auken reviewed Soul Music (Discworld Novels) by Terry Pratchett (Discworld (16))
Could have been really impactful
2 stars
Content warning Lots of spoilers
The first pages were very disorienting, but then I understood. I don't know if the deaths of Mort and Ysabell were supposed to be a twist or not, but I didn't think any of it was well paced. This story could have been incredibly moving, but for me, the realization and the emotional impact came too early to let me enjoy most of the book. Death's desire to forget was in theory also very impactful, but in execution it felt diluted and random.
Suddenly we get Susan, who I actually really liked as a character (I would absolutely use the ability to fade from awareness. This is the best superpower ever, although I might never be motivated to become perceivable again). I also love the Death of Rats and Quoth.
On the other hand, I didn't know what to do with the whole band plot. Of course Susan needed something to do in order to grow as a character, but I found myself unable to care about any of the band members and associates. The first descriptions of Imp y Celyn were a bit intriguing but it didn't lead to anything special. I also found the Wizards' subplot to be a drag, but so far I haven't really appreciated the Wizards so perhaps they are just not for me. It felt like the band and the wizards were simply a vehicle for puns and jokes, which were of course, incredibly witty and quotable, but the story around the jokes felt flat.
All in all, I had trouble finishing this book. The best parts I took from it besides the quotes, was the introduction of Susan and some more details about Death and his personality.
