In this multiple parallel universes of the Twelve Related Worlds, only an enchanter with nine lives is powerful enough to control the rampant misus...
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Jun 19, 2008
Martine
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Long before J.K. Rowling ever invented Harry Potter, Diana Wynne Jones penned the Chrestomanci series, in which children perform magic (or fail to do so) in worlds which resemble ours but are ever so slightly different. Like Rowling, Jones infused her fantasy novels for children with enough wit and interesting ideas to make them appealing to adult readers; unlike Rowling, she never made it big, although one of her books, Howl's Moving Castle, was adapted into an enjoyable anime movie by Hayao Mi
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May 29, 2008
Laura
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Diana Wynne Jones is a delight to read. Understated, clever, and filled with dry British humor, this book was very hard to tear myself away from. The escapades of the Chant boys are ridiculously fun.
I was introduced to Diana Wynne Jones by Miyazaki's animated version of her book, "Howl's Moving Castle", which I enjoyed reading after seeing the film. I picked up "The Chronicles" at the bookstore where I work, having heard that Jones' "Chronicles of Chrest More...
I was introduced to Diana Wynne Jones by Miyazaki's animated version of her book, "Howl's Moving Castle", which I enjoyed reading after seeing the film. I picked up "The Chronicles" at the bookstore where I work, having heard that Jones' "Chronicles of Chrest More...
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Aug 18, 2008
Danielle
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I discovered Diana Wynne Jones as an adult through her "Howl's Moving Castle" title, made into an anime by my favorite Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki. After watching the movie, I read the book and loved it.
This series is clearly young adult, as are apparently all of Ms. Jones' works, but still an enjoyable, light and entertaining read for times when that's what you need. She creates extremely enjoyable characters. Not deep, but that wouldn't really fit the style of th More...
This series is clearly young adult, as are apparently all of Ms. Jones' works, but still an enjoyable, light and entertaining read for times when that's what you need. She creates extremely enjoyable characters. Not deep, but that wouldn't really fit the style of th More...
Jan 14, 2011
Qing
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The first book in the Volume was Charmed Life featured Eric \Cat\" Chant (who I somehow got confused with Christopher Chant in the next book -_- I'm so lame) and his sister, Gwendolyn Chant.^^^^Gwendolyn is such a... grrrrr! So mean... so wanted to biatch slap some sense into her. While Cat's... he's just silly. =P^^^^It was a bit exasperating to read, I admit, but overall it's pretty good - I'm such a sucker for magic/magicians/enchanters/etc, etc.^^^^I enjoyed the second book, The Lives o
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Jan 22, 2009
Laura
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I read an article a few years back -- wish I could remember which publication; hopefully they've gone under -- which claimed that Diana Wynne Jones plagiarized Harry Potter for Charmed Life. As I recall, the accusation was largely based on these facts:
(i) Harry Potter and Cat Chant are both young, male, British wizards who also happen to be orphans (and the reviewer inaccurately claimed that Cat wore glasses).
(ii) Harry and Cat are both taken to a place to learn magic.
(iii) Wh More...
(i) Harry Potter and Cat Chant are both young, male, British wizards who also happen to be orphans (and the reviewer inaccurately claimed that Cat wore glasses).
(ii) Harry and Cat are both taken to a place to learn magic.
(iii) Wh More...
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Dec 25, 2011
Biblibio
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To a certain degree, it's a shame that the two books included in this collection come one after the other. Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant are at once very similar to each other, but also markedly different, most obviously in their characterizations and storytelling style.
One feature is clearly shared by both stories - the two books collected in The Chronicles of Chrestomanci: Volume I take place (quite obviously) in the world of the Chrestomanci and both center aroun More...
One feature is clearly shared by both stories - the two books collected in The Chronicles of Chrestomanci: Volume I take place (quite obviously) in the world of the Chrestomanci and both center aroun More...
Dec 09, 2011
Sara
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Diana Wynne Jones has an odd style and it always takes me a while to get into her books. She writes children's stories but uses a straightforward adult style to tell them, so it's difficult to decide where these books fit as you're going along. What keeps me coming back to this very prolific author is that any of her books is always guaranteed to be entertainingly creative about the magic in the stories. In this case, I read the first 50 pages a couple of years ago and lost interest because I co
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Apr 27, 2011
Readingjay
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It took the recent death of Diana Wynne Jones for me to revisit her work after many years and the first of the Chrestomanci chronicles (Charmed Life - 1977) is as good a place as any to start.
