriptive powers are definitely at their peak. This trilogy is officially supposed to be for Young Adults, but don't let that stop you.

This is the third installment of the Tiffany Aching saga and, I am sorry to say, it does not equal the first two. The Wee Free Men jokes are getting a little stale and a most of the comedic action is provided by a lively piece of cheese.

Tiffany turns thirteen and has the first romance of her young life, unfortunately for her, it is with Wintersmith, the incarnation of winter. The plot revolves around Tiffany untangling her feet (quite literally) from a ill timed dance step, or two. She is not alone in her adventure. She has the aid of her fellow witches as well as Mistress Weatherwax and her friends. The Wee Free Men have a minor role, as does the Baron's son.

Wintersmith is definitely worth reading, it just isn't equal to the first two installments. It is nice to see Tiffany maturing throughout the books---she is growing up and facing the adventures of adolescence. Even through the book is a bit disappointing, it is worth reading. If you haven't read any of the books in this series, I would suggest you start with Wee Free Men or a Hat Full of Sky.

Hopefully, the next installment will be up to snuff.

Wintersmith (2006) is the third fantasy novel in the Discworld for Young Adults series, following A Hat Full of Sky. A glossary of Feegle terms (compiled by Miss Perspicacia Tick) is included in the introduction.

In the previous volume, Esme Weatherwax granted Tiffany Aching the right to call her Granny. After Tiffany showed the hiver the way to die, Miss Weatherwax even presented Tiffany with her hat. Later, Tiffany returned the hat to Granny Weatherwax and was told that a real witch made her own hat. Tiffany then learned something about her Granny Aching and about hats made out of sky.

In this novel, Tiffany is almost thirteen years old and still training to be a witch. For the past three months, she has been living with Miss Eumenides Treason, which is a bit unusual. Other witch trainees have not lasted more than a day with Miss Treason. Such transient behavior generally would be viewed with utmost disapproval by senior witches, but not when Miss Treason is involved. Yet Tiffany finds Miss Treason to be very inspirational.

Miss Treason has a reputation even among witches. Since witches are professionally odd, it is a bit redundant to say that Miss Treason is odd. Yet she goes far beyond the usual witchery oddness.

Miss Treason really likes the color black. She not only wears black clothes -- not unusual for a witch -- but she also likes black walls, floors, ceilings and even black cheese. Moreover, Miss Treason carries a clock around with her that is made of black iron and clanks instead of ticks.

Miss Treason is 113 years old and subject to the usual infirmities of the elderly; for example, she doesn't seem to need sleep. Yet she has an odd way of responding to such problems. When she went blind at age sixty, she started using the eyes of animals, reading sights right out of their minds.

When Miss Treason went deaf at age seventy-five, she likewise Borrowed other ears. Lately Miss Treason has started Borrowing sight from a pair of ravens. Sometimes Miss Treason uses Tiffany's eyes, but Tiffany doesn't like this since it tingles her mind.

In this story, Tiffany has a strange introduction to the Wintersmith. Without any thought, she is impelled by her feet into the middle of a Dark Morris dance in the place reserved for the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady. In the past, the Wintersmith has had only fleeting encounters with his opposite number, but now he has become aware of Tiffany and confuses her with the Summer Lady.

The Wintersmith is determined to dance again with Tiffany. He even tries making himself a human body out of this and that and an iron nail. The Summer Lady also becomes aware of Tiffany as the other woman and really doesn't like her very much, but somehow Tiffany manifests a few of Summer's powers.

The Wintersmith has a strange way of courting the ladies. He shapes each snowflake to look like Tiffany. Even worse, he produces huge icebergs formed like her. Such things can really embarrass a young witch!

Of course, the Feegles become involved in this affair. Since Tiffany had briefly been their felda, the wee free men have been ordered by the current felda, Jeannie, to protect her. With the Wintersmith, the only protection is evasion. After all, the Wintersmith is one of the elemental forces of nature, in charge of the cold winds, snow, ice and other winter weather.

This story also involves Roland, Tiffany's friend (but not boyfriend). They exchange letters, which is not easy since Roland's aunts have him under siege and Tiffany doesn't want his mail delivered to the farmhouse. At one point, Tiffany has an eruption of jealousy when Roland writes about viewing the watercolors of a young lady to whom he has been introduced by his aunts.

