(no subject)

I have just, after much eagerness, acquired I Shall Wear Midnight. I would like to make one thing quite clear. When I pick up a Tiffany Aching book, I expect certain things. I expect a story about a culture of women who deal with things that must be dealt with. I expect an appearance of death. I expect a running theme of the edges of things and the spaces between things, and a story about looking out for those who need it even when that process involves toenails and privies. I expect Tiffany Aching gritting her teeth and doing the job that needs to be done, refusing to back down and finding her way even if it does mean tripping over her own feet. I expect the Nac Mac Feegle being violent, shameless, drunk, good-hearted, lovable thieves who smell funny. 

And all of these are, thankfully, present. No problems on that front. However, there are certain things I expect not to find - certain things, in fact, I expect to find conspicuous by their absence. I expect to find an absence of extreme shallowness on the part of the heroine. I expect to find a minimum of moping. I expect to find an absence of glamor, in all the best ways. In particular, I expect not to fin a BLOODY HORROR STORY.

If I wanted to be terrified out of my wits, I would go read Stephen King. Please do not get FREAKING HORROR STORIES in my Tiffany Aching. This makes Arthur look like a pet.