Book Review: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

Something has to give for something new to happen. And as Sir Terry Pratchett wrote death is certain for all of us. Reaper Man is a beautiful story about the importance of dying, but the warmth of the book doesn’t lie there. It is what Death becomes: humane. It tells a lot about a person to be able to write about such a subject with love even when death and dying are often seen as evil. And while there were places in the story I wished clarity and structure (a few places were a bit messy with the wizards, highly entertaining though) I adore Reaper Man.

Sometimes I wish that when I die, Death would be waiting for me as I want to see one friendly face before I shut my eyes. But that would be silly, to think that all the devotion and fondness Discworld readers have for Death had materialized him in our world. Oh well, one can hope. What makes Terry Pratchett’s reaper man appealing is the combination of neutrality and heart the character has. Death treats everyone equal despite the size and shape. And I’m glad he had a chance to experience life as Bill Door and truly know what is it like to live with the clock ticking away.

Thank you for reading!