The Feegles are training Roland to be a Hero to provide protection for Tiffany. First they have to instill the right attitude. They check out a Romantic Novel for Roland from the traveling librarians.

The story includes the usual informative footnotes -- e.g, "*Werk..." -- and many of Tiffany's friends and associates. It also introduces Anoia, the Goddess of Things That Get Stuck in Drawers. And it tours one section of the Underworld.

Unfortunately, the author must be losing his touch. I had only two fits of uncurbable laughter! His footnotes are also becoming scarcer, but that might have something to do with the intended Young Adult readership. Usually the footnotes are openly subversive of Established Authority.

Highly recommended for Pratchett fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of practical witchcraft, wee blue warriors, and other grand and glorious aspects of the Discworld. Anyone new to this series should read the first installment: The Wee Free Men.

-Arthur W. Jordin

How do you rid yourself of the unwanted romantic attentions of a force of nature? That's the problem that faces young Tiffany Aching, witch of the chalk, who's got enough problems trying to figure out how to deal with growing up and balancing her witch powers with being a teenage woman.

She attracts the interest of the Wintersmith (or Old Man Winter) when she dances in the Black Morris Dance that signals the end of summer and calls in winter. While he IS an elemental, he can create flowers out of ice-something that could be useful at fancy parties. Tiffany thinks all this attention is "cool", but the Wintersmith can get downright cold - enough to freeze everything she holds dear.

Since she's new to romance, she isn't sure she knows how to handle everything that's happening. It's too bad she's never heard Frank Sinatra sing "Witchcraft": it might help her sort things out better.

Readers of the series will recognize the Nac Mac Feegles, Granny Weatherwax (a force to be reckoned with in her own right), Nanny Ogg, as well as a host of other characters from both the Tiffany Aching and Discworld series. The story line is classic Pratchett, an ancient tale out of the mists of history is twisted with his own particular mix of humor and insight. His Shakespearian ability to analyze human nature and use its foibles to show us how we appear to others, as well as his careful attention to maintain the original intent of the original Wintersmith story, display his formidable writing skills to good effect.

While an excellent read for teenagers, parts of the story may be a bit too raw for children under the age of 13: particularly those parts where the Nac Mac Feegles appear. Parents should pre-screen this book before giving it to very young children. Since the book also jumps about from scene to scene, the discontinuity may confuse some younger readers.

As for adults - well, it's got enough for us to enjoy. While not intended for us, it nonetheless is worth putting in the library.

All in all, I give it four stars out of five.

I must start by explaining my circumstances with this book, when I finished A Hat Full of Sky in June, It was hard for me, not going mad for need of a sequel. The need for it was so strong at one point I nearly brought a proof copy, and I never buy proof copies. So I am sure you can understand why I was there on the day Wintersmith was released, and it was REALLY worth the wait. It was far, far better then I thought it ever could be.

I am sure you know the story from the store's handy synopsis so I will just tell you what I loved most about it. I loved the romance. I loved the descriptions. I love the sense of subtle menace and fear that managed to even make ME feel scared. It really doesn't read like most Terry Pratchett books, that although full of brilliance tend to get confusing. This although not confusing, was not straightforward either, you may need to read some parts twice to absorb them fully, but on the first read it is a wonderful exhilarating rush of beautiful writing.

All of the characters in this story are developed and explored more, you find out far more about Tiffany here, Tiffany the young woman, rather than Tiffany the rather solemn child. Not facts, just more about her as a person, her character. That's what I love about Tiffany, she feels like a living breathing person. Roland, looses the whining and complaining and grows a spine, and we see what may, just possibly, be a softer side to Esme Weatherwax. And of course there's the Wintersmith. The titular character, and boy is he a worthy subject for a novel, his story is very, very moving, by the time I got to the end I was close to tears. Although he could interpreted as the villain, he is such as sad, tragic character, that you just can't help but feel sorry for him.

I began this book on Monday, and finished on the school bus this morning, if I didn't have college I would of probably been unable to drag myself away from the book if someone shouted 'The apocalypse is coming!' I'd probably just stay there and die, it WAS that good.

