Equal Rites

I think it’s on the opposite side of the spectrum from Clarke’s “Piranesi” — and I like Pratchett’s viewpoint more: Clarke’s magic is desired and unreachable for those who seek it, so it’s a character of its own; Pratchett’s Esk postulates that not using magic when it’s there in your hands can be more important than using it, and that’s goes further than just admitting of its agency, it adds a very important nuance: whose agency is more of the liability to the living.

More literally Pratchett’s ecology is delivered in passages about Borrowing and things’ names and minds (Granny’s goats, and rocks of the University), but magic is the ultimate example of goals and means being one thing.

What a fun book! This is my very first Terry Pratchett. After the stories of the Discworld have been on my to-read list for way too long I was finally convinced to try one and Equal Rites is definitely a very good start into the series.
It was fun, honest, critical and everything what you want. So much magic and quirkiness, but not in a bad way—I enjoyed this book very much and definitely cannot wait to be drawn even deeper into the Discworld!

I always adore stories of this nature, particularly because I love to see the kinds of journeys that take place among the characters and how that develops them.

While I know Esk was meant to be the primary main character, Granny Weatherwax really takes on a whole chunk of the story. She's someone with whom I very much find myself identifying, and it's because of the constant "Well, it's got to happen one way or the other, so we may as well do it" personality she exudes. She's very stubborn but incredibly caring for the people around her, even if it seems otherwise.

Also, she has a thing for old fabric.

This perfectly ridicules the arbitrariness of gender stereotypes. Everybody knows that only men can be wizards, everybody knows it’s part of the lore, but nobody actually knows where it is written or why it should be the case. And Esk just ignoring both her role as a wizard and a witch and rescuing Simon and herself by not using magic is about the best possible ending.