This week I’m posting two week’s worth of answers – which means I’ve just about caught up (haha with only one week left – muppet!).  So I’ll keep my answers a little more to the point.  And, of course, please don’t read further if you haven’t read the Tiffany Aching series as there will be spoilers. If on the other hand you have read then please do continue reading and leave me your comments.  The hosts for Wintersmith and this readalong have been Dab of Darkness and Over the Effing Rainbow.

Week 1 (I answered these before reading on so I wouldn’t have spoilers)

So Roland is engaged! … And being a bit of a ‘Baron’ towards Tiffany. Oh dear. What do you think of this awkward turn in their ‘friendship’ in this book? I can’t believe the way he’s behaving!  Not so much meeting someone but being a noob about it.  Perhaps he thinks as he’s now rescued Tiffany everything is squared.  Or maybe he’s just grown up a bit and changed his mind?

“Rough music…” Even more so than with Wintersmith, it seems this book is tackling darker/more adult issues. What did you think of the way Tiffany handled Mr Petty, and is this darker side a welcome development?  That really took me by surprise and I felt for Tiffany having to deal with that given her age.  She’s very down to earth though and has a sort of ‘roll up your sleeves and get on with it’ approach to life.

The Feegles are back, and this time we see more of Jeannie, their Kelda. She takes in the Pettys’ daughter, Amber, after Tiffany deals with Mr Petty. Is this a good idea, or do you think it’ll just bring trouble? And what do you make of Jeannie’s prediction that more trouble is coming Tiffany’s way? I do think it could bring trouble – it will simply look as though Amber has ‘disappeared’ and the bad feelings being stirred up about witches at the current time are not going to help if people start thinking Tiffany has a hand in it.

Speaking of Amber, there’s something interesting going on with her … Do you think we might see Amber become a witch? And what do you make of her ability to ‘understand’ animals?  Perhaps she will become a witch, although how good she will be at the regular duties the witches seem to perform remains to be seen.  In fact I’m not sure she could do what Tiffany does for example.  Perhaps she should have another more   fitting role? Thinking about it… animal whisperer – okay, no idea!

Tiffany vs. Miss Spruce … It seems Tiffany is having to deal much more with people’s negative views of witchcraft, and her use of it. Do you think we’ll see Miss Spruce become more of a problem for Tiffany later? Highly likely as she seems to be a bit of a vicious old trout!  I think she quite fancied getting her mits on some of those bags of gold herself!

On the other hand, there is the Baron, may he rest in peace … What did you think of his first and last real conversation with Tiffany? I thought it was a really touching scene. I’d love to know what’s going on with this ‘hare’ and I’m sure I’m being incredibly dumb but I genuinely have no idea!!

Week Two:

This section featured some characters from the Night Watch, who are featured in other books. Did you enjoy the cameos? If you haven’t read the Night Watch books, did their appearance pique your interest? I haven’t read the Night Watch books but Mad Arthur is a character – I’d like to read about him taking the Feegles to the ballet!

Roland sure is harsh in this section! What do you think is the source of these drastic changes in him? What, or who, would you delete in his life to makes things better? I suppose he’s grieving and he’s letting his future mother-in-law boss him about.  I would remover her Ladyship and her stick!

As Mrs. Proust predicted, Miss….Smith of the Unreal Estate found Tiffany. How do you think Ms. Smith’s info on the Cunning Man will be used by Tiffany? What would you fear stumbling over in the Unreal University, a place where magical bits are constantly bumping into each other? I guess it’s all mind bending with this Cunning fellow – perhaps she has to do a mind reversal trick on people – a bit like Ghostbusters II where everyone had to think ‘happy thoughts’ and sing in the New Year to reverse the negative waves.  I would fear stumbling over ANYTHING in the Unreal University – pretty weird to be honest.

Tiffany & the Feegles return to the Chalk to find Roland’s men about to dig up the Mound. Luckily, Tiffany is able to make them see sense and they put away their shovels. If they hadn’t, what do you picture would have happened? It would have gone very badly for Roland’s men and those shovels would have gone into places they were never meant to see is what would have happened.

The Duchess seems ready to cause everyone a bit of pain, especially Tiffany. While Tiff seems to have checkmated her for now, what do you think the Duchess’s next moves will be?  Did you find it hard to hold your tongue during that standoff too? I wanted to launch at her!  What a witch – maybe that’s it, she’s a bit witchy herself and she’s in denial.  You can’t be a spell casting Duchess ‘don’t you know’!  Maybe she’s the real reason why The Cunning Man appeared or maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about and will continue to name everybody as the culprit until I hit on the answer purely by accident or through a process or elimination.

We’ve met a very interesting guard, Preston, the newest of the bunch. He’s a bit of a bookish nerd. Do you see him being of further assistance to Tiffany? How do you think this will affect his long-term employment at the castle? I really like Preston and I see him becoming very helpful to Tiff somehow – not sure how but I don’t see him staying at the castle somehow.

Finally, we learn something very interesting about Letitia. It appears she is a witch. Will Letitia and Tiffany join forces to defeat evil? What do you think Letitia did, if anything, to bring the Cunning Man? I was thinking that the Cunning Man had come as a result of Tiff’s kissing Winter.  Hadn’t foreseen this unexpected witchy element.  Perhaps because Letitia was thinking bad thoughts she helped him to gather momentum?

Biggest shocker this week: I was really surprised that the Feegles were captured by ONE nightwatchman!  In fact I was gobsmacked and a little bit dismayed.  They always seemed unbeatable – it’s dented my confidence although I still love the little guys.