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Charmed Life (Chrestomanci #1)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 10,332 ratings · 416 reviews

"There is one absolute rule," said Chrestomanci. "No witchcraft of any kind is to be practised by children without supervision. Is that understood?"

No witchcraft? Gwendolen Chant - a gifted witch in the making - has other ideas and is determined to get the better of the great enchanter. Her brother Cat, who has no magical gift, is powerless to stop her.

Paperback, 288 pages

Published 2009 by HarperCollins (first published 1977)

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May 02, 2011 Joel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, 52-in-2011, audiobooks, ya, a-wizard-did-it, here-there-be-dragons, cats

Sibling rivalry can feel like life or death when you are a kid. I mean, probably. I have an older brother* but I think the roughest thing that ever went down between us was maybe at ages 4 and 6 when he kept all the toys at one end of the bathtub. We've never had a physical fight. I don't see one in the offing, since we're both pushing/well past 30, agree on everything (well, not politics, but the important stuff like the Star Wars prequels suck and Mario games are the best, plus he lets me borr...more

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Feb 27, 2013 mark monday rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kidworld, fantastickal

this is a winning intro to what looks to be an enjoyable children's fantasy series. the young Chant siblings exist in a world with magic, one of many such worlds - or, rather, dimensions. after a tragic accident that leaves them orphans, older sister and talented witch Gwendolen takes to learning magic the old-fashioned way, through some sort of hedge wizard, while so-passive-it-hurts younger brother Cat blithely assumes he is magic-free. soon they are taken to the castle of Chrestomanci, an enc...more this is a winning intro to what looks to be an enjoyable children's fantasy series. the young Chant siblings exist in a world with magic, one of many such worlds - or, rather, dimensions. after a tragic accident that leaves them orphans, older sister and talented witch Gwendolen takes to learning magic the old-fashioned way, through some sort of hedge wizard, while so-passive-it-hurts younger brother Cat blithely assumes he is magic-free. soon they are taken to the castle of Chrestomanci, an enchanter and super-cop in charge of minding magic used and magic-users in general, so that they do not run rampant and control all the poor wittle ordinary folk. and so the "adventure" begins.

i say "adventure" because this is barely an adventure novel. the tone is rather unique to me: it is all determinedly minor note. Gwendolen is definitely a mega-bitch but she doesn't exist on a grand scale (for the most part) - her bitchiness is that of a self-absorbed little princess. Chrestomanci is rather sinister, rather intriguing - but is far from a larger-than-life character. he is...quaint. the castle is rather more of a sprawling estate and the magic practiced there is not exactly mind-blowing. there is even a dragon - but a very small, baby dragon. and Cat, our hero, is a sweet kid and is also perfectly ordinary in his thought process - the only thing really unusual about his personality is his docility. i wonder how kids reading this feel about how ordinary everything is, how this tale is pretty much the opposite of epic. personally, i thought it was striking, in a good way.

the ordinariness is in some ways a cover. Chrestomanci's duties actually rather boggle the mind. Cat learns some surprisingly grown-up lessons about the various adults around him - at one point realizing the shallowness and greed at the heart of his former caretaker, a person who loves him and whom he loves in return...that was a very adult revelation. the betrayal at the center of the novel is genuinely awful, almost breathtaking when realizing its long gestation and the sheer evil behind it. and Cat's destiny is truly an awesome one - yet neither he nor the other characters treat it as such in the final revelation. everything in the novel, no matter how potentially grand-scale or deeply personal, is treated with the same surprising lack of affect. overall, an unusual and intriguing experience. and a very quick read too, much helped by Jones' clear and straightforward writing style.(less)

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Jan 02, 2010 Chandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads, anglophilia, kids-young-adult, sci-fi-fantasy

The six part Chrestomanci series has been arranged in three volumes with each containing two novels apiece. I've already reviewed Volume I which contains this first installment along with its follow-up The Lives of Christopher Chant, but I'd also like to review each work separately as well.

