Pratchett books always have lots of pop culture, science and literature references. There's introspection on life and everything in it, from creaking doors to societal oppression and stereotypes. It's witty and funny, with jokes from high brow to low. He certainly has a writing style, like the Elves, witches or cats. Especially like Greebo the Cat who hunts wolves and Nanny Ogg, the witch who talks baby talk to him.
I don't get a lot of the criticisms of this book. The elves were well done, especially since Pratchett had to work against everyone's bias of loving Elves. Granny isn't a terrible person and shouldn't leave Magrat alone, after all Magrat would be hiding in her shell without Granny.
Anyways, so glad Magrat finally stopped being a wet hen! I figured it would happen, I just couldn't see Granny and Nanny investing in a witch for 10 years without knowing if Magrat had it in her to be a witch. I'm glad we got to see more of Granny under all three vests she wears (so to speak), to get to understand and know her better. There's more history and personality. I'm just curious what the hell happened between the books, when Granny was suppose to be dealing with the Unseen College and Esk. Of course, the answer to that question may be in other books.
Again lots of awesome quotes I want to pull out, plenty of them have already been liked so I won't repeat and will keep it short.
On page 24:
"Corpses as such didn't worry her. Witches generally act as layers-out of the dead as well as midwives; there were plenty of people in Lancre for whom Nanny Ogg's face had been the first and last thing they'd ever seen, which had probably made all the bit in the middle seem quite uneventful by comparison."
Conversation on page 92, that begins with Nanny,
"I remember when I was young there was a girl like Diamanda. Bad-tempered and impatient and talented and a real pain in the bum to the old witches. I don't know if you happen to remember her, by any chance?"
They passed Jason's forge, which rang to the sound of his hammer.
"I never forgot her," said Granny, quietly.
"Funny thing, how things go round in circles..."
"No they don't," said Granny Weatherwax firmly. "I wasn't like her. You know what the old witches round here were like. Set in their ways. No more than a bunch of old wart-charmers.
And I wasn't rude to them. I was just...firm. Forthright. I stood up to meself. Part of being a witch is standing up for yourself- you're grinning."
On page, 145:
"Yes, because I've been paying attention while you were dodging the traffic in Memory Lane,"said Granny.
Granny, on page 204
"It all works out,' said Granny Weatherwax,"somewhere. Your young wizard knows that, he just puts daft words around it. He'd be quite bright, if only he'd look at what's in front of him."
Oh, the awesome ending, on page 205:
"Where does it end?
On a summer night, with couples going their own ways, and silky purple twilight growing between the trees. From the castle, long after the celebrations had ended, faint laughter and the ringing of little silver bells. And from the empty hillside, only the the silence of the elves.
The End."