Call number
Genres
Publication
New York: Roc (1990)
Pages
320
Description
Terry Pratchett's fantasy classic Wyrd Sisters, a novel in the Discworld series, is the story of Granny Weatherwax, the most highly regarded non-leader a coven of non-social witches could ever have. Generally, these loners don't get involved in anything, much less royal intrigue. But then there are those times they can't help it. As Granny Weatherwax is about to discover, though, it's a lot harder to stir up trouble in the castle than some theatrical types would have you think. Even when you've got a few unexpected spells up your sleeve. Granny Weatherwax teams with two other witches - Nanny Ogg and Margat Garlick - as an unlikely alliance to save a prince and restore him to the throne of Lancre, in a tale that borrows - or is it parodies - some of William Shakespeare's best-loved works.… (more)
Awards
Prix Imaginales (2002)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1988-11
Physical description
320 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0451450124 / 9780451450128
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User reviews
LibraryThing member pussreboots
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchet is the sixth Discworld book. It's the second appearance of Granny Weatherwax, who made a brief but important appearance in Equal Rites. Here, though, she is presented as she should be, with the rest of her coven — Nanny Ogg and Magrat. Together they are the crone
These three witches will be instrumental in setting to rights the kingdom of Lancre after the death of the king by natural causes. Because of course, murder is a natural death for a monarch. The king's infant son, though, is squirreled away and the witches buy him a home (as well as a hiding place for the crown of Lancre).
The death of a king, his haunting ghost, the meddling witches, the smart ass Fool — these are all elements of a Shakespearian drama. Whilst you will find jabs at many of his plays, the dominating one is the Scottish play, but there's a jab or two at Hamlet, King Lear too.
My favorite characters, though, in this book are Magrat and the Fool. The Fool has more wits about him than the new Duke and Duchess of Lancre. Whenever I read this book, I wish that Christopher Moore's Fool had been more like Pratchett's fool.
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(though one would never dare call Granny Weatherwax that), the mother (Nanny Ogg who is mother, aunt or grandmother to most of Lancre) and the maiden (Magrat).These three witches will be instrumental in setting to rights the kingdom of Lancre after the death of the king by natural causes. Because of course, murder is a natural death for a monarch. The king's infant son, though, is squirreled away and the witches buy him a home (as well as a hiding place for the crown of Lancre).
The death of a king, his haunting ghost, the meddling witches, the smart ass Fool — these are all elements of a Shakespearian drama. Whilst you will find jabs at many of his plays, the dominating one is the Scottish play, but there's a jab or two at Hamlet, King Lear too.
My favorite characters, though, in this book are Magrat and the Fool. The Fool has more wits about him than the new Duke and Duchess of Lancre. Whenever I read this book, I wish that Christopher Moore's Fool had been more like Pratchett's fool.
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LibraryThing member Smiler69
This one came highly recommended by an LT friend as a possible starting point in the series (there are many, as the series need not at all be read in order, save for a few cases). This is a fantastic take on Shakespeare's Macbeth, and if you've actually read or seen the play, you'll get a lot out
One of my favourite quotes is the following:
"There are thousands of good reasons why magic doesn't rule the world. They're called witches and wizards. It was probably some wonderful organization on the part of Nature to protect itself. It saw to it that anyone with magical talent was about as ready to co-operate as a she-bear with a toothache so all that dangerous power was safely dissipated as random bickering and rivalry. There were differences in style of course. Wizards assassinated each other in draughty corridors, witches just cut one another dead in the street. And they were all as self-centred as a spinning top. Even when they help other people, they're secretly doing it for themselves."
Pratchett's humour is priceless in that he obviously has a vast classical culture which he blends with contemporary and timeless themes which result in a very clever commentary on our modern and very screwed up world, but all this done in with very British-humour, which I simply can't resist. I can now be counted among the many Terry Pratchett fans and there will be a lot more Discworld in my future, and probably other non-Discworld books too. Strongly recommended, and yes, a good place to start with the Discworld, along with Small Gods (which is where I actually started) and Guards! Guards!, both excellent and very funny.