In Charmed Life we encounter a magical realm (later revealed to be called Twelve-A which is part of a series of interrelated parallel worlds). Our protagonist is a recently orphaned little boy named Cat (Eric...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, book-club, fantasy, female-author, 1970s, book-club-scifi-and-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 02, 2011 Myles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wonder-tales, kids-stuff

DWJ Book Toast, #1

Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite fantasy authors, growing up and now, and I was saddened by the news of her death. I can't say I'm overcome with emotion - as personal as some of her work is to me, its not like I knew her after all - but I wish I could put into words how I feel about her no longer being out there, writing new adventures and laughing at all of us serious fans thinking so hard about her words when we should simply get on with the business of enjoying them....more

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Jul 04, 2010 Nenia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-1970s, ya-baby-ya, x-series-bk-1

the chrestomanci series predates the harry potter series by about twenty years, but it is chock-full of that same timeless, fantasy element that appeals to both young and old alike. diana wynne jones is fast becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors ever because of her style of prose and unique storylines and charmed life is no exception.

cat is a small boy who is used to living in the shadow of his big sister, gwendolen; a rather powerful witch who is a bit too big for her britches. harry pott...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Ascexis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, chrestomanci, fantasy, absolute_favourites, alternate-history, magic

This is the first of the Diana Wynne Jones books that I ever read, probably shortly after it was published in the late seventies. It's one of the few books that I still go back to, and find things to admire and enjoy to this day. It's not the book that's been longest in my collection, but it's the book that I've loved consistently over the last thirty r so years.

The book is from the pov of Cat, a small boy who has literally no idea of what is going on around him. The clues are all there, but he'...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Sheila Beaumont rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-middle-grade, fantasy, paranormal-supernatural, ya-fiction, school-stories, rereads

I love this book! I've already reread it several times, and it seems to get better every time I revisit it. The same goes for the rest of the Chrestomanci series, and indeed for all the books by the late, great Diana Wynne Jones I've read. This book, published in 1977, was the beginning of the craze for kids' books about witches and wizards and schools of magic, and the Chrestomanci series obviously was a major influence on J.K. Rowling, who DWJ said had likely read them when she was young and,...more

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Jun 14, 2009 e.c.h.a rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children, fantasi, fiksi, milik-sendiri

"Buku yang mengilhami JK Rowling untuk menulis Harry Potter"

Tagline ini selalu digunakan saat merajuk ke seri ini. Dan ternyata memang bukan sembarang tagline, JK benar-benar terinspirasi dari buku karangan Ibu Diana. Banyak kemiripan yang ditemukan si Chrestomanci Series ini dengan Harry Potter Series. Bikin gw kalo pas nemu item-item yang mirip harpot series langsung berteriak "ah..ini khanmirip dengan yang ini, paham sekarang saya"

Kisah di buku pertama ini dimulai dengan dimana Gwendolen &...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Roxanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book bothered me for a few reasons.

1) The main character's horrible, horrible case of Buffy Syndrome, and his general wishywashiness. Your sister is a dreadful bitch! You know what's right and wrong even if she doesn't, so don't let her drag you down! Freakin' TELL Chrestomanci what the problem is!

2) For YA, this book had some surprisingly dark overtones if you think about it. His beloved sister is not just a complete bitch, but also turns out to be stealing his power all his life, to have...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, in-english, e-books, series-not-completely-read, read-in-2012, read-in-vienna

This is the first book in the Chrestomanci series, though not the first book in the series I have read. Luckily for me, they are mostly stand-alone books so that didn't really matter. Except I sort of understood the concept of the Chrestomanci, which made this book.. a little predictable. I'm sure that when the whole concept is new, everything is just genius, because the idea behind Chrestomanci (which I obviously won't be spoiling!) is intriguing and awesome. But being already familiar with the...more

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Jan 12, 2012 E rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy, favourites, female-author

This is the book that turned me onto Diana Wynne Jones, and for good reason. Great and funny characters, interesting scenarios, and a grasp on a world that is so richly wrought you can hardly believe it came from the mind of one person.

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Mar 15, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 3.5/5

When Cat and Gwendolen Chant were orphaned after a tragic steamboat accident, everyone knew how they had survived drowning when their parents had not: Gwendolen was a witch, and witches can’t drown. The children, supported by generous donations from the town, were sent to live with Mrs. Sharp, who was a certified witch herself and wanted nothing more than to facilitate Gwendolen’s burgeoning magical talents. Gwendolen, whose pretty face and c...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Jane Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A YA author I'd heard good things about and wanted to try, so when I saw this in a charity shop, I picked it up.

