A Hat Full of Sky

Re-reading the Tiffany Aching books has been a joy. Pratchett is at the height of his game here, and these books are basically perfect. I can't wait to share these books with my kid, and in the meantime I've been pushing them on all the neighborhood kids. Though they're mostly still too young for them, too. (Actually, my proudest moment was when a conservative mom was asking me for book recs for her daughter, and I convinced her to buy a series by beloved anarchist Ursula K LeGuin).

Anyway, this is the second of Tiffany Aching's adventures. She's leaving home to spend some time as an apprentice to a witch. She meets some other witches her own age, learns that being a witch is mostly doing things that other people don't want to do, and has to deal with a hiver to boot.

The hiver is a collection of sense and memories that takes over bodies, collecting new memories and basically doing whatever it wants. It's attracted to power, so it's attracted to Tiffany, who just might be the most powerful witch of her age (she and Hermione should get together some time and trade notes).

The hiver brings some of Tiffany's worst impulses to the forefront. She becomes cruel and haughty. She takes what she wants, and she runs right over people who dare to get in her way. It offers up some great commentary on responsibility and choices and what makes a person good and decent. It's just the sort of thing I want to pass on to my kid. I just hope he likes fantasy in a few years.

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