Tiffany
I value Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series* as one of the finest ever fantasy sequences for children (upwards). Although linked to his wider Discworld creation, it has its own integrity and can easily be read separately. It also has a somewhat different feel to its adult cousins. Although very funny - riotously so at times - the author’s trademark humour is here rather gentler and warmer. His invention is, however, every bit as rich and imaginative . It is also, a slightly atypical fictional sequence in that, whilst the first book is hugely entertaining, it actually develops and gets even better as it goes along, with its final volume a true masterpiece of children’s literature. A lot of what makes it so special is the character of Tiffany herself, who, touchingly human, personifies what I can only summarise as honest goodness. She is not a goody-goody, but she is truly good. In fact the whole is really a philosophical treatise, expounding an approach to life that is deeply humane. It may sound simple, but is actually profoundly important, for children, and indeed for all of us.
Having said all that, I am not usually keen on publishing spin-offs from popular series. Designed to catch the attention (and pennies!) of fans who miss the original characters and long for more that is never actually coming, they are often pale imitations or regurgitations, and disappoint even that audience.
Pictures
However, I am a huge admirer of Paul Kidby, particularly his Discworld illustrations, so, in this instance, I considered a new volume featuring his work should be well worth buying, if only for the joy of its visual images. And Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch fulfills this aspiration wonderfully. The beautifully drawn images capture Terry Pratchett’s characters to perfection: funny, weird, entertaining, endearing, always deliciously idiosyncratic, yet leaving room for exactly the sensitivity that Tiffany Aching requires. The artist adds much of his own too, and his pictures extend our imagining of this wondrous world enchantingly. Even the vignettes that form the end papers are a fascinating delight, and Paul Kirby’s work makes the whole volume glow with his particular, soft-hued magic.
Text
Now that I have had a chance to read this whole book through, I am going to have to eat my earlier words, because the two authors, award-winning game creator Rhianna Pratchett and talented children’s writer Gabrielle Kent, have made an excellent job of the text too. The pair have very cleverly caught Terry Pratchett’s wit, his sense and style of humour, whilst keeping it in the gentler vein of these particular books. It also reflects wild invention, rich imagination and narrative skill. This new work is consistently engaging and entertaining, in the supposed annotations as well as the main script, Perhaps even more important, they have reflected beautifully the voice and character of Tiffany, as the supposed author of this fictional guide. Although superficially a series of separate entries and stories, there is actually at least a degree of credible through line development, heading for a satisfying conclusion. What comes across here, just as in the original books, is Tiffany’s fundamental belief that there are more important things in life than magic. Although she loves, indeed revels, in her calling as a witch, it is not because of supernatural powers. Rather it is because of the responsibilities (and indeed the opportunities) it provides in serving her community and fellow human beings. This links to her deep commitment to the natural world and to ‘The Chalk’, in her case the place in which she lives, but actually representing for all of us the link to our landscape and roots, wherever we belong. Her idea of a school for witches and wizards is typically simple:
‘As you tread the path you’ve chosen you will learn the lessons of those who gift you with their wisdom and knowledge. They will become part of you. . . . As for the school, it’s not a place, it’s all places. Just look around you. You’re already there.’ (p 3)
And then, at the end, Tiffany’s compassionate but openly honest acceptance of death as a natural part of life comes through clearly.
In the event, this sumptuous volume is is a fitting tribute to the much-missed Terry Pratchett, and to Tiffany Aching, possibly his loveliest creation.
Memories
This book is certainly not a replacement for, or even the best introduction to, the actual Tiffany Aching novels. If anyone hasn’t read them, my strong recommendation would be to go to the books themselves first. But for those who have read and loved them, this new publication does work rather well, like the memoir of a passed loved one. It serves to rekindle the flame, to reawaken fond and valued memories, and to delight in them anew. Indeed, it could well prove a prompt to go back and read the whole wonderful original sequence again. If so, it will have done a fine job.
* In publication (and reading) order: The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight, The Shepherd’s Crown