Charmed Life

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Title: Charmed Life1
Series: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (book 1)
Publication Date: 1977
Number of Pages: 216
Genre: Fantasy/YA
Synopsis: “Cat doesn't mind living in the shadow of his sister, Gwendolen, the most promising young witch ever seen on Coven Street. But trouble starts brewing the moment the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle."

I absolutely adored reading Charmed Life, the first book in Diana Wynne Jones’s the Chronicles of Chrestomanci, it was an incredibly fast paced read and one her best works that I have read.
Cat was by far my favorite character in the book. I liked him because he seemed so lost for the majority of the book, and then he came into his own near the end of the book. On the other hand, I couldn’t stand his sister, Gwendolyn; she was truly a horrible person, especially with the way that she used Cat to further her own agenda.
Although it was pretty easy to guess what was going to happen at certain points in the book; I don’t know if they were just obvious or maybe I just managed to piece them together before the big reveal.
My favorite part of Charmed Life would have to be the final battle between the good guys and the bad guys. I liked that part because it had the most action and because Cat finally did something cool.
My least favorite part of the book would have to be how easily Cat let himself be pushed around for the majority of the book, but he totally made up for it in the end.
Charmed Life was an excellent read that I’d recommend to anyone wanting to give Diana Wynne Jones or fantasy books a try.

Charmed Life earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

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1. Charmed Life was borrowed from the library.