"Nation" by Terry Pratchett
Recently I finished reading 'Nation' by Terry Pratchett. It was wonderful. I have to confess I cried at the end, even though it was not an unhappy ending at all. Just very moving. Having started as an author of humorous fantasy, Terry Pratchett has once again gone far beyond this genre to writing literature in its truest sense. I highly recommend this book.
I am a great fan of Discworld and keep the entire collection on my shelf. I feel that with each new book Terry Pratchett is pushing the limits of the genre to create a thoroughly enjoyable experience for anyone, regardless of whether they are fans of fantasy overall. Reading his books, to me, raises a general question about whether there really are boundaries to any genre. For example, Nation is a romance, an alternate history, a fantasy, and a work of literary fiction all at once. So, in a deep sense, is there really such a thing as genre fiction versus literature? And, if yes, how is it defined?
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I am a great fan of Discworld and keep the entire collection on my shelf. I feel that with each new book Terry Pratchett is pushing the limits of the genre to create a thoroughly enjoyable experience for anyone, regardless of whether they are fans of fantasy overall. Reading his books, to me, raises a general question about whether there really are boundaries to any genre. For example, Nation is a romance, an alternate history, a fantasy, and a work of literary fiction all at once. So, in a deep sense, is there really such a thing as genre fiction versus literature? And, if yes, how is it defined?
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