Rereading with post-Potter eyes is a revelation. In a 2003 Guardian interview the similarities were evident even to children:
But children reading the reissued Chrestomanci books soon commented on the likeness to Harry Potter: school background to the magic, referring to a character a More...
Rereading with post-Potter eyes is a revelation. In a 2003 Guardian interview the similarities were evident even to children:
But children reading the reissued Chrestomanci books soon commented on the likeness to Harry Potter: school background to the magic, referring to a character a More...
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Aug 07, 2009
Jerry
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I read a couple of the Chrestomanci books as a preteen and LOVED them, so Im reading and re-reading the entire series as a borderline adult. And not gonna lie, theyre just as cute and amazing as I remember them. Diana Wynne Jones has a knack for creating incredibly complex fantasy worlds that are easily understood by adults and children alike, and creates really relatable characters even when theyre put in such farfetched situations. I love that the mythology doesnt alienate the reader - Im not
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Feb 03, 2011
Julie
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Charmed life is the first book in this two book volume. It also is the first book in the Chrestomanci series, of which I previously read The Lives of Christopher Chant, which is the number 2 book of the series and which I enjoyed immensely. So, naturally I gave it a whirl.
Cat and Gwendolyn are orphans who are wards of their little town. In their world magic is commonplace although not everyone can work magic and there are different levels of ability and talent. Cat cannot do any magic More...
Cat and Gwendolyn are orphans who are wards of their little town. In their world magic is commonplace although not everyone can work magic and there are different levels of ability and talent. Cat cannot do any magic More...
Apr 24, 2009
Deval
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Things are not always what they seem is the theme of the stories in this book. I particularly enjoyed "The Charmed Life". I felt really bad for poor Cat to seemed to be stuck in the worst possible mess due to his loyalty to his sister. Diana Wynne Jones has written one of the best stories I have ever read. You instantly fall in love with the characters. The story is full of humor and innocence that with every turn of the page you'll find yourself smiling. The Old English setting adds t
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Jun 13, 2011
Jennifer
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like a lot of people, i was introduced to ms. jones through Howl's Moving Castle. i thoroughly enjoyed that book, as well as the parts of the movie i saw. (never saw the whole thing, but i was shown the part where howl was depressed and goopy, and it made me laugh like mad.)
these books fit right in to the idea i had of ms. jones as an author - cute, fluffy, and i really liked both books. i hesitate to compare them to harry potter, mostly because everyone ELSE does, but okay. wri More...
these books fit right in to the idea i had of ms. jones as an author - cute, fluffy, and i really liked both books. i hesitate to compare them to harry potter, mostly because everyone ELSE does, but okay. wri More...
Jan 31, 2009
Jared
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Okay, I decided to give Diana Wynne Jones another chance, even though I wasn't impressed with Howl's Moving Castle.
This book is a compilation of two. The first, Charmed Life, and it's quite good. Perhaps I was too harsh, judging Ms. Jones by Howl's Moving Castle, which can't have been among her best books. The second, The Lives of Christopher Chant is equally good. The characters are a little flat, but otherwise the stories are good. More...
This book is a compilation of two. The first, Charmed Life, and it's quite good. Perhaps I was too harsh, judging Ms. Jones by Howl's Moving Castle, which can't have been among her best books. The second, The Lives of Christopher Chant is equally good. The characters are a little flat, but otherwise the stories are good. More...
May 29, 2010
Karky
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Breezed through Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant quite readily, as they were clever and entertaining. Even so, I felt little sense of completion when all was resolved. Can't quite put my finger on why... But perhaps it was because there was no real sense of danger to keep me on the edge of my seat. Even when there was a death, it didn't amount to much, so when all was said and done it was just another playful adventure until the next time. However, I was very charmed by the charac
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Sep 10, 2010
Nella
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I bought this book at a used bookstore a long time ago, but never bothered to read it until recently. Then one boring afternoon I dusted it off my bookshelf. I'm so glad I did.
Diana Wynne Jones has become one of my favorite authors, and it all started with this book. Her writing is flowing and clever, her characters are lovable, and I kept finding myself smiling and laughing throughout the whole thing. I wasn't aware this volume was actually two shorter stories in one, and I was disapp More...
