In the sprawling city of Ankh-Morpork, the local Opera House is haunted by a masked figure who leaves cryptic notes and commits occasional murders. Agnes Nitt, a young woman with a powerful voice but an unfashionable appearance, travels to the city to audition, hoping to escape her predictable life in Lancre. She is followed by Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, two veteran witches who intend to recruit her into their coven while simultaneously investigating the financial corruption and backstage sabotage plagueing the theater. The story details the friction between high art and cold business logic, following the witches as they navigate the protocols of polite society and the mechanics of musical performance to unmask the killer.
Readers of satirical fantasy choose this book for its cynicism regarding show business and its subversion of classic gothic tropes. It appeals to those interested in the logistical realities behind stagecraft and the social dynamics of professional ensembles. After finishing the text, the reader understands how public personas are constructed through costume and expectation, as well as the practical differences between natural talent and carefully marketed stardom. It provides a technical look at how people project identities and how those masks eventually dictate their behavior.
Outward-looking and escapist; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1995
- Language
- EN