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of the various jokes and insides made about that specific play and Shakespeare's approach to speech and playwriting in general. If you haven't, it's a jolly good story about three witches who decide to form a covenant to help the true heir to the throne take up his post, after a mad new king has done away with his predecessor to take power. The witches would have left well enough alone had the new king and his duchess been decent rulers, but the king is showing sings of advanced bipolar activity and his queen is a power-hungry sadist, which puts the whole kingdom on edge. One of my favourite quotes is the following:
"There are thousands of good reasons why magic doesn't rule the world. They're called witches and wizards. It was probably some wonderful organization on the part of Nature to protect itself. It saw to it that anyone with magical talent was about as ready to co-operate as a she-bear with a toothache so all that dangerous power was safely dissipated as random bickering and rivalry. There were differences in style of course. Wizards assassinated each other in draughty corridors, witches just cut one another dead in the street. And they were all as self-centred as a spinning top. Even when they help other people, they're secretly doing it for themselves."
Pratchett's humour is priceless in that he obviously has a vast classical culture which he blends with contemporary and timeless themes which result in a very clever commentary on our modern and very screwed up world, but all this done in with very British-humour, which I simply can't resist. I can now be counted among the many Terry Pratchett fans and there will be a lot more Discworld in my future, and probably other non-Discworld books too. Strongly recommended, and yes, a good place to start with the Discworld, along with Small Gods (which is where I actually started) and Guards! Guards!, both excellent and very funny.
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LibraryThing member atreic
Arguably the point where Discworld stops being 'early Discworld' and becomes Discworld. A Macbeth parody, and although Granny Weatherwax appeared in Equal Rites, pretty much the first book in the Witches series. Fun, page turny, twisty, Good triumphs, Bad loses, and it's all just a little bit more
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complicated than that. It's always nice to see a theatre played properly. Show Less
LibraryThing member darceypaige
This is the first book of Terry pratchett's I every read. When I was about seven my mum had this and feet of clay, I was obsessed with the covers. I would sometimes stare at them for a good hour. I would play with them when ever I could get my hands on them. I love the covers still to this day. I
Another thing I adore about them is they seem so foolish, so witty and sometimes downright rude but really they are a force to be reckoned with. No matter how silly it sometimes gets you also know that no matter what they face they win. plain and simple. In this novel you see the king killed and suddenly become a ghost, you see the real heir as a baby took by loyal servants and left with the witches and you see the scoundrel over take the throne. The witches decide to hide the baby with a traveling theatre and give him three gifts as godmothers should. The scoundrel demands that the witches be brought in and I love that fact the guards do not want to. Utterly fantastic. This is the book of all books that began my whole discworld fanatic life, from if i'm honest childhood. I really, really do not like to ruin these books with the telling of them that will do them no justice (for me there are no words good enough to even just explain the wit.) If you haven't read the discworld collection this could be a great place for you to start, if you don't mind a bit of backtracking (this will have no effect to the other stories, you will not miss anything but you must read the rest) Happy reading *smile as big as the cheshire cat*
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love the written words even more. I find it unfair so much comical genius is given to one man alone *sigh* No who am I kidding I LOVE the fact! This one is about the witches. Granny weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat. These three characters have enough spark to light a huge village and half the world with.Another thing I adore about them is they seem so foolish, so witty and sometimes downright rude but really they are a force to be reckoned with. No matter how silly it sometimes gets you also know that no matter what they face they win. plain and simple. In this novel you see the king killed and suddenly become a ghost, you see the real heir as a baby took by loyal servants and left with the witches and you see the scoundrel over take the throne. The witches decide to hide the baby with a traveling theatre and give him three gifts as godmothers should. The scoundrel demands that the witches be brought in and I love that fact the guards do not want to. Utterly fantastic. This is the book of all books that began my whole discworld fanatic life, from if i'm honest childhood. I really, really do not like to ruin these books with the telling of them that will do them no justice (for me there are no words good enough to even just explain the wit.) If you haven't read the discworld collection this could be a great place for you to start, if you don't mind a bit of backtracking (this will have no effect to the other stories, you will not miss anything but you must read the rest) Happy reading *smile as big as the cheshire cat*
Show Less
LibraryThing member JessicaSim
Extremely funny! This book is also a good place to start if you are unacquainted with the Discworld. It's an allegory of modern politics, draws on Shakespeare and gives us three very humourous witches.