So if I haven't hammered the point home, buy Wintersmith, you won't be sorry for doing so (and please ignore the fact that it is technically a children's book, it's wonderful that children can get access to gold like this but it can be off putting for adults who think 'children's fiction' is below them.)!

Please rate my review if you have the time!

(Please note, I do not have my own account, so I'm using my father's, I am certainly not a Mr Grant (I'm a girl)!)

What happens when the Wintersmith (discworld's version of Jack Frost) falls in love with a teenage witch in training? Why, he makes snowflakes in her likeness, of course...and then he snows them down on the world by the billions, until the land, the houses and even the sheep are buried in them. And what does a young witch do when she is showered with this sort of attention? Well, she gets very very embarrassed. The whole sordid and hilarious mess is right here in the third book of the Tiffany Aching series: another great young readers novel by Terry Pratchett. You'll have to read the book to find out how Tiffany deals with the affections of the Wintersmith, and all the ways he/it tries to win her love, and how the Nac Mac Feegle come to help the "Big Wee Hag" out of a truly elemental mess. Just be prepared to do a lot of laughing along the way.

- C.A. Wulff, [...]

Terry Pratchett has been a bit hit amd miss for me of late, but I do always enjoy the Tiffany adventures. This is definitely one of his best efforts of recent times. It's better than A Hat Full Of Sky (which I did like) but not as enjoyable as some of his darker efforts. This is an easy read full of Pratchett's trademark wit. I preferred Thud in terms of story and tone, but for an easy read Wintersmith can't be faulted. It's not too heavy going and will probably go down as the wittiest fantasy read of 2006. There's nothing particularly straying away from the tried and tested formula, but if you know what you like about Pratchett, then you should already know if you're gonna like this.

I love the Tiffanny Aching Adventures, so I was really glad when my brother gave me Wintersmith for my birthday. Now would probably be a good time to tell you that I am writing this on my father's account. My name is Charlotte Moore and I think that Terry Pratchett is a genius. I have read his equally good books A Hat Full of Sky, The Wee Free Men, and The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents.

Wintersmith is a fantastic book. I almost cried at the end becuase I had finished it. This was the first one when I actually thought of Tiffany as someone who makes mistakes. To me she has always been a very reliable, responsible person. This book seemed to make her more real. The plot is great and the new characters are really funny. The one thing that I missed in this book was the toad/lawyer. I aways liked him. But you should read it. You won't regret it!

A great read, could wait to get to the end and then on to the next tale of young Tiffany. Again Mt T shows he is able to write for the younger members of his audience while giving enough to keep the older members on board as well.
If you have been long Discworld follower you may be disappointed at the lack of Witches stories going around, but here, although not the leads, they make their presence felt with all their headology and witching to keep you engaged.
If I was Granny I would be watching over my shoulder as this young whippersnapper is defiantly showing signs to become the best of them. Again the Freegles steal the scenes they are in for pure comedic value and mindless violence, and if you know the Feegles that a compliment - they don't mind much being `dead' already.
Now where did I put the next one???

This book did not hold my interest like the first two books did. The first two books were fantastic. This was lackluster. The peril that Tiffany faced with the Wintersmith would come and go along with other events in the story, not really hardening into anything too serious. The first chapter was simply a hooking gimmick that didn't really work for me. Basically, the first chapter gives a grim detail of what the future would hold, if Tiffany doesn't do something with the Wintersmith. The final chapter had the Feegles runing through the Underworld to help Lady Summer. It was a rather contrived scene, that for me, seemed simply to provide a place where the Nac Mac Feegles could be themselves. What was the point? Nothing really.

All in all I would say the book was boring and definitely not the best of the series. There were just too many scenes thrown in to fill the empty parts of the story.

This is another good Feegle story, although there were a lot of parts about it that confused me. Still, I read Discworld books more for the characterizations than the plot, so it was satisfying to see our old friends the Nac Mac Feegle and Tiffany. Tiffany is still only 13 so that much of the world's experience is beyond her, though she does all right with the help of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

What can I say about the writing of Terry Pratchett? If you haven't already discovered his books, do yourself a favor, start now. They are a laugh-a-minute and you generally find you are laughing at yourself, your friends, the government and your stuffy ideas.
An excellent story, opening a whole new vista in your mind, suitable for readers 10 yrs to 100yrs; AND guaranteed to get you out of a bad mood.