Diana Wynne Jones has become one of my favorite authors, and it all started with this book. Her writing is flowing and clever, her characters are lovable, and I kept finding myself smiling and laughing throughout the whole thing. I wasn't aware this volume was actually two shorter stories in one, and I was disapp More...
Aug 16, 2011
Lily
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 30, 2011
Sandy
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Two books in 1.
The first book is Charmed Life, about Cat Chant and his sister Gwendolen. Gwen is a witch, but Cat has never really been able to do much magic. They are orphaned in a boat accident and raised by their community for a few years before Gwen contacts the Chrestomanci. There it is eventually revealed that Cat can do magic, in fact he has 9 lives which makes him a very special enchanter, and Gwen is definitely not the sweetest sister around.
Book 2 is The Lives of Christophe More...
The first book is Charmed Life, about Cat Chant and his sister Gwendolen. Gwen is a witch, but Cat has never really been able to do much magic. They are orphaned in a boat accident and raised by their community for a few years before Gwen contacts the Chrestomanci. There it is eventually revealed that Cat can do magic, in fact he has 9 lives which makes him a very special enchanter, and Gwen is definitely not the sweetest sister around.
Book 2 is The Lives of Christophe More...
Oct 09, 2008
Emma
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Book about witchcraft and a kind boy with a crazily mean and uncaring sister in contrast to himself. He can't do magic and she can. What is up with that? FYI, the beginning, for me, was slightly uninteresting, but gets really good at the end. So keep reading!
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Apr 04, 2010
Stephanie
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Jones was my favorite author growing up. I have read all of her Chrestomanci stories dozens of times. Despite the fact that I have grown up, I still own all of them and will never get rid of them. I hope that one day my children will read them and enjoy them.
Jones has a fantastic view of magic. She manages to make it simultaneously a mundane thing and also a coveted, special thing. I love the different worlds she creates, and how one of them is always suspiciously like the one we li More...
Jones has a fantastic view of magic. She manages to make it simultaneously a mundane thing and also a coveted, special thing. I love the different worlds she creates, and how one of them is always suspiciously like the one we li More...
Sep 20, 2011
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci were probably the first books I really got into reading, other than Harry Potter. I read them back when I was in middle school, now they're so beaten up and dog-eared and water-stained that it's a wonder I can still read them.
These books help us understand the nine-lived Chrestomanci, first through a story where we learn about Cat Chant, his nephew, and how Cat is more like Chrestomanci then it seems. In the second book, we go in the past to learn how young C More...
These books help us understand the nine-lived Chrestomanci, first through a story where we learn about Cat Chant, his nephew, and how Cat is more like Chrestomanci then it seems. In the second book, we go in the past to learn how young C More...
Jan 19, 2010
Jbodford
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I started re-reading the Chrestomanci series only a few days ago. I’m so picky about favorite books, but for some reason I’ve kept Chrestomanci up on par with Narnia, Harry Potter, and A Song of Ice and Fire since first reading it in 2001. I couldn’t even remember what it was about, except that both volumes are almost 700 pages each.
I really don’t have to elaborate other than I’m almost finished with the first volume and have such a hard time closing it once I get started. I do More...
I really don’t have to elaborate other than I’m almost finished with the first volume and have such a hard time closing it once I get started. I do More...
Oct 29, 2011
Camille
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Why does Mrs. Jones have to right such good stuff! I told myself I was going to only read one page... I next found myself halfway through the book. The only reason I stopped was because Cat's sister drives me absolutely crazy. I can't stand her, and fortunately she doesn't get her way in the end. The characterization for her characters was so good that I had a very difficult time falling asleep from thinking about them. I eventually fell asleep... at around 2 in the morning.
The second More...
The second More...
Feb 04, 2009
Karen
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I'd read Diana Wynne Jones's two books HEXWOOD and THE DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM, and found the first weird and the second only half-funny. I'd watched the movie version of HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, and wasn't sure if I liked it because of Miyazaki's animation or Jones's ideas. Then I started reading The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volume I. I read CHARMED LIFE and THE LIVES OF CHRISTOPHER CHANT yesterday and this morning.
I loved the quirky quaint feel of them, the humor, and especially the More...
I loved the quirky quaint feel of them, the humor, and especially the More...
Mar 23, 2011
Book Elf
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There are two parts of The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Volume one, which are The Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant.
