Summary (from Goodreads):
Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch — now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance — the crossover from summer to winter — she does what no one has ever done before and leaps into the dance. Into the oldest story there ever is. And draws the attention of the wintersmith himself.
As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle — the fightin’, thievin’ pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their “big wee hag.”
Wintersmith is the third title in an exuberant series crackling with energy and humour. It follows The Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky.
I actually didn't know about the prequels when I picked this up a couple of years ago. It stands on its own very well.
Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch — now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance — the crossover from summer to winter — she does what no one has ever done before and leaps into the dance. Into the oldest story there ever is. And draws the attention of the wintersmith himself.
As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle — the fightin’, thievin’ pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their “big wee hag.”
Wintersmith is the third title in an exuberant series crackling with energy and humour. It follows The Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky.
I actually didn't know about the prequels when I picked this up a couple of years ago. It stands on its own very well.
Click on any of the covers for a larger image.
Cover No. 1
Cover No. 2
Cover No. 3
Cover No. 4
Cover No. 1: This is the one I own, and the reason I picked this book up in the first place. I really like it because it doesn't show Tiffany's face, so I can imagine how she looks, and it has a Feegle (presumably Rob Anybody) in her arms, although I doubt any Feegle would let himself be carried like that. Her hands are a little strange, but her hair is really pretty, so I suppose those even out. I also really like the snowflakes and the placement of the title and author. All in all, I think this cover was very well done. It certainly made me pick it up.
Cover No. 2: This is the most fun and colorful of the covers. I like that is has both elements of summer and winter, since the other covers only have one or the other. The Feegles are a little fiercer than I imagined, but as fun as ever. And of course they're bursting out the snow, ready to fight anyone who dares to come close. This picture is actually from one of the first scenes in the novel, so I imagine some readers will be glad to have a visual right as they start reading. I like how the cover gets darker at the top so that Terry Pratchett's name can be in white. It balances out the cover very well. And I like how Tiffany's plant and the Feegles are the only spots of color in the black-and-white winter. I would certainly pick up a book with this cover, and I would guess it appeals more to both boys and girls, as more girls than boys would be drawn to Cover No. 1.
Cover No. 3: I like this cover because it has a lot of elements from the story in it. Tiffany holds one of the ice roses from the Wintersmith in her hand, and the floorboards are sprouting with the power of the Summer Lady underneath her feet. She is standing next to Miss Treason, crows and all, and is holding the Boffo catalogue in her hand. Behind her are Enochi and Athootitia and Miss Treason's black candles. All of these items are important within the first 100 pages of the book. Also, the general design and placement works really well, and your eye is immediately drawn to Tiffany because her dress is the brightest color on the cover (another important part is that Tiffany refuses to wear black even though she's supposed to, as a witch). This cover is a little bit spookier than No. 1 and No. 2. I might have been a little more hesitant to pick it up in middle school if it'd had this cover, but I think most readers would have enthusiastically picked it off the shelf.
Cover No. 4: This cover is very different from all of the others. Cover No. 4 does not look like the cover of a MG/YA book. It seems like an adult book to me, and although I think adults would enjoy it as much as teenagers, it is a perfectly wonderful YA. That said, I really like this cover. Perhaps on the other side of seeming like an adult cover, it seems much more sophisticated than the other covers, and its simplicity draws me in. I also think its interesting that it's nearly the same plant as the one on Cover No. 2.
My Favorite: Wow, I actually can't decide at all. All of the covers are great, and they all fit the book for different reasons. What do you think?
Which is your favorite? Judge this book by its cover!
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Click here for my Review of Wintersmith.
This feature is part of my Fortnight of Old Favorites Challenge.
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