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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I enjoyed reading the back story of the Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant) that we first met in Charmed Life. This book was fun, fast paced, and had a more interesting plot than book one, I thought. Christopher's recklessness was irritating to me at times, but he was young and full of magic, with lives to spare. Who wouldn't be?
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm always a bit leery of prequels, because I hate ret-cons and very few authors seem to be able to pull them off well. But I think in this case the author succeeded very well, crafting a story that was separate and distinct from the earlier/later books, but keeping the feel of the world and the characters intact. I would still recommend reading the series in publication rather than chronological order.
Zo grappig hoe vorderingen in toverkunst worden benaderd als iets waarin je onderwezen moet worden, maar ook als iets waar je vanzelf gewoon anders naar kunt leren kijken. Het verkennen van meer werelden in dit deel is erg avontuurlijk, al voelen de associaties met de broodjes zalm een beetje gruwelijk.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed seeing Chrestomanci’s early days. I remembered the vague outlines of the story, but the first time around I wasn’t picking up on all the details connecting Christopher Chant with his adult self. I wish there were more stories featuring him and Millie. I could have done without the primitivizing and orientalizing vocabulary in alternate world settings. I think Diana Wynne Jones really does best with creating British-like analogues where she can satirize the vapid social dynamics and the dysfunction of elite society. But when it comes to creating alternate worlds beyond that, she seems to be stuck with Anglocentric stereotypes as her building blocks. Still, I find her writing to be addictively readable. Spoiler: Cats do play an important role, and they are compellingly written. Diana Wynne Jones clearly knows cats. There is one kitty who sadly perishes after childbirth.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
adventurous
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Classism
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment