I Shall Wear Midnight

Tiffany Aching has known she's a witch since she was 9 years old. Now, in her fourth adventure she's 15 going on 16, and these are bittersweet, complicated times. Her best childhood friend is getting married. Little children point at her black pointy hat behind her back. She's surrounded by blue six-inch tall Wee Free Men. An an evil presence is on her trail. Luckily, there are plenty of characters drawn from all corners of Pratchett's DISCWORLD universe to give Tiffany sage advice, and longtime narrator Stephen Briggs provides enthusiastic "somewhere-in-the-British-Isles" accents and voices for them all. Jumping from nail-biting drama to Pratchett's signature penetrating satire, Tiffany realizes, as always, that she's going to have to fight and win her battles herself. Briggs narrates with the pride of a gushing uncle. Tiffany has matured into a fine young--ah, witch. As always, great fun. B.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 20, 2010
The final adventure in Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series brings this subset of Discworld novels to a moving and highly satisfactory conclusion. Tiffany, now nearly 16 years old, is forced to do battle with the hate-filled ghost of a long dead witchfinder, the Cunning Man, who has become obsessed with the young witch and is gradually turning her own community against her. As ever, Tiffany is ably supported by her loyal, intensely fractious, and totally amoral companions, the Nac Mac Feegles, whose leader, Rob Anybody, believes, "After all, ye ken, what would be the point of lyin' when you had nae done anything wrong?" She must deal with the heavy workload of a professional witch (birthing babies, training apprentices, and the like), fight evil, and come to terms with her former boyfriend's impending marriage. Pratchett's trademark wordplay and humor are much in evidence, but he's also interested in weightier topics, including religious prejudice and the importance of living a balanced life. Tiffany Aching fans, who have been waiting for this novel since Wintersmith (2006), should be ecstatic. Ages 12–up.