Mark Reads ‘A Hat Full of Sky’: Chapter 1, Part II

In the second half of the first chapter of A Hat Full of Sky, Tiffany learns a bit more about where she is headed; the Nac Mac Feegle discover what is following her. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Discworld. 

Tiffany

I continue to love how much this is a sequel to the last Tiffany Aching book because we don’t really get many of those in the Discworld series aside from Rincewind’s books. (And I do hope that man is enjoying a long, uneventful, and boring day at the current moment.) Despite that it’s been over a year since the events of The Wee Free Men, Roland, the baron’s son, is still behaving strangely around Tiffany. Part of me gets why! He’s acting out guilt over the fact that Tiffany rescued him in the last book and then he was immediately given credit it for it all:

Of course, without anyone actually lying, everyone at home had come to believe that he had rescued her. A nine-year old girl armed with a frying pan couldn’t possibly have rescued a thirteen-year-old boy who’d had a sword.

So this is the new “truth” that the people of the Chalk believe, and as it notes in the text, Tiffany isn’t exactly bothered by it. However, Roland’s presence is… well, it’s a lot. I’m guessing he never comes right out and SAYS what he feels because… well, is he attracted to her? Is it just guilt that he’s feeling? Is it some strange combination of the two? I don’t know! It really could be both or some other option I haven’t thought of. At the very least, though, Tiffany doesn’t have to think about it for a while, since she’s going somewhere Roland won’t find her. Of course, Miss Tick makes this a lot harder than Tiffany wants because she won’t stop bringing up the gift Roland gave her. I ADMIT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS, too. 

So, Tiffany’s future will probably involve opening the gift, but more important than that: she is being left with Miss Level! I assume that means that this is a new character we’ve not met before, not just because of the name, but because I believe that this is the first time a research witch has ever been mentioned. The idea is fascinating to me because it means that someone is trying to get at the heart of how witchcraft works. For the most part, the only in-depth look we’ve gotten is through Granny Weatherwax’s headology. Most of the rest of it? It just exists, it works, there are some explanations, but it’s how this world is.

Does that mean Pratchett will pull back the curtain a bit? Are we gonna actually see the invention of a new spell? How is this sort of education going to help Tiffany, y’all? I can see how advantageous it might be for Tiffany because she can see the nitty-gritty and discover new elements of witchcraft along with someone else. But what if this Miss Level is on a different wavelength? What if she’s too complex or difficult to get along with? I WANT TO KNOW.

Hivers

Well, I tried. AGAIN. I literally made a comment about how they’re not there to “protect” Tiffany AND GREAT, THAT ACTUALLY COMES TRUE BUT NOT IN THE WAY I THOUGHT IT WOULD. I’m thrilled that we get to see Jeannie again and that she actually has a significant affect on the plot. Here, she wants to be the clan’s only kelda, and Tiffany’s complicated history has muddled things for her. This is something female Feegle work for practically their whole lives, and now that Jeannie is kelda of a huge clan, there’s this… exception. Someone they follow, someone whose presence is tracked, someone who still matters to all the other Nac Mac Feegle. Why wouldn’t Jeannie resent that? I get it! I get her not really liking Tiffany or feeling like she’s encroaching on her keldaring. 

At the same time, WHAT THE FUCK IS A HIVER? It buzzes? It is conscious? It is seeking out unique and interesting minds? It’s so horrible that it is WORSE than the Queen??? How is something worse than the Queen? I hate this! CANCEL IT, RUN AWAY, NEVER COME BACK. 

I’m also predicting that Jeannie teaching Rob Anybody to write is absolutely going to matter to something later. I believe it! Plus, it’s such a fascinating plot because it involves a substantial change to the Nac Mac Feegle society. They despise writing, but now that Rob has written his name down and seen that it doesn’t get him sent to prison, perhaps they will continue to explore writing, reading, and all its possibilities.

https://youtu.be/GDlHmqB1IaI

Mark Links Stuff

– My YA contemporary debut, ANGER IS A GIFT, is now out in the world! If you’d like to stay up-to-date on all announcements regarding my books, sign up for my newsletter! DO IT.