Hogfather - Books I love

I was standing in a Barnes and Nobles, trying to kill some time waiting for a text from the neighboring Cheesecake factory saying my table is ready. Browsing through the aisles, I had no idea on how to pick a book. With video games and movies, it is easier. I could look up the gameplay or see if one of the actors I like is on there.

So here I am, in the middle of a bookstore, experiencing a wave of embarrassment and shame on not being in the know. I could have asked a friend who read, but that has never ended well. Instead, I reached into the depths of my mind, prodding for vague pop-cultural knowledge acquired through osmosis, and I found a name - Terry Pratchett. He is one of the names that frequently comes up in r/menwritingwomen (for all the good reasons) and that is all I knew. After some quick googling and taking a quiz, I walked out with a book titled Hogfather (after paying for it, of course).

What is it about?

The premise when I try to summarize might sound downright silly. Hogfather (Santa) is ... there is no word for it in the English language, so let's just say he is dead. Death (the anthropomorphic personification) using a fake beard and a pillow is stepping in as a substitute. Death's granddaughter is trying to get to the bottom of it all, which somehow involves the tooth fairy. Trust me when I say I am barely scratching the surface here. Yet, this is one of the most important books I will probably ever read.

What I liked?

Before I get to that, I want to touch on a few other points. One of the things I like is that fact the author doesn't with hold or hide information just for the sake of mystery. I always hate it when the reader is kept in the dark. Instead, half through the book, I got a fair sense of where the book is heading towards. But this never diminished my enjoyment of the story. There is a good flow to the story which makes it easier to read despite the lack of chapters.  

Did I mention how funny this book is? The humor enhances the quirkiness of the world without undercutting other emotions. Anything that involved the thinking machine called Hex and the wizards was particularly relatable to me as a professional software engineer, and I found myself chuckling through those parts. The humor is dry and satirical, but there is a certain sincerity to it. One of my favorite moments, reading, is when Death pretending to be Santa is in a mall handing out presents.

Another thing I appreciate is that, how the author fleshes out even the minor characters and the world. I was astonished on how familiar and how much I ended up liking the cast. The world building never felt out of place and despite the premise on the outside being silly, the internal logic surprisingly is solid. Things don't just happen because the author wants it to happen or has cornered himself to writing it. Everything that happens, feels natural and consistent within the world. At the same time, the world created doesn't alienate the readers. Instead, it juxtaposes and gets philosophical, makes you think. The book does all this without losing the humor.

Susan (Death's granddaughter) and Death are the two that stand out. And Susan is a low-key badass without coming off as a Mary Sue.

Why it is one of my all time favorites?

Over the years, as time passed, I could sense how I changed. As I age, my priorities have shifted. I could go on to even say, I have become jaded over the years. I have stopped believing in a lot of things in the name of self-preservation, and this book holds a mirror to it. There is a fascinating conversation between Death and his granddaughter on the importance of belief and how it is tied to humanity towards the end. It resonated with me and made me take a hard look at how nihilistic and apathetic I have become (as one usually does).

I am not going to claim that this book helped me change overnight. But it made me laugh, gave me the warm fuzzy feeling and helped me introspect. What more can I ask?

Conclusion

It is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest Christmas story ever put to page. Though, this book is probably not for everyone. I don't see anyone in my circle of friends appreciating this one. But it is a heart-warming, funny and most importantly gets you to ponder. If that seems like something for you, please give it a try. If you have read, or want to discuss the book after reading it, feel free to reach out to me. Or if you have suggestions as to what I should read next, let me know.  

Oh, I almost forgot, there are 40 other books set in this world (Discworld).