A Hat Full of Sky read along, part 2

Posted by: Redhead on: March 20, 2013

• In: read along | Terry Pratchett
• 9 Comments

Hi everyone!   welcome to part 2 of our Hat Full of Sky read along!  if you’re just joining us, it’s not too late to get involved, click here for the reading schedule.

We’re halfway through the book, and is it just me, or is the book suddenly going really, really fast?  I pick it up, planning to read just a chapter, and suddenly I’m four chapters in!  Now that Pratchett has fully introduced Tiffany and her um, smaller friends, he can really ramp up the story-ness of what’s happening.

this week’s questions were provided by Susan over at Dab of Darkness, and here we go!
1) Awf’ly Wee Billy, the gonnagle, comes up with a plan, the PLN. First, do you like the basic idea? Second, what was your favorite part of the execution of the PLN?

2) Miss Level has a philosophy of ‘storing it in other people’. How do you like this philosophy and do you know any witchy people in life who might be secretly following it?

3) We finally get to meet some other witchlings, such as Petulia and Annagramma. What do you make of Tiffany’s first meeting with them?

4) The Hiver has finally found Tiffany and Miss Level has finally met the Feegle. How do you think Tiffany will fair against the Hiver and how much damage do you think will be done (either by the Hiver or the Feegle)?

my answers and spoilers aplenty, after the jump!

1) Awf’ly Wee Billy, the gonnagle, comes up with a plan, the PLN. First, do you like the basic idea? Second, what was your favorite part of the execution of the PLN?

I loved that they thought the first step of having a plan was writing the word. Oh god, now that they can write, they are going to find all sorts of rediciulous trouble! Jeannie is going to be so sorry she ever taught them their letters!

I really hope that no other clans come up with this particular PLN ever again. Can you imagine Wee Free Men walking around all over the place? Because they’d totally believe they could get away with it. Crivens, can you imagine them trying to get through TSA at the airport? we’d probably think it was the zombie apocalypse or something.  My favorite part was nearing peeing my pants it was so funny! Also, thinking about Feegles trying to do this in real life also has me laughing so hard I might pee my pants.
2) Miss Level has a philosophy of ‘storing it in other people’. How do you like this philosophy and do you know any witchy people in life who might be secretly following it?

I LOVE this philosophy, and the more I get to know Miss Level, the more I like her.  Her philosophy boils down to “if not me then who? if not now then when?”  she knows something needs to be done, she knows people in her community need help. So she doesn’t wait for them to ask, she doesn’t wait for something to happen, she just does it.  I wish I was more like that.

on the lighter side, she’s also showing Tiffany the benefits of being a smidgen more social. Tiff just wanted to sit up at Granny’s all the time, but Miss Level is socializing all the time. Even if Miss Level is a bit of an introvert (I don’t know if she is or not), she knows the benefit of networking.  I wish I was also more like that.

Part of me wants to say “anyone know a Miss Level I could take lessons from?” and the other part of me says “wait, I know people like that. they are amazing. and I just don’t have the patience to live my life that way”.  oh well.

3) We finally get to meet some other witchlings, such as Petulia and Annagramma. What do you make of Tiffany’s first meeting with them?

Petulia means well, but I want to smack Annagramma across her snobby little face.  She’s a snot! A Drome can come and take her away! uuggghh!!!   But it’s so funny,  because this is exactly what I imagine pre-teens playing at witchery would do. wear all black with lots of jewelry, make chalk circles, have special chalices, and the like.  I think Petulia has the potential to be a good little witch. Maybe her and Tiffany could be friends.

I am so very curious about this Mrs. Earwig though. Is she a real witch? or just someone trying to make a buck selling witchy stuff? her brand of witchery is complete 180 from Miss Level’s, and I like Miss Level’s a zillion times better. I can’t see Annagramma doing any of the community stuff that Miss Level does.

4) The Hiver has finally found Tiffany and Miss Level has finally met the Feegle. How do you think Tiffany will fair against the Hiver and how much damage do you think will be done (either by the Hiver or the Feegle)?

I’m creeped out yet intrigued by the Hiver. What an insidious creature, to take over the empty parts of a person. Again, well done Pratchett! I like that the Feegle showed themselves to Miss Level. Like everyone else, she thought they were just a myth, and now she’s got a little secret.

 

other random thoughts. . .

So Tiffany has this invisible and magical hat, and the title of the book is a hat full of sky. I put on my wee thinkin’ cap. . .  and, got nuthin. but I bet that hat is important! verrrra important!

I liked Wee Free Men pretty well, but man, I am just fricken’ loving A Hat Full of Sky!

Tags: discworld, fantasy, read along