The Charmed Life:
- this part was basically about a young boy with a wicked sister who got used and abused. Cat Chant, innocent and thought he was without talent, was left under the care of the incumbent Chrestomanci. When he realized the powers he possessed was rare and he himself has got nine lives worthy of being the next Chrestomanci, we was already More...
The Charmed Life:
- this part was basically about a young boy with a wicked sister who got used and abused. Cat Chant, innocent and thought he was without talent, was left under the care of the incumbent Chrestomanci. When he realized the powers he possessed was rare and he himself has got nine lives worthy of being the next Chrestomanci, we was already More...
Jan 04, 2012
Ines
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This book has the first two stories in the Chrestomanci series. The first is called "Charmed Life" and the second "The lives of Christopher Chant". Chrestomanci is an enchanter who supervises the use of magic and so is more powerful than most magic people. Chrestomanci also has the job of looking for his/her successor. The first story takes us through the lives of Eric Chant and his witch sister (quite literally) who is called Gwendolen. Full of magic and some interesting twi
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Sep 22, 2011
Jarvinen
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I still remember the beginning of high school when I first got this series. It set my imagination on fire imagining new worlds and the endless possibilities that come with them. I've read it cover to cover so many times I've lost count. To be honest she is now one of my favorite authors and I buy every book of hers I come across - even reading the ones targeted at young kids.
I always felt bad for Cat though and wanted to slap Chrestomancy for not giving him more guidance.
Ov More...
I always felt bad for Cat though and wanted to slap Chrestomancy for not giving him more guidance.
Ov More...
Aug 05, 2011
Methodtomadness
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Easily favorites in the YA/adult crossover fantasy genre; as many people have said, Diana Wynne Jones was doing Harry Potter-esque books before Harry Potter was invented. And yet these are not nearly as dark as Potter (especially later Potter); the entire Chrestomanci series has a fundamental playfulness and whimsy largely absent from the Potter series. If you're a fan of neo-Victorian British magical fantasy, these books are a definite win, and more complex, both in prose and narrative, than
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Apr 27, 2011
Cheryl
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What a delightful, imaginative and very entertaining read, full of quirky humour and magic! My first foray into Diana Wynne Jones’s magical worlds was quite enjoyable.
In “The Charmed Life”, poor Cat is overshadowed and thoroughly manipulated by his older sister, Gwendolen, who is a terribly nasty, self-important little witch. You can’t help but feel sorry for the boy, whom I found to be a very loveable, charming character, although a little more passive than I liked. It would have More...
In “The Charmed Life”, poor Cat is overshadowed and thoroughly manipulated by his older sister, Gwendolen, who is a terribly nasty, self-important little witch. You can’t help but feel sorry for the boy, whom I found to be a very loveable, charming character, although a little more passive than I liked. It would have More...
Jan 01, 2012
Brandi
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It's funny that you can read hundreds of books and still pick out the few that you love the most. The ones that you won't ever forget.
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci have led me on the most amazing, most magical journeys I've ever embarked on. (After Harry Potter, of course.) I have discovered an enchanted castle with Cat, traveled to distant worlds with Christopher, cast spells with Tonino, mended a splitting world with Charles, defied the odds with Conrad, and broken an old enchantm More...
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci have led me on the most amazing, most magical journeys I've ever embarked on. (After Harry Potter, of course.) I have discovered an enchanted castle with Cat, traveled to distant worlds with Christopher, cast spells with Tonino, mended a splitting world with Charles, defied the odds with Conrad, and broken an old enchantm More...
Apr 11, 2010
Chachic
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Review for Charmed Life:
This is the first book in the Chrestomanci series and introduces readers to the Twelve Related Worlds. Even though I haven't read a lot of Diana Wynne Jones, I think it's safe to say that all of her books are similar in the sense that they all have magic, adventures and interesting characters. I wish I knew about her books when I was younger. I think I would've love her books as a child. In any case, I still enjoyed reading them as an adult so it's all good. In Char More...
This is the first book in the Chrestomanci series and introduces readers to the Twelve Related Worlds. Even though I haven't read a lot of Diana Wynne Jones, I think it's safe to say that all of her books are similar in the sense that they all have magic, adventures and interesting characters. I wish I knew about her books when I was younger. I think I would've love her books as a child. In any case, I still enjoyed reading them as an adult so it's all good. In Char More...
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