I just finished reading Maskerade, by Terry Pratchett. This is the fastest I’ve finished any of the Discworld novels so far, which I credit to Pratchett’s inclusion of multiple story lines at the outset. Each storyline weaves quickly into the others and some, like Nanny Ogg’s overdue compensation, are resolved relatively quickly, but there was plenty of steam to hold interest through to the end.

Pratchett went in for maybe 20 too many fat jokes on Agnes. Esme is a twisted individual, convincing Gytha to pursue compensation only to take it all away from her quicker than she got it. I always struggle with these sorts of plot lines – the money is a plot device, and while I would personally find it very satisfying for it to find its way up Nanny’s chimney, I don’t think that would have necessarily been a better way to write the story.

I didn’t really understand what Walter’s jolting uncontrolled physical state was intended to convey. Like Agnes, I was sad to see who Walter was when he was freed from his marionette status. The idea that he might recognize Agnes’s worth once he had worth in others’ eyes was never in the cards, and I give Pratchett some credit for not making the world simple and pleasant.

Overall, high marks for this one.