LibraryThing member harrietbrown
OMG, I practically peed in my pants reading this. English literature from Beowulf to Shakespeare and history, ancient and modern, is lampooned and satirized. And his depiction of witches is distinctly accurate, fictional or not. Terry Pratchett is a literary joy, a walk in the park on a sunny day,
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love at first sight ... all good things between two covers and a spine. Show Less
LibraryThing member miss.mesmerized
When King Verence of Lancre is murdered by his cousin, Duke Felmet, the three witches Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick know that this will not mean any good. By coincidence, they happen to get the old king’s son Tomjon and his crown and take care of both until the boy is old enough
Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters” is the sixth instalment of the Disc World Series and was first published in 1988. Due to its very own universe, the novel has not lost the slightest bit of its appeal in more than 30 years. The three witches instantly remind you of the three famous witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth and, accordingly, they are only the beginning of a brilliant adaptation of the Bard’s great tragedy – just that it is not a tragedy but utterly funny.
Continuing to explore Disc World leads to small new feature one can detect in every new novel. I totally adore how Pratchett created this world with such a love for detail that remind you of the real world but that is just a bit different to fit into the flat planet’s peculiarities. Especially the animals – this time a cat – are intriguing and charming.
Even though each instalment has its own appeal, I was highly interested in this one due to see how the author transformed Shakespeare’s plays. Surely, I was far from disappointed. Chief playwright Hwel calls his theatre “The Dysc”, the witches meet in a stormy night and – of course just like in Macbeth – ask the famous question when they will meet again, the play within a play and the ghost of the former King quite obviously are taken from Hamlet – there is much more to uncover which is just great fun.
There is not much more one can say apart from calling the novel a masterpiece.
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to fight his uncle. However, the kingdom is angry about their new leader long before and therefore, something must be done immediately. A slight adjustment of time will help them to send an equal to the new king. Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters” is the sixth instalment of the Disc World Series and was first published in 1988. Due to its very own universe, the novel has not lost the slightest bit of its appeal in more than 30 years. The three witches instantly remind you of the three famous witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth and, accordingly, they are only the beginning of a brilliant adaptation of the Bard’s great tragedy – just that it is not a tragedy but utterly funny.
Continuing to explore Disc World leads to small new feature one can detect in every new novel. I totally adore how Pratchett created this world with such a love for detail that remind you of the real world but that is just a bit different to fit into the flat planet’s peculiarities. Especially the animals – this time a cat – are intriguing and charming.
Even though each instalment has its own appeal, I was highly interested in this one due to see how the author transformed Shakespeare’s plays. Surely, I was far from disappointed. Chief playwright Hwel calls his theatre “The Dysc”, the witches meet in a stormy night and – of course just like in Macbeth – ask the famous question when they will meet again, the play within a play and the ghost of the former King quite obviously are taken from Hamlet – there is much more to uncover which is just great fun.
There is not much more one can say apart from calling the novel a masterpiece.
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LibraryThing member allthesedarnbooks
My favorite Discworld book I've read so far. Granny Weatherwax is in peak form and Pratchett takes on Shakespeare, with a story that parodies MacBeth and makes frequent references to Hamlet and King Lear, as well. Just hilarious. I don't think you need to be familiar with MacBeth to enjoy it, but I
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think having read the play will only enhance the experience. Five stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member AriadneAranea
A fun read – what can I say, it’s the Discworld. They’re all pretty enjoyable, and all the same but very different.
