(book review)

“Still, people think strangely. Steal five dollars, and they call you a petty thief. But if you have stolen thousands, then there is already one of two things: either you are a government or a hero.”

Postal fever spills over the glorious city of Ankh-Morpork in Terry Pratchett’s novel ‘Going Postal.’ The story tells about a fantastic but painfully familiar world – the world of the Flat Disk. This book is a part of a series of novels about this fantasy universe. And yet, no matter how unusual it may seem, the author manages to immerse the reader in the reality of events. In all the characters, images of you and me can be seen, and the problems that the main characters face can also be a reflection of our modern world.

The book tells the story of an artful adventurer and swindler who, instead of being executed, is put on a public office. That for the main character is tantamount to death. And yet he has no way out. Mork, the name of the main character, is put in charge of the dilapidated building of the post office. There he meets old Grosch, the junior postman, and Stanley, who is a pin-lover.

So Mork will have to deal with mail that has not been delivered for several decades and restore the former glory of the post office, while information monopolists spin intrigues behind his back. However, they do not yet know who they have contacted… And this is only a small part of an avalanche of events that will take place on the pages of this novel.

The bosses even launched a trick with the “employee of the month” to show that they care what they didn’t care at all.

The book raises many sharp social topics of our world, projecting them into a fantastic world. One of the main themes of the novel is the redemption of man and how our seemingly innocent actions can lead to great accidents. Moreover, the book touches on the topic of business as such, and it is revealed by the people who create this very business. Not all of them are clean on their hands, but everyone is able to have a hand in something good.

And since this book is by Terry Pratchett, it is filled from top to top with sparkling humor and satire on everything that is possible. Besides a witty play of words, the book can evoke other emotions as well. So it evokes sympathy and sadness, for the characters are quite rare and too original in this book.

For me, this book deserves 10/10 rating…For apt humor and a chic style, a smart author and a story from which you could not come off.

P.S. You know, you can save two men from a burning building and a cat, but people will call you a hero only for a saving cat. Cats are important!