Wee Free Men

This book was kind of frustrating for me to read. It was published in 2003 and yet, somehow, I just read it a couple of weeks ago. Considering how awesome this book was and what a big fan of good fantasy literature I am, its annoying that I am just getting to it. Still, its obviously better than never reading it at all. I just wish I had listened to my friends who recommended it years ago.

Tiffany Aching is tired of the stereotypes that surround witches. She is sick of hearing about how some old woman who seemed just a little bit odd and lived in a shack in the woods gets run out of town or just plain ol' murdered. Her response to all of this is to do her best to become a witch and show everyone why they are wrong. Armed only with a sturdy frying pan, her wits, and a madly loyal army of insane blue six inch tall drunkards she seems to be the only thing standing between a powerful Queen of dreams and the world she lives in.

There are a few things about the novel that are surprising. One surprise is how original it is. The world, the characters, and the conflicts all feel understandable yet fresh. I realize its not the same as brand new, but it is exceedingly difficult to uncover new ideas in this genre. Pratchett covers several sub-genres of fantasy literature, but doesn't rely on any of them overmuch and his novel manages to include many archetypes without feeling cluttered or confusing.

Another surprise for me was how funny the book was. It is rare for me to laugh out loud while I am reading a book in public but I definitely let loose plenty of chuckles on the train as I read this on the way to work. The dialog of the Nac Mac Feegle as well as the stark observations from Tiffany were a great combination of humor that was legitimately funny.

The last great surprise was the main character of Tiffany Aching. She is a lead female character in a fantasy novel that does not rely on looks, charm or some dumb boy to get her out of conflict. She uses her smarts, common sense, and research instead! She is blessed with the ability to push aside assumptions and think critically about each situation she gets into. It is nice to keep a list of good literature for young girls where the lead character is a woman who is not solely concerned with what boy she wants to smooch next. Its even better that there are several sequels that chronicle Tiffany and her further adventures.

Other than young women looking for a good fantasy novel, this book appeals to many other grade school and middle school kids as well. It seems appropriate for 4th through 8th grade at least, and possibly even high school. It includes elements of adventure, travel, mystery, fantasy, humor, and action all while remaining easy to relate to for a large audience.

It would be easy to include in a reading program that focused on any of those elements and could be a fun book for a whole class to read together and discuss. It would also be a great read-aloud as long as you don't mind dusting off your Scottish brogue and really getting into the characters. Terry Pratchett definitely hit a home run with this one and I will be sure to check out the other books in the series as soon as I can.