Content Warning: I Shall Wear Midnight contains early themes of domestic violence and infant mortality. These are difficult subjects, but Terry Pratchett deals with them sympathetically and with considerable care.

I Shall Wear Midnight is the fourth Tiffany Aching novel and, more importantly, the 37th Discworld novel. By this point Tiffany is a long way from the young girl we met in The Wee Free Men. She is sixteen, an established witch and responsible for a large part of the Chalk. Growing up has brought her more knowledge, but it has also brought considerably more responsibility.

This is a tale of duty, respect, fear and becoming an adult, and Pratchett manages to explore all of those ideas while still giving us plenty of the humour, absurdity and memorable characters that make Discworld such a wonderful place to visit.

The book opens with difficult subjects as detailed in the trigger warning that may be particularly hard for some readers. However, Pratchett handles them sympathetically rather than sensationally. They are an important part of establishing what Tiffany’s job as a witch really means. She is not a fantasy hero who can simply wave a wand and make terrible things disappear. Sometimes being a witch means sitting with someone during the worst moment of their life and doing whatever little you can to help.

That sense of duty runs throughout the story.

Tiffany has become the sort of person people turn to when things go wrong. She has responsibilities towards her community, and she takes those responsibilities seriously. Being a witch is not about power or prestige. It is about helping people, often when they are frightened, angry, poor or simply having the worst day imaginable.

And that brings us to respect.

Tiffany has earned the respect of the people around her, but she is also learning that respect cannot simply be demanded. It comes from what you do and how you treat people. Pratchett has always been excellent at turning his witches into a commentary on the difference between authority and genuine responsibility, and Tiffany is learning that lesson for herself.

Fear, unfortunately, complicates everything. People can be frightened of what they do not understand, and that fear can quickly become suspicion and hatred. Tiffany finds herself facing some very unpleasant attitudes, and the story explores how easily old prejudices can be resurrected when people are given something or someone to blame.

What makes this particularly effective is that Tiffany is growing up. She is still stubborn, practical and intelligent, but she is beginning to understand that becoming an adult does not mean suddenly having all the answers. It means accepting responsibility even when you are uncertain, and learning how to act despite being afraid.

There is also a delightful bit of Discworld continuity here that I absolutely loved. In this, the 37th Discworld novel, we finally get the return of Eskarina Smith, originally introduced way back in Equal Rites, the third book in the series. It is the sort of connection that rewards anyone who has been travelling around Discworld for years, and seeing Eskarina return after such a long absence is a genuinely lovely surprise.

Naturally, Tiffany also has the Wee Free Men around to make everything considerably more chaotic. The Nac Mac Feegle remain gloriously violent, thieving and completely incapable of behaving sensibly. They are ridiculous, but they also provide a genuine sense of loyalty and affection. Their relationship with Tiffany has developed naturally across the series, and it is impossible not to smile whenever they appear.

I am also continuing to really enjoy these new Audible editions. Indira Varma and Steven Cree are wonderfully suited to Pratchett’s writing, bringing the characters to life without ever losing the warmth and wit of the original text. They are equally comfortable with the ridiculous comedy and the much more serious moments, which is particularly important in a book that moves between the two so frequently.

Bill Nighy once again provides the voice of the footnotes, and I absolutely love this addition. Pratchett’s footnotes are such an important part of the Discworld experience, and Nighy’s wonderfully dry delivery makes them feel like an integral part of the audiobook rather than interruptions to the story.

Then there is Peter Serafinowicz as Death. It is inspired casting, giving Death exactly the right mixture of gravitas, amusement and sheer presence. His appearances are always a highlight.

I Shall Wear Midnight is a darker Tiffany Aching adventure, but it is also one of the most thoughtful. Tiffany is no longer simply learning how to be a witch. She is learning what it means to be responsible for other people, how fear can affect communities and what it really means to become an adult.

It is funny, compassionate, occasionally uncomfortable and ultimately very rewarding. Add in the return of Eskarina Smith and another superb Audible performance, and this is another excellent addition to the Discworld collection.

Buy your copy here