Mark Reads ‘The Wee Free Men’: Chapter 9

In the ninth chapter of The Wee Free Men, Tiffany figures out more of the logic of the Queen’s realm. Intrigued? Then its time for Mark to read Discworld. 

I keep trying to prepare myself, and I can’t. 

Poetry

Apparently, the mysterious shiny fairies hate bad poetry just as much as I do! I mean, I don’t run away screaming from it, but I loved that this is both world building and a joke wrapped up together. Seriously, this is important: 

In Fairyland words really have power, Tiffany thought. And I am more real. I’ll remember that.

Even if those words are tremendously bad poetry. They still have a power!

It is with that in mind that Tiffany faces one horror after another, and this is ALL IN A SINGLE CHAPTER. There’s a bit of a relentless pace here, and it suggests that once Tiffany does get near the queen, this is gonna get CHAOTIC. Maybe the Queen hates bad poetry, too?

Roland

So, chapter eight laid out an important rule to the Queen’s realm concerning the passage of time. Not only was that vital to establish in general, it allows the reader to appreciate the horror of Tiffany’s discovery in chapter nine: that the Baron’s son didn’t die in the forest. Now, we have no sense of how long ago this supposedly happened, but it’s safe to assume that it was a decent length. I am also guessing that Roland is more or less the same age as he was when he was pulled into Fairyland. So, still a kid and still believing this:

“You mustn’t talk about that!”

“Why not?” 

“Bad things happen!”

“They’re already happening,” said Tiffany.

It’s a joke, yes, but it’s also a way for Pratchett to show us that Roland’s perspective has shifted. The world around him is, by default, terrible for us. But it’s so consistently bad that Roland has adjusted his expectations. There is worse than the baseline nightmare, which… is very, very unsettling. And who can blame him? He must be tormented by the dreams of the dromes all the time. We don’t even know what his experience has been with the Queen, either. Thus, it makes sense that he’s so cynical toward Tiffany, who insists that they’ll all be able to leave. I’m guessing that Roland has unsuccessfully tried to escape before, you know? Hell, even I don’t know how any leaves this place. Thus, this kid’s whole life since he was kidnapped has been an unceasing terror. Of course he’s going to do what he can to minimize that terror on a day-to-day basis. (Wow, realizing I can’t even use that term, technically. There aren’t “days” in this realm.)

The Dance

HI, I HATE THE DROMES, WHY DO THEY BOTHER ME SO MUCH. I just??? Cannot deal with them! And even though Tiffany is now aware of them and how they work, she’s still challenged by what she experiences. Logistical concern: she’s gonna get real hungry the longer she spends in this realm. That worries me. YOU NEVER EAT FOOD IN FAIRYLAND. IT IS ALWAYS A TRICK. (Is that how Roland got trapped? Can you remove someone from Fairyland after they’ve consumed food from it?) And it seems obvious that the drome that tried to capture Tiffany knew she was hungry and thrust her into a dream (with parrot-headed dancers??? WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT) with tons of food. Then tons of cheese. And still, she resisted! I was so proud of her! Actually, it’s not just that she figures out she’s being manipulated; it’s anger that keeps her sharp and aware. It should not be surprising that I love this recurring motif, and I’m not just referring to my own book. I just appreciate characters who are allowed to be angry and aren’t punished for it. It’s that anger that helps Tiffany figure out how she’s been deceived, and it’s how she ultimately escapes from it. 

Herding

Seriously, it comes back up again at the end of the chapter, after the Feegle have been trapped in a dream and Tiffany is left to fend for herself and for Roland. This passage in particular was definitely my favorite:

It was the same feeling she’d had when Jenny had leaped out of the river. Out of her river. And the Queen had taken her brother. Maybe it was selfish to think like that, but anger was better than fear. Fear was a damp cold mess, but anger had an edge. She could use it.

Pratchett also puts this into the context of Tiffany’s experience with herding sheep, so she feels resentful that she’s being treated like one. IT IS SUCH GOOD STORYTELLING. We have an emotional history that informs the present, and it all fits together so well. YES. I LOVE THIS. 

No more dromes, though. I can’t.

https://youtu.be/WOJBW5U-B1A

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