The second of the Tiffany Aching books sees Tiffany departing the chalk to be tutored in the day-to-day of witchcraft by Miss Level, a single witch occupying two bodies. She meets other girls also undergoing similar tutoring and gets to understand that witches aren't immune to the petty mindsets of their fellow humans; with that lesson being taught by a girl focused on a delusionary self-aggrandizement by the belittling of others. While Miss Level teaches that the important part of witchcraft is caring for those in the community and helping when you can, there are other senior witches that seem far more focused on the power it gives. All the while, Tiffany is secretly using the only witchy power she seems to be able to do, an out-of-body experience that lets her view her self from outside like a vastly improved mirror.
Unfotunately, this trick is bringing a 'hiver' ever closer to her, a creature that takes over the mind of a person leading them to selfish instincts and eventual madness. Carrying out her trick one too many times lets the hiver in. Tiffany is trapped inside her own mind, as it is taken over by this hiver, and she gets to watch herself do horrible things. With the help of the Wee Freemen and Granny Weatherwax she liberates herself and eventually shows the hiver the kindness of death.
It's a great entry in to the witches series of the Discworld, filled with the kind of morality that I might want our young people to take on board.
Finished reading - 20/04/26