An enjoyable frolic but knowing of Terry Pratchett's early-onset Alzheimer's gives "Wintersmith" an underlying sadness not detected in "Wee Free Men" or Discworld books. Death is literally a character in Pratchett's books but this one tinkers with the hopefulness and hopelessness of passing time and the changing seasons, imaging what happens when someone tries to tamper with the inevitable.

Favorite passages:

"Deep in the snow, in the middle of a windswept moorland, a small band of traveling librarians sat around their cooling stove and wondered what to burn next....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."

"People wanted the world to be a story, because stories had to sound right and they had to make sense. People wanted the world to make sense."

"... as always happens, and happens far too soon, the strange and wonderful becomes a memory and a memory becomes a dream. Tomorrow, it's gone." ( )

Funny -- great wordplay. I love the talking cheese. ( )

Terry Pratchett is a remarkable writer, and Wintersmith is one of his finer books. It's quite rare to read a book that makes me laugh out loud, but this one did so numerous times. While technically a young adult book, this reads just like all the other Discworld books. The main character just happens to be 13.
The witches in Pratchett's books rank as his best characters, so following TIffany and her continued growth as a witch under the guidance of the elder witches is simply delightful. The Wee Free Men complement the witches perfectly. The witches use truth in wonderful sarcasm, while the Wee Free Men use it in complete innocence. Both result in great moments.
I highly recommend Wintersmith to any Pratchett fan, and to anyone who can appreciate the intelligent sarcasm and irony presented by his characters. Pratchett ranks up with the best writers ever. That's hard praise to give someone who writes fantasy, but he stands apart in the mastery of telling a story that encompasses so much more. ( )

Wintersmith yet again visits Tiffany Aching. In this book Tiffany has caught the eye of the Wintersmith, in effect the personification of winter. He goes through several romantic gestures including creating snowflakes and giant icebergs in her image. Not only this, but Winter has not lightened, months have passed under the Wintersmith's cold thumb. Will the Chalk freeze to death, or starve without Springs return? ( )

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