MONSTROUS REGIMENT
by Terry Pratchett
SPOILER DISCLAIMER:
This review contains spoilers, which can be read if the text is highlighted.
The story is set in the completely ruralized feudal state of Borogravia, an old country-esque land with picturesque environments and a Germanic/Slavic culture, where organized religion and its norms dictate every aspect of life, in an epoch reminiscent of our own late eighteenth or early nineteenth century.,.. and the neighboring empire of Zlobenia (Ezlobenia in the Spanish translation), the ongoing armed conflict with which has decimated the Borogravian male population.
Polly Perks, a barmaid and heiress to the family inn after her brother Paul went missing in action, decides to go forth on a quest for him... even if it means breaking one of the most sacred laws of Borogravian religion: it is forbidden by divinity to cross-dress, and even more to join the army
en travesti.
But Polly... I mean, "Oliver", has no other choice.
Which means "Oliver" is soon sent to the war front, to play the role of the new recruit in a regiment that soon is decimated to a handful of unusual fighters in scarlet: a caffeine-holic vegan vampire, a troll, an Igor, a gay couple, and a hardcore zealot, led by the quintessential naive young lieutenant sans field experience (a rather feminine young man) and by the quintessential older down-to-earth sergeant (a real badass).
When our rag-tag unit successfully captures the heir to the Zlobenian throne, they find themselves front-page in the international media.
What's more, they find themselves having to infiltrate the fortress where all the Borogravian POWs, including Polly's estranged brother Paul Perks, are being held captive to liberate them, though more than one secret has come to light... (SPOILERS BELOW!)
Lieutenant Blouse is actually the only male member of the Monstrous Regiment (which makes a great premise for a harem anime series): thus, there are a vampiress, an Igorina, a female troll, a pair of lesbians... the zealot is kind of Joan of Arc, and even our badaaaaaaaaass Sergeant Jackrum is a she! And, ironically, the leader, the token male, is the most feminine one in the unit! (He was even crosscast in the military academy play...)
The members of the Monstrous Regiment have to (recursively cross-) dress as washerwomen to infiltrate the enemy fortress. They succeed, freeing all the POWs, winning the war for Borogravia, and discovering that all of their country's generals are women in uniform as well! (That was even more unexpected than the previous twist!)
Finally, when peace returns, Borogravian society becomes more secularized and gender-equal: Polly and Maladicta the vegan vampiress become the first female lieutenants in a new gender-equal army!
Terry Pratchett's take on military historical fiction is one of my favourite books of the decade. Subverting our expectations about gender, religious norms, royalty, lieutenants, sergeants, magical creatures, LGBTQ issues... to create a brilliant and vivid anti-war parable, which actually has influenced works of mine like the
Ringstetten Saga. The novel
Monstrous Regiment has even been brought to the stage in Australia!
The setting is another reason why I picked it and loved it. You know, the old country-esque land with picturesque environments and a Germanic/Slavic culture. Ruritania, Latveria, Syldavia, Slovetzia, Gerolstein... Wild landscapes, quaint townscapes, and good-looking military people in uniform. It looks so darling lovely! Yet Borogravia appears to be a subversion, with its extreme rightishness and adherence to authority... A subverted subversion, if we consider that the POV characters are born and raised in this country-esque land, yet in cahoots with the system since childhood. Masculine women, a feminine young man, and even some monsters who want to be treated as people. These are a rag-tag bunch of happy few, of unlikely heroes. A truly monstrous regiment.
This book also appealed to me because of its strong female cast: everyone except the leader of the titular unit are badass ladies in scarlet uniform (resembling British redcoats) that can hold a candle to Arya Stark, Ygritte, Osha, Meera Reed, Brienne of Tarth, Éowyn, Fa Mulan, the Robber Maiden in the Fifth Story of
The Snow Queen, the Clever Princess in the Fourth Story of
The Snow Queen, Christina of Sweden... On the other hand, Lieutenant Blouse is effete and effeminate, ambiguously queer, slightly reminiscent of Renly Baratheon, Loras Tyrell, Faramir of Gondor, and certain male anime characters. He is the token male in what amounts to a mash-up of conventions from military harem anime (starring a lieutenant as the lone male in charge of an all-female unit) and monster harem anime (starring a muggle boy as the lone male in an all-female company of monsters and magical creatures), yet surprisingly a smart sensitive guy. The twists about the true gender of some characters came as pleasant surprises.
I'd recommend it to someone like me who likes dynamic, strong, learned, and/or clever females, sensitive and/or clever young males, fairytale fantasy, monster harem anime, military harem anime, military historical fiction, LGBTQ fantasy and/or historical fiction, creatures like vampires or trolls, Westeros, social critique, anti-war and anti-zealotry premises, surprise twists of the kind that leave you shocked...
These are the reasons why I loved it.
I give it four stars and a half: ****'
