(Muse Reads Discworld in Release Order Part 4)

I was really excited for this one. It’s a common starter recommendation for Discworld, and now I can see why - there’s a great cross-section here of everything I’ve liked about the series so far, from the trope lampooning to the unique magic system and the way it handles heavy subjects with humor and compassion. I was also extremely excited to read a Discworld novel about Death in particular. He’s shown up in some capacity in every book so far, but only as a side character or an extra punchline to a joke. I’ve loved Discworld’s interpretation of Death, cowl and scythe and skull and all, and yet also a very reasonable and fair guy. I wanted to see more of that - and to an extent, that’s what I got. But Mort isn’t about Death - it’s about its title character.

This is a coming of age story for a teenager who gains too much power too quickly, who misused it on a spur of the moment decision, and has to deal with the consequences. I love the take on the archetypical “save the doomed princess” story, with Mort slowly realizing that he doesn’t actually love this girl or really know her at all. Pairing this alongside a plot about the expectations of society, maturity, and the general confusion surrounding a first job works wonders, especially through the framing device of Death and how he functions alongside the Disc. “There’s no justice, just us” is an incredible line that emphasizes the theme running throughout the book of the push and pull between the inherent laws of the universe and humanity’s free will. Like the last book, there’s a lot of humor here, but scratch the surface and there’s enough underneath to write an entire thesis.

But even with all of that said, my favorite part of the book was Death figuring out that his version of happiness was working as a fry cook and feeding stray cats. I think it’s safe to say that I’m in love with this series now.