The story begins with Agnes Nitt leaving Lancre to seek a career at the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork. When Granny Weatherwax realizes Nanny Ogg has written an immensely popular cookbook but has not been paid by the publisher, the witches also leave for Ankh-Morpork to collect the money, as well as to attempt to recruit Agnes into their coven, to replace Magrat Garlick who left the coven when she became Queen of Lancre (in Lords and Ladies). This has the side benefit of distracting Granny from becoming obsessive and self-centered, or so Nanny believes to her great relief. Agnes Nitt is chosen as a member of the chorus, where she meets Christine, a more popular but less talented girl. The Opera House Ghost, who has long haunted the opera house without much incident, begins to commit seemingly random murders staged as "accidents", and also requests that Christine be given lead …
The story begins with Agnes Nitt leaving Lancre to seek a career at the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork. When Granny Weatherwax realizes Nanny Ogg has written an immensely popular cookbook but has not been paid by the publisher, the witches also leave for Ankh-Morpork to collect the money, as well as to attempt to recruit Agnes into their coven, to replace Magrat Garlick who left the coven when she became Queen of Lancre (in Lords and Ladies). This has the side benefit of distracting Granny from becoming obsessive and self-centered, or so Nanny believes to her great relief. Agnes Nitt is chosen as a member of the chorus, where she meets Christine, a more popular but less talented girl. The Opera House Ghost, who has long haunted the opera house without much incident, begins to commit seemingly random murders staged as "accidents", and also requests that Christine be given lead roles in several upcoming productions. Due to her incredibly powerful and versatile voice, Agnes is asked to sing the parts from the background, unbeknownst to Christine or the audience. Having discovered the problems at the opera house and also having coerced the publisher to pay Nanny richly for her book, the witches investigate the mystery, with Granny posing as a rich patron, and Nanny insinuating herself into the opera house staff. Agnes unmasks Walter Plinge, the janitor, as the ghost, though as he is seemingly harmless, the others are unconvinced. Another employee is suspected, but turns out to be a member of the Cable Street Particulars. The witches determine that the finances of the Opera House, which are a complete mess, have been made so intentionally in order to hide the fact that money is being stolen, with the murders being used either as a distraction or to cover evidence. It is finally revealed that two people had been masquerading as the ghost. The original (and harmless) ghost, Walter Plinge, was being psychologically manipulated by the second ghost, who assumed the identity to commit the murders and theft. With the witches' help, Walter is able to overcome his fears and help defeat the murderer. - Wikipedia.
Maskerade is one of the top Discworld witches novels. With Nannie and Grannie going to Ankh-Morpork, Nannie's cook book, the Opera and Agnes's coming of age story.
This reread was of the new Penguin audiobook edition.
Indira Varma's Grannie and Nannie where very good. But yet again I prefer the less subtle performance by Nigel Planer. Walter Plinge, Enriko Basilica and others are stereotypes and are better suited for an overt performance.
I wanted to like this more than I did: witches, a Phantom-esque plotline, theater puns... but the anti-fatness really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand this is a huge factor in the motivation of Agnes/Perdita as a character. It just took the wind out of the story-sails and made the whole thing less enjoyable :(
Otra más del Mundodisco, serie brujas, mezclado con “Una noche en la Ópera”. Como entretenimiento, maravillosa, disfrutando de cada diálogo y de cada pasaje narrativo. Una pena que en 18 novelas todavía no haya dado con una cuyo argumento sea capaz de levantar un pelín el vuelo...
Another very strong Witch novel, firmly cementing the arc as my favorite in the Discworld. The opera is not my thing so much, but my lack of knowledge did not hugely detract from the pleasure of reading.
This was my first novel starring The Witches back when I started Discworld, and the re-read didn't disappoint. Granny is strong in this one, even though she's just a bit too tough on Nanny. Nanny is jovial and good natured as always and Agnes give the backtalk Magrat never was able to, even if it's just in her head. I love the Witches series for all the references to theatre, music and even history, and here, too, Maskerade didn't disappoint. "However did he come up with music about cats, I wonder..."
This one was better than I remembered. I think I didn't give the witch books enough credit the first time I read them. It's, like most of the witch ones, less laugh-out-loud funny and more a story about the power of stories -- with a heaping side dish of wisdom about humanity.
