Review: Charmed Life

I was expecting this book to be something like Howl's Moving Castle. In some ways it is. And in some ways it isn't.

Charmed Life is a 1977 book by Diana Wynne Jones, the first in the Chrestomanci series. As far as I can tell, it's never been adapted to film. Which is a pity, because if it was adapted well it would make a good film.

The main character is Eric "Cat" Chant, an orphaned boy who, with his sister Gwendolen, goes to stay with the mysterious Chrestomanci, a powerful wizard. Gwendolen is an aspiring witch and wants Chrestomanci to teach her. Cat doesn't think he has any magical powers at all. Then Gwendolen disappears, and is replaced with a lookalike named Janet. Cat and Janet try to keep Chrestomanci from learning about this.

When the book starts it's a comical but occasionally morbid story about witches, magic, and doubles from other worlds. But as it progresses, it becomes darker and darker. The discovery that Gwendolen stole Cat's lives to gain more power is the most disturbing thing in it 😨 The climax, when she returns with a group of her "friends", is almost as frightening. But at the same time, there are some comical moments. The animated window-people in the church had me in stitches 😄

I haven't read any of the sequels yet, but I enjoyed this book so much that I hope to read the whole series.

Is it available online?: I don't think so.

Rating: 9/10.