Terry Pratchett has continued the wonderful story of Tiffany Aching he began in The Wee Free Men and Hat full of sky with Wintersmith. I can say no wrong about this book. The story is engaging, funny and even though it is a young adult book it is perfect for all ages. I have never been very eloquent, and I always get tongue tied when it comes to writing these reviews. So I hope you will take my word for it and please,first read The Wee Free Men,Hat full of sky and then Wintersmith. The story of Tiffany is one we can all relate to on some level. Losing someone you love very much, bearing great responsibility no matter what your age,learning the difference between being a leader and being a follower, plus there is the Nac Mae Feegle (sp?) that make any day a party!

This is a story about Tiffany Aching, a young witch in training. She stumbles into a situation with the god of winter in which she becomes his first crush. She must rectify the problem before a major disaster is made of the seasons and the people who are subject to the weather's whims. She learns what it means to be a competent witch along the way.

Very enjoyable story. Fun, irreverent, touching.

Terry Pratchett writing more about the wee free (blue) men...no way to go wrong here. (And tho' you don't HAVE to "read" the conversations of the blue furies with a Scottish accent, it's even funnier when you do.) What a lucky day it was for me when I picked up a Terry Pratchett book; some of his best are those about Tiffany Aching and featuring the Nac Mac Feegles. I preferred the first two (both get 5 stars) in the set, but Wintersmith is a a great addition; I just hope there are more in the works. Everything worth knowing about the philosophy of reality and vice versus is being set down in the Discworld series.

I have long been a fan of Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels. Discovering the Wee Free Men series is pure joy! In the 3rd book of the series, Pratchett's wit, satire, and social commentary are spot on. But you will be laughing so hard, you won't mind the accurate jabs at society, politics and religion couched in the Disc World universe. Tiffany is believable, relatable and wildly enjoyable. The Wee Free Men (her helpers and hinderers) are hilarious. I may be an adult, but I love this book!

As true with any of the witch stories from Terry Pratchett, the book manages to give off an ethereal feel. Filled with lore and magic, the book gives off the feeling that magic isn't magical at all. It's all in your head.
Tiffany Aching has grown quite a bit in this book, and it shows.
The witches take a backseat in this book more than ever, and surprisingly it doesn't harm the book - but helps. Seeing as I'm an Ogg fan, I was surprised not to see more, but when all was said and done. It just WORKS.
My hat goes off to Pratchett, managing to write a truly original and flowing book after so many years. He's truly getting better and better.

I am frightened by the number of books that this man has written. I fear I will have to read them all. I loved this book as much as the previous Tiffany Aching books. The author makes me think and makes me laugh...a wonderful combination.

Lent this book to a non Terry Prattchet Fan , (yes they are out there )and she went out and got the others in the child witch Tiffiny Aching series (another partial converrsion as she is a mature serious person ;) ) and prof that all ages enjoy well written childrens books even adults with no children !!! .

Just finished this book. Sure the Tiffany Aching books are supposed to be for a younger audience but that doesn't stop the story or characters from being great. Pratchett is the only person so far that I've found that can make a young protaganist that I actually like (normally I despise them in any medium).

While the books are generally supposed to be able to be read stand alone I think it does the story a great injustice if you don't know the earlier books with Tiffany and the "normal" discworld books with the other witches.

I have yet to find a Prachett book that I don't like and I feel they are getting better with time.

A splendid book! Every bit what I've come to expect from Pratchett and his Discworld series!

Also comes with a fascinating set of tidbits about the Uffington horse and witch trials. I also highly recommend the unabridged Audiobook version narrated by Stephen Briggs, who I think is *perfect* for Pratchett's books.

I adore Terry Pratchett, and all things to do with his witches, but I'm not 13 years-old anymore (the target audience for this book). Young Tiffany Aching lacks something that I look for in my Pratchett characters, so I found it difficult to care about what happens to her. Luckily Pratchett's supporting cast (the Wee Free Men, Nanny Ogg, and Granny Weatherwax, to name a few) more than make up for her lackluster self. The conflict with the Wintersmith is fairly simple and seems to only exist in order to bookend the story. The real focus of the book seems to be teenage drama between Tiffany and another young rival witch from the other side of the mountain. If your a 13-year-old girl this might be a good place to start your love affair with Pratchett, if you aren't look elsewhere for your satire fix.