"The Secret Garden meets Hogwarts" (*) would seem to cover the setting - a world a lot like ours was in roughly Victorian times, but with magic being a normal part of it. We have the young orphans being sent to live with the mysterious rich relative, who in this case is a magician as well as a wealthy "noble" of sorts. We have the spoilt brat. We have roughly Hogwarts-style lessons, th...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Mira Roderica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading this book, you'll find several similarity with Harry Potter. People said that this book inspired the making of Harry Potter. I believe it's true. I don't remember all of them since I had finished this book quite a while before writing this. But a thing that I can't forget is now I know where did Rowling got the inspiration on the spell on Voldemort's name :D

This book is quite good and just right for fantasy fan like me. The only thing I regret is there are so many things remain unsolved...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Sofia Samatar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 01, 2012 Tripleguess rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I forget to review this book back when I read it, but I did read it, and found it disturbing.

It's not just that the little kid Cat has an older sister who is quite possibly a murderess and certainly a horrid little liar and thief, but that some of the imagery borders on horror -- at one point, Gwendolyn summons a dead little baby to spoil a banquet. The fact that she is

(slight spoiler warning, sorry)

caught before she can unleash it and the other gross things she's called up does not erase the...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Carson Kicklighter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This proto-Harry-Potter novel is a little listless, but overall fun and inventive.

Cat’s older sister, Gwendolen, is an up-and-coming witch, and he follows along when she goes to learn magic from the renowned magician, Chrestomanci. Unfortunately, Gwendolen is an attention-hungry brat. Out of brotherly devotion, Cat has to go along with and cover up for her schemes.

Cat’s a bit of a cipher, but his sister makes him a sympathetic character in three different ways. I liked him because:

He was single...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, young-adult

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com

Young Cat has always played second fiddle to his powerful witch-in-training sister, Gwendolen (partly, of course, because Gwendolen turned his first fiddle into a cat, but that’s another story altogether). But while Cat is happy to lead a quiet, unremarkable life, Gwendolen has far grander aspirations, among them such things as becoming the ruler of the world. So when the great magician Chrestomanci takes them under his formidable wi...more This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com

Young Cat has always played second fiddle to his powerful witch-in-training sister, Gwendolen (partly, of course, because Gwendolen turned his first fiddle into a cat, but that’s another story altogether). But while Cat is happy to lead a quiet, unremarkable life, Gwendolen has far grander aspirations, among them such things as becoming the ruler of the world. So when the great magician Chrestomanci takes them under his formidable wing, Gwendolen finds initially herself quite in her element–at least until Chrestomanci fails to heap upon her the overweening adulation and adoration she expects. Gwendolen, never one to go down without a fight, is determined to make herself noticed, and cooks up all manner of mischief in her efforts to have Chrestomanci recognise her talents. But Gwendolen’s stunts quickly turn from the quirky but benign into the cruel and callous, and Cat quickly learns that his sister is far more formidable–and awful–that he might ever have expected.

My thoughts

Although having partaken in the filmic delights of Howl’s Moving Castle, my first introduction to Diana Wynne Jones’s work was last year, with another of her Chrestomanci books (see my review). Needless to say, I was quickly converted, and can be counted amongst those who will happily spend time at the shrine of her oeuvre. Comparisons with the work of JK Rowling are common, and not without good reason, as both employ a similarly plummy sense of humour, burst with joyful creativity, and aren’t afraid to get their writing hands dirty with some complex and challenging themes. But Wynne Jones has been in the authorial ring for far longer, and it shows in the supreme confidence of her writing. Everything, from her style, to her characterisation, to her plotting (with one key exception in this book, admittedly) just works so very well.

The Chrestomanci novels are set in an alternate England that has some glorious steampunk undertones, but without the empty obsession with lace and ridiculous mechanical gadgets. Take the key junctions in history throughout the ages, invert the results, and you’ll have Jones’s foppish, arcane, and slightly brutal world. Key to her success, I think, is her ability to draw her worlds so beautifully and believably without doing so in an overt manner: the reader is swept along by a world that simply is, and her friendly, matter-of-fact tone makes it hard not to believe her journeys into all things whimsical and odd. Her characterisation is superb, too: while in the hands of a lesser author, Cat’s dogged loyalty towards his truly horrid sister might have been a weak point, Jones makes it utterly believable. We see Cat as someone who is utterly lacking in confidence, and who relies on his sister’s steamroller-like personality to help him navigate the waters of life. An orphan and someone with no apparent stand-out abilities, Cat has little recourse but to walk firmly in his sister’s shadow. But what’s fascinating is when certain plot events later reverse this relationship, and we see that it’s actually Cat holding the reins, although unwittingly so. In fact, the story truly is about Cat, rather than Gwendolen, no matter how much it may initially seem that the reverse is true.

