Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Volume I: Charmed Life
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2001

Enchanters with more than one life are rare, and those with nine lives are rarer still. And since such enchanters are so powerful, they have taken on the onus of the Chrestomanci, the government agent responsible for preventing the use of magic in all its forms from getting out of hand in this world and others.

Orphaned in a boating accident, Cat and his sister Gwendolyn find themselves living with the witch downstairs. A letter from his sister, however, for some reason changes their living situation, so that they now end up living at Chrestomanci Castle. There, to Cat's dismay, Gwendolyn begins making a terror of herself, and he, knowing he has no magic and because she has always been the more dominant of the two, can do nothing to stop her. When Chrestomanci finally does put a stop to it, it results in a terrible situation that drags a double from another world to take Gwendolyn's place in this one, and leaves Cat to cope with a girl who isn't his sister who must now reap the rewards of Gwendolyn's ill repute as well as the plans that Gwendolyn had participated in and set into motion. Will Cat ever get a moment's peace?

Charmed Life, the first of two complete novels in The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Volume I, is a terrific story that reminds me of the Harry Potter books. Or, rather, the Harry Potter books remind me of Charmed Life, since it was first published in 1977. At any rate, it involves magic existing in the real world--or a real world--and people having to cope with the results of it all.

It's safe to say that Cat--whose real name is Eric--has had a most unfortunate life. It shows in how much he clings to his sister (who I would just as soon drown as have to call her kin) despite how nastily she treats him. I can understand why he would, though, since she's all he has left of his family...at least that he knows of. On the other hand, her disappearance gives the reader a chance to see Cat forcibly undergo a maturation of personality and ability. I mean, if you're trying to cover for an absent sister and you're left with a less than capable replacement in her place, you sort of have to take charge, right?

The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Volume I: Charmed Life offers a good starting place into this new "world" of books. And believe you me, if you enjoyed reading the Harry Potter books, I'm sure you'll enjoy these books as well. What with a fiddle turned into a cat, a talking dragon, and objects that know who they belong to, you won't have time to get bored!

Rating: Thumbs up! Who knew living in the lap of luxury could be so tough?

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