Reading roundup: The Shepherd's Crown
57. Terry Pratchett, The Shepherd's Crown -- This is such a weird and difficult book for me to talk about, because first, there's the fact that it's the last Discworld book -- just reading the blurb on the rear inside flap, talking about PTerry in past tense, made me tear up. And then there's the book itself, which -- I really can't talk about this
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there was something wrong with Nanny Ogg (like when she didn't notice that one of her ornaments had been moved), perhaps that her drinking had moved into straight-up alcoholism.
I remembered you mentioning that and so was on the lookout, and I think nearest as I can tell, it's not so much that Nanny has a standing drinking problem (I mean, she has a drinking... opposite of a problem, I guess, normally) and more that Granny's death was doing weird things to her. Like, those things all felt like transient effects of grief to me. But there really isn't anything done with that to confirm or disprove that hypothesis or any other, I feel like.
but, again like you, I somehow never even considered the fact that Esme might not be eternal.
I'm very glad to hear you say that, because in retrospect it felt kind of dim not to have entertained that possibility, but I do think that's intentional, probably, because it's GRANNY, and... yeah.
we'd spent so much time with Granny (28 years real time, by my calculator, and probably 15 years, give or take, in universe,
Was it only 15? Well, I guess it might be longer if one includes Equal Rites, which I'm never sure whether to include or not... There might be some actual internal chronology via the info in Lords and Ladies, or added clues in Ridcully's history? But, yeah, wow, 28 years... Only about 15 for me, given when I encountered Discworld, and probably even a little less for the Witches, but that's still a really long time. And you're exactly right that it's a similar kind of feeling as losing a favorite professor or other mentor.
And if I recall correctly, you were fairly young when BL died (I mean, old enough to have formed a significant relationship with her, but still young in general), so that must have been extra-hard for you.
I was actually in college (you might be thinking of my paternal grandmother's death, when I was 10) -- but I actually think that's harder, to lose someone important at that age rather than younger, because of the more sophisticated awareness of mortality. In any case, thank you for your sympathy ♥
Well, I guess you could say that the tweets his family released upon his death were Death's last appearance, so in a way... I'm sorry, I'll show myself out.
That actually crossed my mind, too. Oh shoot, now I'm trying to think if Death actually spoke in this book. I can't remember and my copy is back home, but I feel like it's described without dialogue?
because it felt so very much like Terry Pratchett making his last rounds, so to speak, like Granny Weatherwax going out to talk to her bees.
Yes, it did... *sniff*
Yeah, the Geoffrey story is really weird, and it kind of bugs me, too, but I can see egelantier's point above -- that Geoffrey's story wasn't ready, but PTerry wanted Discworld in its final form to have someone like Geoffrey in it, so he put him in. I can't begrudge him that.
Hey, at least we now have confirmation that they WEAR underpants! XD
But just for the purposes of saggy kilts, it would appear from Tiffany's reaction :P
Thank you, re: the shamble! It feels fitting the way it turned out! (I don't think the blue stone is turquoise... the colors are a bit weird in the photo, but it's the wrong blue -- too light -- and the striations are different and there are no veins. It looks like some kind of dyed agate or something to me, but L thought it was a natural stone.)
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