This one features the three witches, possibly my favourite characters (along with Susan, who is Death’s granddaughter, who isn't, as it happens, in this one). The witches must
There are also ghosts, a reluctant Fool, some travelling players, many Shakespearean rip-offs and some other stuff. Yay!
This one features the three witches, possibly my favourite characters (along with Susan, who is Death’s granddaughter, who isn't, as it happens, in this one). The witches must
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save the Ramtop kingdom from a cruel, unstable and, worst of all, entirely indifferent usurper to the throne. All without interfering in Politics, because everyone knows that a witch never interferes. Especially not with politics…There are also ghosts, a reluctant Fool, some travelling players, many Shakespearean rip-offs and some other stuff. Yay!
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LibraryThing member love2laf
Lovely fun, with a theatre troupe, with references to Shakespeare, 3 stooges, Abbot & Costello, and even Charlie Chaplin. Pratchett is perfect for reading puns, and other humour, and giving the brain a lot of entertainment.
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
In this Discworld novel, Terry Pratchett takes on Shakespeare with a trio of witches, the killing of a king, ghosts in abundance, and an heir that is spirited away for safety.
If you’re familiar with Shakespeare, there are a lot of laughs. While there are still a lot of laughs if you’re not,
If you’re familiar with Shakespeare, there are a lot of laughs. While there are still a lot of laughs if you’re not,
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you may get the feeling that you’re missing something. I’ve read a few of the Bard’s plays, but I frequently felt that I should have been getting a reference and wasn’t. A sort of whoosing feeling going over my head. But most of the story doesn’t rely on Bardic references. Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick join Granny Weatherwax as witches of Lancre, and, despite the witches habit of not interfering with things, find themselves having to right the wrong of the king’s murder. Between seeing how the witches- not being city, or even town or village people- react to theater (they don’t understand the conventions of men dressed as women, of fake sword play or the like), watching as too many inspirations hit Hwel the dwarvish playwright (causing a lot of rewriting, as some of his inspirations are more Charlie Chaplin than Hamlet) and wondering if the witches will be able to get the rightful heir onto the throne there is a lot funny stuff. Not one of Pratchett’s best, but definitely worth a read. Show Less
LibraryThing member comfypants
Funny, entertaining, but not as much as most of the other Discworld books I've read. The jokes were on more of an "oh, that's cute" level, never actually laugh-out-loud funny.
LibraryThing member Aldrea_Alien
This had me laughing so many times, especially in the piece where the Fool meets Greebo. I once had a cat like that (female though).
Granny, Nanny and Magrat are wonderful characters and the no-nonsense and simple way they go about things is delightful, yet the use of magic to the extent they did on
A wonderfully entertaining novel.
Granny, Nanny and Magrat are wonderful characters and the no-nonsense and simple way they go about things is delightful, yet the use of magic to the extent they did on
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the land shows just how much you should mess with the older witches. The way they sort everything out in the end without hurting anyone, yet the baddies still get theirs just scream poetic justice to me.A wonderfully entertaining novel.
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LibraryThing member gercmbyrne
the witches books are my favourite :) enjoy Granny, Nanny and Magrat as they battle the forces of Evil, Tyranny and Drama :)
LibraryThing member mazeway
Another fun Discworld book. I liked this better than Equal Rites.
LibraryThing member jnicholson
Although Granny Weatherwax technically first appears in "Equal Rites", the character is not really finished until this novel. Wyrd Sisters is a parody of the Scottish play, with some Sleeping Beauty and a few other fairy tales thrown in for good measure. On first impression, the witches seem
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irritating, but watch for them in future books. Show Less
LibraryThing member phoebesmum
A reread in honour of Sir Terry's exaltation. One of the best of the Discworld novels, tying in witches, royalty, missing heirs, hidden crowns, New Agers, the complete works of Shakespeare, and ... the Marx Brothers ...
LibraryThing member Narilka
Terry Pratchett takes on the theater and Shakespeare in Wyrd Sisters. Granny Weatherwax is back! This is one of my favorite Discworld books so far.