Tiffany Aching comes back for a third time in Wintersmith. I loved the first two books so much, even though they are technically kids' books, but this one doesn't quite work as well as the first two, perhaps because there is a little bit of a sexual subtext to the Wintersmith's pursuit of Tiffany, and as she is only 13, it is a little weird.

There are some great plot lines, though, and I have re-read it already, so it is another winner from Terry Pratchett, even if it doesn't reach the sublime heights of the first two books in the series. Would I buy it in hard-cover, knowing what it is like? Yes, as Tiffany is a great role model for young teens, and Pratchett can be so incredibly funny.

What a delight. This is a great story with lots of metaphors that symbolize the birth, coming-of-age, and life transitions not only for Tiffany, but the other young witches in training, as well as Roland the baron's son and the Feegles (in particular, Rob Anybody). In true Pratchett style and humor, the author manages to pull the reader in for remarkable entertainment and read about characters who are developed in even more detail than before. Granny and Nanny Ogg make strong appearances here (though Agnes is missing) and have you rolling with laughter with their sage advice.

Lent this book to a non Terry Prattchet Fan , (yes they are out there )and she went out and got the others in the child witch Tiffiny Aching series (another partial converrsion as she is a mature serious person ;) ) and prof that all ages enjoy well written childrens books even adults with no children !!! .

Just finished this book. Sure the Tiffany Aching books are supposed to be for a younger audience but that doesn't stop the story or characters from being great. Pratchett is the only person so far that I've found that can make a young protaganist that I actually like (normally I despise them in any medium).

While the books are generally supposed to be able to be read stand alone I think it does the story a great injustice if you don't know the earlier books with Tiffany and the "normal" discworld books with the other witches.

I have yet to find a Prachett book that I don't like and I feel they are getting better with time.

A splendid book! Every bit what I've come to expect from Pratchett and his Discworld series!

Also comes with a fascinating set of tidbits about the Uffington horse and witch trials. I also highly recommend the unabridged Audiobook version narrated by Stephen Briggs, who I think is *perfect* for Pratchett's books.

I adore Terry Pratchett, and all things to do with his witches, but I'm not 13 years-old anymore (the target audience for this book). Young Tiffany Aching lacks something that I look for in my Pratchett characters, so I found it difficult to care about what happens to her. Luckily Pratchett's supporting cast (the Wee Free Men, Nanny Ogg, and Granny Weatherwax, to name a few) more than make up for her lackluster self. The conflict with the Wintersmith is fairly simple and seems to only exist in order to bookend the story. The real focus of the book seems to be teenage drama between Tiffany and another young rival witch from the other side of the mountain. If your a 13-year-old girl this might be a good place to start your love affair with Pratchett, if you aren't look elsewhere for your satire fix.

Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series of books are all wonderful and this one is no exception. There are the usual references to other books, and all the amusing hallmarks of his works. What makes this series great is that the Nac Mac Feegle just don't get old in their attempts to do protect Tiffany. This time they're worried about the 'Pursing of the Lips' that keldas do.

Tiffany grows up a bit in this story so there's some romance which makes sense. This book seems to almost be a coming of age story of course with witches making ironic, amusing, and inappropriate comments. (The comments are not R rated of course)

Tiffany Aching comes back for a third time in Wintersmith. I loved the first two books so much, even though they are technically kids' books, but this one doesn't quite work as well as the first two, perhaps because there is a little bit of a sexual subtext to the Wintersmith's pursuit of Tiffany, and as she is only 13, it is a little weird.

There are some great plot lines, though, and I have re-read it already, so it is another winner from Terry Pratchett, even if it doesn't reach the sublime heights of the first two books in the series. Would I buy it in hard-cover, knowing what it is like? Yes, as Tiffany is a great role model for young teens, and Pratchett can be so incredibly funny.

What a delight. This is a great story with lots of metaphors that symbolize the birth, coming-of-age, and life transitions not only for Tiffany, but the other young witches in training, as well as Roland the baron's son and the Feegles (in particular, Rob Anybody). In true Pratchett style and humor, the author manages to pull the reader in for remarkable entertainment and read about characters who are developed in even more detail than before. Granny and Nanny Ogg make strong appearances here (though Agnes is missing) and have you rolling with laughter with their sage advice.