There are other myriad instances of fabulous characterisation throughout the book, and those who typically find themselves digging about for character-related gems will come away with a rich seam of gold. The stoic and disinterested Chrestomanci is beautifully rendered, and looms large despite the relatively small amount of page space he is given. What is perhaps the most interesting is how the other characters react to him, and indeed to each other, rather than to simple external factors, and it is very much this element that makes the novel as a whole feel so organic. In fact, there’s really only one plot element that doesn’t work for me, and that’s Gwendolen’s sudden vanishing off into another dimension. While her doing so sets the events for the second half of the novel (think doppelgangers, dragon’s blood, and evil creepies) rolling, it feels a little bit too abrupt and convenient, and I would have liked to see this teased out a little more for the sake of clarity and believability.

This second act brings with it quite a bit of darkness, and while Jones doesn’t shirk from these concepts, she does give them a touch of levity to make them more palatable to her middle grade audience. Gwendolen’s treatment of Cat finally comes to the fore, and we see how truly grim and foul she is as an individual. These scenes deal with mortality and the value placed upon life–both one’s own life and those of others–and when we learn the truth about Gwendolen’s behaviour and her justification for it, it’s hard not to be horrified. Karma and the repercussions of one’s actions are examined, although in a fascinating way that crosses dimensions, and which raises issues all of its own–does it matter what we do if our results don’t affect our immediate existence? There’s certainly a lot that could be discussed here about responsibility, morality, and interrelation, but Jones avoids proselytising.

On a prose level, Jones’s work is simply sublime. She’s not the invisible prose “plate glass” writer that so many seem to aspire to be–rather, her style is rich, vivid, and has that striking old-fashioned tone reminiscent of bed-time stories. Her hilariously jaded narrator wedges his- or herself firmly between the reader and the story, and in doing so adds an extra layer of depth and story that might not otherwise be there. Careful wordplay and historical allusions abound, and there are instances of such wit that it’s hard not to crack a smile or two even when reading in public.

Conclusions

Diana Wynne Jones is beloved amongst her readers, and truly it’s no surprise that this is the case. Her work is fresh, creative, and infinitely appealing, and there’s a complexity and thoughtfulness to it that will engage those who typically pooh-pooh fantasy. Her world-building is skilled and thorough, and there’s a welcome sense of place to her work that’s often absent in similar books; similarly, her characterisation is clean and unaffected, and feels both organic and genuine. Whether you’re a new or a veteran Jones reader, I’d hasten to pick up this book.(less)

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Jul 08, 2010 Simcha Lazarus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It has been over fifteen years since I had last read Charmed Life and I have no idea why I waited so long to reread it. I suppose I had assumed that as an adult I probably wouldn’t enjoy this YA book as much as I once had, but I was quickly proven wrong. The story, the characters, the humor and the magic are all just as delightful as I remember them to be.

When I had first read Charmed Life I was pretty new to fantasy and stories about magic and alternate worlds. But even now, as a seasoned fanta...more It has been over fifteen years since I had last read Charmed Life and I have no idea why I waited so long to reread it. I suppose I had assumed that as an adult I probably wouldn’t enjoy this YA book as much as I once had, but I was quickly proven wrong. The story, the characters, the humor and the magic are all just as delightful as I remember them to be.

When I had first read Charmed Life I was pretty new to fantasy and stories about magic and alternate worlds. But even now, as a seasoned fantasy reader I was still intrigued by the story Jones has woven and all the wonderful elements she has incorporated in it. I particularly like the idea of the Chrestomanci, a powerful enchanter with nine lives, unique in that there are no other versions of him in all the other worlds. And in Jones’s books the Chrestomancis always start off as young, naive boys who have no idea of the magic they are capable of, for one reason or another.

