I will always enjoy Terry Pratchett’s character of Death, but I would have preferred him as a main rather than supporting character in this serviceable but unremarkable Discworld story.
Death decides to take on an apprentice, and chooses Mortimer, Mort, or simply “Boy”. While Death takes advantage of having an apprentice by having some well earned “me time” amongst normal folk, Mort engages in some unsurprising hormone-driven hijinx, as an obvious consequence of being an adolescent without the self-control to handle the power he’s been given.
The plot is amiable, and the pacing is perfect. But the central adventure has all the hallmarks of the kind of YA that I don’t enjoy - characterised mainly by a lack of sophistication in the main character. There are also a couple of plot glitches around the character of Ysabell: why Death is essentially imprisoning her; and, an infeasible instant emotional about-face at one point. And, for me, this would be languishing in 2-star territory were it not for the richness and inventiveness of the world-building, Pratchett’s writing style (I always enjoy his tone and turn of phrase), and, of course Death, who is marvellous, and loves cats. Oh yes, and Binky.
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