I have read the 4 books in this series and this one was my least favorite. I guess I didn't like the Wintersmith guy. He's pretty creepy. But if you like this series you need to read this one too. The characters are as good as ever. This series I have read with my 11 year old son and he enjoys it too (I'm 43).

I did like the book (It's Pratchett, how can you not?) but at the same time it took a while to warm up to the characters this time. I'm on my second reading. Although the Feegles are near and dear to my heart (I wish I had a few) the best character other than Tiffany is Miss Treason. I'd love to see her more, but then she... well, you'll have to read it.

Bottom line is, buy it, read it. You won't regret it because you'll want to read it again. The more you read it the more you will like it.

In fact, the whole Tiffany series is completely readable to kids. Mine loved them!

Wintersmith may be my new favorite Pratchett book - and that says a lot, considering how much I've enjoyed the rest of his works! Fans of the Discworld will recognize many old favorites, including Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Tiffany Aching, and the Feegles, and will be introduced to many new ones. I highly recommend the book, it was a very enjoyable way to unwind after the mad holiday rush.

Terry Pratchett is a comedic genius and this book is another fine example. It is a little bit dark for a "teen" book (I think they like it that way...witness the later Harry Potter books), but always ends well.

I love all of Terry Pratchett novels, but I particulary love his children stories about Tiffany Aching. Tiffany is a witch, but to help people or solve problems she has been taught that using your head always works better than using magic. Tiffany is a great hero and it is great to have a little girl save the day. This book is full of great characters, humor and understanding of how the minds of people work.

I can hardly wait for another Tiffany Aching book!

I've been an avid reader of Terry Pratchett's work for years, and always find his Discworld series amazing. But, I just feel that this story came up a bit short. His best characters had minor roles, the story was lacking a bit in substance and his ending was very rushed.

I have read all three books in the Tiffany Aching series so far, "The Wee Free Men", "Hat Full of Sky" and "Wintersmith" and loved them all. They are funny, smart, silly, well written and just thoroughly enjoyable. I hope there are more!

We want Terry Pratchett to write the next book in this series right away. We can't wait for more stories about the crazy blue "fairies" and all the witches. Ach, Crivens!! Its so 'ard ta wait. Just write a new book right nooo.

This book was a good change of pace for us. My husband and I both read Pratchett's Disc World series and found this series to be just as enjoyable in its own way. Of course, anything with Granny Weatherwax involved has to be good reading anyway. Tiffany Aching comes into her own in this book and proves herself to be a worthwhile character.

Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series of books are all wonderful and this one is no exception. There are the usual references to other books, and all the amusing hallmarks of his works. What makes this series great is that the Nac Mac Feegle just don't get old in their attempts to do protect Tiffany. This time they're worried about the 'Pursing of the Lips' that keldas do.

Tiffany grows up a bit in this story so there's some romance which makes sense. This book seems to almost be a coming of age story of course with witches making ironic, amusing, and inappropriate comments. (The comments are not R rated of course)

An excellent installment in the Tiffany Aching series, Wintersmith picks up a few years after A Hat Full Of Sky, bringing back most of the characters from the others and introducing a few more. Highly recommended for everyone who enjoys Pratchett's work.

What more can one say when your reviewing a book written by a master at the height of his craft? First off I have to say that I have yet to read a Discworld novel that I did not adore. Terry Pratchett was a treasure and has allowed me so so many hours of pleasure, laughing my way through book after book. I have read quite a few of his books more than once and enjoyed them each and ever time. I only have a few left that I have not read and have sorta put off reading all of them just because once I do there will be no more new ones. As for this book, starting with the Wee Free Men I have loved every one of the Tiffany Aching books. I think the feegles are awesome. This book was such an awesome take on the sort of myth that has been around jsut about forever. Told this time in Mr. Pratchett's unique iconic style. Reading it was a rollercosater ride of thrills and fun and one I am sure I will enjoy again and again in the future!

An excellent installment in the Tiffany Aching series, Wintersmith picks up a few years after A Hat Full Of Sky, bringing back most of the characters from the others and introducing a few more. Highly recommended for everyone who enjoys Pratchett's work.