Cat Chant is one such boy. He has always assumed that his sister is the only one in the family capable of magic, and he is satisfied with things being that way. But he doesn’t realize where it is that Gwendolen is getting her powers from and that, thanks to her, he has already died several times in his young life.

While Cat at first seems like a rather simple character, naive and overly-eager to please, he evolves throughout the story, becoming more interesting and complex, as he discovers the truth about himself and his sister, and learns to stand up for himself. Though my favorite character is the Chrestomanci, with his penchant for silk robes and his distant and dreamy behavior which so frustrates Gwendolen. Some of my favorite parts of the book are the Chrestomanci’s interactions with Cat and Gwendolen.

The story is also spiced up with some villainous characters, from Gwendolen herself, to the sinister Nostrum brothers who sell illegal magical ingredients. Mrs. Sharp is a bit of a borderline character, mostly looking out for her own good but also genuinely affectionate towards Cat. Most of the adult characters in this book are actually pretty untrustworthy, with Millie being the only clearly good soul among them. But such relationships between adults and children are common in Jones’s books.

I was really glad to find that I enjoyed Charmed Life just as much now as I did the first time, and I even found new nuances to the story which I had not noticed when I was younger. I now can’t wait for my children to be old enough for me to share this book with them.

To read my more detailed review of Charmed Life visit SFF Chat (less)

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Mar 21, 2010 Kristy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's often very difficult for Harry Potter lovers to find an equally satisfying read once they finish the series--but listen up my fellow muggles: I have found it. After years of walking right past Diana Wynne Jones' books at work, I finally picked up the first of her Chrestomanci series and it was really, really wonderful. In fact, i think it's quite clear that Ms. Rowling is more than a little indebted to Jones.
Clever, humorous, and delightfully chock full of magic, Charmed Life introduces the...more

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Aug 06, 2009 Janelle Dazzlepants rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-my-childhood, magic, witches, wizards

I read a couple of the Chrestomanci books as a child (I think it was probably #3 and #4), and loved them dearly so I figured I'd re-read the series in full when I was older. Theyre just as wonderful and lush as I remember, and Diana Wynne Jones paints a beautiful and intriguing picture of these multiple magic-filled worlds. She's able to create great fictional characters that incite intense feelings in the reader, whether it be total hatred or total empathy.

A great example of this was Cat/Eric'...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Sakura Yue Michaelis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Diana Wynne surely knows how to write. This book could have been slow, but she writes so wonderfully it was not bad. I am pretty sure the next books in the series will be better; the thing about this one is that the main character, Cat, does not know anything and that was somewhat troublesome.

Cat is a boy who lives with his older sister Gwendolen. Both of them lost their parents when a ship sunk, so they were living with a witch, who wanted to teach Gwendolen everything, as the girl was a gifted...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Ана Хелс rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

„Омагьосан живот“ е началото на прекрасна поредица, можеща да съперничи по качества и магически послания дори на вездесъщия Хари и написана доста преди него, разкриваща отново тъмната страна на шокиращо низките човешки страсти, докато те гушка в топлата си прегръдка и ти казва, че все пак, дори с цената на обичайните жертви, за които напълно достатъчно е едно тихо кимване, всичко ще бъде наред в края на пътя. Крестоманси е духовният баща на Хоул – по-скоро звание, отколкото конкретна личност, ча...more „Омагьосан живот“ е началото на прекрасна поредица, можеща да съперничи по качества и магически послания дори на вездесъщия Хари и написана доста преди него, разкриваща отново тъмната страна на шокиращо низките човешки страсти, докато те гушка в топлата си прегръдка и ти казва, че все пак, дори с цената на обичайните жертви, за които напълно достатъчно е едно тихо кимване, всичко ще бъде наред в края на пътя. Крестоманси е духовният баща на Хоул – по-скоро звание, отколкото конкретна личност, чародей на повикване, разполагащ с пълната власт на магията във всички паралелни вселени или поне тези, които познаваме, опитващ се да спаси и оварди хората от собствената им природа, особено ако същата е подплатена с мъничко талант над невъзможното. На пътя му се озовават две деца – озлобена тийнейджърка във викториански стил, с огромен талант и още по-голямо бездушие, подхранено от грешно разбиращи света хора, искащи онова, което им се отказва, а не от което имат нужда, и малкото и привидно неталантливо братче, играещо ролята на жертвения агнец в планирания демоничен план на немислещите зли. И се започва една огромна демонстрация на сили и дребнави характерчета, злобни шегички и зловещи магически номера, парад на детска жестокост и възрастно дебелоочие. От което, в крайна сметка, излиза и нещо добро. Темата за семейството е отново тук, минаваща на пръсти през блатото на ненавременната смърт и ямата на кръвната студенина, дорде стигне до прозрението, че семейство и близки са доста широки понятия, които обаче винаги и наистина винаги трябва да включват само тези, които са способни на обич и емпатия към някой друг, освен към самите себе си. На многоцветния фон на привидно безгрижното детство се настаняват основите на прозрачните кули от преждевременно израстване, незабележими за своите жертви, но все пак ненарушаващи финала, пълен с правдиви, макар безкръвни наказания, дори на най-жестоките престъпления срещу човека.(less)

