Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Hi Guys,
This month we will be reading Maskerade by Terry Pratchett. This is the eighteenth book in the Discworld series but don't worry if you have never read any of the other books. Each book in the series is a self-contained story, with the exception of "The Colour of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic", which follow on directly and are best enjoyed when read together. However, most of the individual stories contain references to other characters and events within the series. While the books can be read and enjoyed in any order, reading them in publication order allows for a better appreciation of this ongoing continuity.

Schedule
At this point I would normally have broken the book into rough quarters and split them over the four weeks but, as anyone who had read a Discworld novel knows, there are no chapters and frankly I will probably fly through this. So, I'm just going to leave my thoughts and feelings as I go on and maybe a few of my favourite quotes. Feel free to do the same.

Summary
Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, the Discworld's greatest witches, are back for an innocent night at the opera. Naturally there's going to be trouble, but at the same time there'll be a good evening's entertainment with murders that you can really hum to.


Terry Pratchett - Wikipedia

**Please feel free to share your thoughts as you read.

**Please remember to mark your spoilers.

Wow, I loved this book. It was a typically Pratchett look at appearance versus talent and of course how being in the opera will drive anyone mad. I found myself highlighting my favourite bits as I went so I think I'm just going to share them with everyone.

Let's start at the beginning shall we, I just love Pratchetts way with words and imagery. For instance:

THE WIND HOWLED. The storm crackled on the mountains. Lightning prodded the crags like an old man trying to get an elusive blackberry pip out of his false teeth.

So funny and yet so vivid.

And there are some great pieces of advice and observations about life in general:

You needed at least three witches for a coven. Two witches was just an argument.

I think this counts in most situations!

kisses eventually lost their fire but cookery tended to get even better over the years,

This is a very astute observation on marriage as a whole.

Agnes arranged the flowers Lancre fashion, which was to hold the pot with one hand and the bouquet in the other and forcibly bring the two into conjunction..

Otherwise known as how most of us arrange flowers!

‘Hanged,� said Bucket, without thinking. ‘Men are hanged. It’s dead meat that’s hung.�

This is a weird distinction yet it somehow makes sense.

‘Money don’t buy happiness, Gytha.� ‘I only wanted to rent it for a few weeks.�

As usual, the witches stating what we're all thinking!

Greebo sat down and started to wash himself in what Agnes considered to be a supercilious way. If a cat could snigger, he would be sniggering.

Next time you see a cat with one leg in the air, licking himself in inappropriate places, think of Greebo sniggering.

‘I’m the Count de Nobbs,� it said, ‘and this here,� it added, indicating a mobile wall, ‘is the Count de Tritus.�

Who doesn't love the Watch??

the IQ of a mob is the IQ of its most stupid member divided by the number of mobsters,

Explains a lot!

‘Well, I think,� said Nobby, ‘that when you have ruled out the impossible, what is left, however improbable, ain’t worth hanging around on a cold night wonderin� about when you could be getting on the outside of a big drink.

‘Oh, them as makes the endings don’t get them,� said Granny. She brushed an invisible speck of dust off her shoulder..

Just like real life.

Ok, so this isn't even all the quotes I highlighted! I really do love Terry Pratchett!