Jesse’s Reviews > Reaper Man > Status Update
Jesse
is on page 200 of 336
The loose life assembling itself into a shopping mall / department store is one of the weirder asides of the Discworld given that it’s a major plot point. I would rather read about Windle the undead wizard and his experience with the “undead” and Mrs. cake and Death as Bill Door. Not that I don’t appreciate the Wizard comedy routines; there are a lot of jokes wrapped up in the cornball unseen university.
— Mar 27, 2025 10:14AM
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Jesse
is on page 300 of 336
The Lovecraftian mall is a great weird antagonist for the B plot. I could have used more Death, but this is pretty bang-on.
— Mar 27, 2025 08:36PM
Jesse
is on page 250 of 336
The satire of the birth of the shopping mall is one of Pratchett’s more pointed critiques of the 20th century. Pratchett would be somewhat amused to note how malls are now on the decline, at least in America.
— Mar 27, 2025 08:03PM
Jesse
is on page 150 of 336
Now that we’re 100 pages in we get into the meat of Death’s experience in being mortal, as only He can. I remember the pseudo-romance with Miss Flitworth being really bittersweet. The Equal Rights for the Undead being composed mostly of the undead who don’t have it in them to be properly horrifying is something that I didn’t pick up on when I was reading this in high school.
— Mar 26, 2025 02:48PM
Jesse
is on page 100 of 336
MRS CAKE THE MEDIUM!! And her werewolf-like daughter Ludmilla!! I’ve been thinking forever about One Man Bucket and his brother Two Dogs!! This is surprisingly light on Death’s activities as we focus on Pratchett’s speculative fiction plot point, pent up life supercharging the Discworld. It’s great sketch comedy, though; he nails the pacing in moments like the crossroads burial.
— Mar 26, 2025 02:10PM
Jesse
is on page 50 of 336
After Moving Pictures established the wizards as a sort of cast, this one feels like the first Discworld novel to hit the main stride. It doesn’t take its time, either; the cosmos have retired the current Death and weird things are happening as a result. If this is the one with the shopping mall (I just now remembered the novelties) then I think that this will come across a bit scatterbrained.
— Mar 26, 2025 10:14AM