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Aug 05, 2010 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya, fantasy

I read this book as a kid, I know, but I'm not sure how much of the series I read -- my library had an awful tendency to have incomplete series. So I'm revisiting them now, in the reading order suggested on wikipedia (that fount of all inaccurate knowledge, I know). I do love Diana Wynne Jones books for just being fun and easy to read, though I did kind of notice reading this that Chrestomanci reminds me of Howl in some ways. In fact, in some ways, a lot of it did. There's something about the na...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mi rammarico solo di non averlo scoperto da bambina, quanto mi sarebbe piaciuto leggerlo prima di Harry Potter.
L'influenza di Diana Wynne Jones su J. K. Rowling è davvero palese e viene spontaneo chiedersi se sarebbe mai esistito il ciclo di Harry Potter senza questa sensazionale scrittrice inglese.
Vita stregata racconta la storia di Guendalina, perfida streghetta che ne inventa sempre una più del diavolo, e di suo fratello Micio, quando vengono invitati nel castello di Chrestomanci per impara...more

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Dec 02, 2009 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites

This is by the same author as Howl's Moving Castle but takes place in another world. Can I just say I loved it? Cat was such a sad, pitiful little character that I couldn't help loving him and feeling for him, especially with how mean his sister was. And he was so funny when he got surly. Loved it. And Gwendolyn was such a good villain! I hated her! I really liked how magic worked in this world, I loved the story and the characters, I loved pretty much everything. I only wish Cat had stood up to...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Molly Westerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, childrens-ya, favorite-fiction

This book is a near-perfect little package of story for the sheer fun of stories and characters, and a smart and well-written one at that. I love the little boy Cat and the way we slowly come to realize how cowed he is ... and then why ... and discover his true situation and strength with him. When another child, Janet, shows up on the scene, she expresses discomfort at how malleable and easily-humbled he is, and she asks something like "has something been done to you?" He doesn't know what she...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, re-reads

Diana Wynne Jones is one of those authors whose books I've made an effort to collect. I also re-read them. This one, and the other Crestomanci stories, I first discovered in 2007. I am starting to listen to them again, for the 3rd time. I still love them. I think it is one of the best fantasized ideas of parallel worlds, although it is slightly tricky to understand it if you start with this first book. I would suggest reading "The Lives of Christopher Chant" first, which is the second one she wr...more

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May 02, 2013 Saliha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50

Please tell me that I'm not the only twenty-four-year-old who was seriously scared reading this children's book.

(view spoiler)...more

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About Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones was the author of more than thirty critically acclaimed fantasy stories, including the Chrestomanci series and the novels Howl's Moving Castle and Dark Lord of Derkholm.

For Diana Wynne Jones's official autobiography, please see http://www.leemac.freeserve.co.uk/aut...

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Books by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle, #1)

The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci, #4)

Castle in the Air (Howl's Moving Castle, #2)

House of Many Ways (Howl's Moving Castle, #3)

The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Vol. 1 (Chrestomanci #1-2)

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Trivia About Charmed Life

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Quotes from Charmed Life

“Then watch out. I warn you!"

"That is very considerate of you," said Chrestomanci. "I like to be warned.” — 10 people liked it

“Chrestomanci smiled and swept out of the room like a very long procession of one person.” — 7 people liked it

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Charmed Life (Chrestomanci #1)

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