Equal Rites
Equal Rites (Discworld Number 3), Terry Pratchett. Harper (ISBN: 9780063385542) 2024 (first published in 1987).
Summary: A dying wizard gives Eskarina his staff by mistake and she wants to become a wizard despite no girl ever having been a wizard.
The wizard Drum Billet is dying. Wizards can only pass their staff, and powers, to the eighth son of an eighth son.. He hears of one about to be born in the village of Bad Ass and goes there. Upon the child’s birth, Drum Billet gives bestows his staff. Only afterward does he discover the child is a girl. He cannot withdraw the staff. But no girl has ever become a wizard. Admission to the Unseen University, where wizards receive training is not permitted for girls.
The staff is hidden away. Yet when it is evident that Eskarina has some kind of power, Granny Weatherwax, the local witch mentors her, trying to divert her thoughts of wizardry into the perfectly good role of village witch. While she’s a good student, it is evident that Granny can’t help her control the power upon her. It dawns on Granny that it is time to challenge the division of witches and wizard by sex Specifically, Eskarina’s power requires the training of wizards.
So, they set out on a journey to Ankh-Morpork to enroll in the Unseen University. On the way, she meets Simon, an apprentice wizard, also seeking entrance to the Unseen University. He gains entrance and quickly proves his talent for translating the universe into numbers. Those in charge reject Esk. Called on to demonstrate her power, she cannot. But the resourceful Granny finds a “backdoor.” She enters as a servant, using her powers to complete tasks, giving her time to study in the library. Soon she and Simon connect, leading to an adventure to rescue Simon’s mind from the Dungeon Dimensions that will bring wizards and witches together.
Pratchett shows how ridiculous gender-based barriers are in the facetious rationalizations the wizards give for banning girls. In Eskarina, we witness the struggle between calling and convention. And in Granny Weatherwax, Pratchett gives us a delightful character–crotchety and resourceful. I look forward to seeing how Pratchett will develop them in future numbers.