LibraryThing member 391
Wyrd Sisters is the second book in the Witches arc, following Equal Rites. I really enjoyed it - Magrat and Granny are two of my favorite characters. I felt like it was all wrapped up a bit too neatly, and it took so long to really get plot points moving, but I still love it. It riffs off Macbeth
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and Hamlet (along with a little bit of Lear, and...well, if you know your Shakepeare, you'll enjoy it). Show Less
LibraryThing member kittyNoel
Wyrd Sisters
by Terry Pratchett
Witchcraft is not what you think it is. You don't need candles and flashy symbols drawn in blood, or dancing naked under a full moon (sometime though Margrat would like things it if the other witches would be a little more Occult like... though I don't think even she
Most of the magic that is done by Witches on the disk is every day things, things that just take a little bit more knowledge and a lot of headology. They may be a bit closer to the vale between life and death. Which helps when theres a ghost around who needs a little justice and they do happen to fly around on broomstick (which aside from being a little cold is just a practical way to travel when your the only one in the ramtops who really does travel).
The witches are enjoyable characters because they are as I said, very down to earth and honest old ladies. Very Real, Wizards are the ones who mess around with Magic on the disk. Nanny and Granny are two cute and intelligent old ladies who care for the country folk that live in there aria. Sometimes this requires a little magical help... sometimes things work out anyways.
by Terry Pratchett
Witchcraft is not what you think it is. You don't need candles and flashy symbols drawn in blood, or dancing naked under a full moon (sometime though Margrat would like things it if the other witches would be a little more Occult like... though I don't think even she
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would want to see Granny Weatherwax dancing naked...). Witches are mostly solitary people, but even solitary people like to be a little social once in a while... other wise how would the others know you don't need them. Most of the magic that is done by Witches on the disk is every day things, things that just take a little bit more knowledge and a lot of headology. They may be a bit closer to the vale between life and death. Which helps when theres a ghost around who needs a little justice and they do happen to fly around on broomstick (which aside from being a little cold is just a practical way to travel when your the only one in the ramtops who really does travel).
The witches are enjoyable characters because they are as I said, very down to earth and honest old ladies. Very Real, Wizards are the ones who mess around with Magic on the disk. Nanny and Granny are two cute and intelligent old ladies who care for the country folk that live in there aria. Sometimes this requires a little magical help... sometimes things work out anyways.
Show Less
LibraryThing member tundranocaps
More than a little boring, I actually couldn't finish it.
LibraryThing member Ladykendragon
This tops my list of Pratchett favorites :) nothing like taking The Bard and giving him a diskworld makeover. Granny Weatherwax is worth the read in every book she appears in.
LibraryThing member readafew
Discworld book 6! We meet back up with Granny Weatherwax and this time she's in a Coven with Nanny Oog and Magrat. The is a new king in town, and he's a little insane. Granny and company are not sure what to do, because what they should do is not interfere. However, events force their hands.
This is
This is
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another humorous book looking at those in power. It also is a rewrite of MacBeth, which leaves me with the desire to take the time and actually read up on it. And like most of Pratchetts books, there are lots of twists and turns and things never line up quite as you would expect them too. Show Less
LibraryThing member verenka
A hilarious book that first introduces Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg properly. Granny was also in Equal Rites but in Wyrd Sisters she gets a bigger role. I loved the interaction between the three different witches and their approaches to magic. The travelling actors and the Macbeth piss take
I haven't made up my mind yet if I want to register my Terry Pratchett loot from my latest thrift shop expedition with a couple of BC friends.
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weren't that funny, because predictable. I'm lloking forward to reading the other two books in the witches series.I haven't made up my mind yet if I want to register my Terry Pratchett loot from my latest thrift shop expedition with a couple of BC friends.
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LibraryThing member mjmorrison1971
Prachett manages it write a light, easy to read book that pokes fun at a lot of things. While I enjoyed this book I have to say I could see the ending a look way off but did enjoy the taking the piss out of Macbeth that ran through much of the book. Possibly not one of his best works but an
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enjoyable use for my reading time. Show Less