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    Charmed Life
    Charmed Life
    Charmed Life
    Audiobook7 hours

    Charmed Life

    Written by Diana Wynne Jones

    Narrated by Gerard Doyle

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    At first, orphan Cat Chant isn't jealous of his magically gifted sister Gwendolen. After all, she is the only family he has left. But, then the mysterious sorcerer Chrestomanci adopts them and changes their lives forever. In this book, which won the Guardian Award for Children's books, author Diana Wynne Jones' characters come fully alive as narrator Gerard Doyle takes listeners into a wondrous world.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateFeb 4, 2008
    ISBN9781440796999
    Charmed Life
    Author

    Diana Wynne Jones

    DIANA WYNNE JONES was born in August 1934 in London, where she had a chaotic and unsettled childhood against the background of World War II. The family moved around a lot, finally settling in rural Essex. As children, Diana and her two sisters were deprived of a good, steady supply of books by a father, ‘who could beat Scrooge in a meanness contest’. So, armed with a vivid imagination and an insatiable quest for good books to read, she decided that she would have to write them herself.

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    Reviews for Charmed Life

    4.5/5

    65 ratings32 reviews

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    • 4/5
      It's a good read, a story of a boy who lives in the shadow of his sister and whose life changes when they end up in the Castle of Chrestomanci and then he discovers the truth about his sister and her ambitions.It's an interesting read, something on that borderline between fantasy and reality with characters who work well and things that would have resolved quicker if everyone would have just talked to each other! And characters who point this out too.Great read, love the story, there are layers here that would reward re-reading.
    • 4/5
      I read Howl's Moving Castle before this, so I noticed a similarity in the plot.
      At first I thought Cat is actually a...cat.
      I have to find out if they have similar universe to Howl's Moving Castle.
      Looking forward to read the sequels.
    • 5/5
      I really really like Diana Wynne Jones and this was the first one of hers I read so I'm sure some of the love for this particular book is from the excitement I felt at the time, when I realised a) this is really good! and b) there are a lot more!! But its still a really good book with a strong flavor of that elusive quality of dreams and tales, where it all makes emotional sense though clearly not working within the logic of the everyday world.
    • 5/5
      I really love this series so I'm rereading it for what's gotta be the 5th time at least. Changing this from 4 to 5 stars because I really do love it and Janet is one of my favorite characters in the series.
    • 3/5
      Harry Potter From the 70s! Nice magical adventure! ! !
    • 3/5
      I read this book as a kid, I know, but I'm not sure how much of the series I read -- my library had an awful tendency to have incomplete series. So I'm revisiting them now, in the reading order suggested on wikipedia (that fount of all inaccurate knowledge, I know). I do love Diana Wynne Jones books for just being fun and easy to read, though I did kind of notice reading this that Chrestomanci reminds me of Howl in some ways. In fact, in some ways, a lot of it did. There's something about the narration that never quite seems to change. Still, definitely fun.

      I'd probably rate it higher if it weren't for two things:

      a) How slow Cat is to understand how awful his sister is. The answers are all right there in front of him.

      b) I don't like when people don't seem to get what's right in front of their eyes. This is a personal peeve, since in this book there's a reason for it, but it's still something I really don't like very much. Probably the same reason I dislike romantic comedies -- I don't find the sequence of misunderstandings that fun to watch/read about/whatever.

      There is a lot I do like about this book, though. The pet dragon is sweet, and the idea of a cat turned into a violin, and Janet Chant is such a practical, nice character...

      Looking forward to re/reading the rest of the books.
    • 5/5
      The story of Cat, who thinks he has no magic, and his truly evil sister, Gwendolen, and how their lives change when they're brought to live at Chrestomanci Castle – the Chrestomanci at this time being Christopher Chant. A true classic.
    • 5/5
      I am so envious of people who are yet to discover the Chrestomanci books - they are far and away the best children's books (aalso appealing to adults) dealing with magic and sorcery I've ever read - it's a travesty that DWJ hasn't received the acclaim of JP Rowling, but in a selfish way I am pleased that they haven't been mass marketed in the same was as the HP books, which seems sacriligious, somehow.
    • 3/5
      I thought this book would be more action, using lots of magic in this, but it turns out kind of different than I expect it to be. It has just a little bit of action, kind of mysterious when Gwendolen and Cat started to move into the Chrestomanci’s castle.As far as I read, it’s not actually bad, but I don’t really like it (I usually like mysterious but not this one!). This would be a very good idea for someone who likes fiction magic and adventure. “Charmed life” was written by Diana Wynne Jones.It starts with Gwendolen who is a witch with her younger brother, Cat who isn’t a witch, they both were adopted because their parents were died in an accident and found a letter of their parents with a mystery person, Chrestomanci…
    • 4/5
      The first of the Chrestomanci books to be published but the third in order of chronology, Charmed Life exhibits many of the possible strengths and weaknesses of a book destined to be part of a series but perhaps conceived originally as a standalone: strengths such as freshness and vitality, weaknesses such as plot holes and inconsistencies. It is to Diana Wynne Jones' credit that she manages to avoid many of the pitfalls while retaining a charm that still manages to enchant new readers more than thirty years on.There is no doubting the originality of her conception of the Related Series of Worlds linked by magic, and Charmed Life must have been one of the first, if not the first, of her many titles that made use of this conceit as a plot device. In addition, the idea of a powerful mage acting as a steward or even ombudsman of the use of magic in those worlds is enhanced by Chrestomanci's all-too-obvious but endearing idiosyncracies such as his obsession with fine clothes (especially embroidered dressing gowns), absentminded demeanour and apparent aloofness. Appealing to a younger age group are the two main protagonists of a young boy and his sister, orphans both, who find themselves imbued with powerful but uncontrolled magic which they then need to learn to use responsibly. All this supplies the story with powerful tropes which has been often consciously or unconsciously copied (most obviously in the Harry Potter series), not least in the motif that proposes that powerful enchanters have nine lives (rather as cats are popularly imagined to have).Having two siblings take centre stage in the story allows Jones to point out their different responses to wearing the mantles of awareness and responsibility. She has been criticised for making these two, Gwendolen and Eric, rather one-dimensional characters: Gwendolen is selfish, spiteful and small-minded, while Eric is selfless, mild and rather innocent (one might say insipid); however, most young readers would be less concerned with such adult expectations as character development and more concerned with identifying with the underdog figure who ultimately triumphs.An older reader may also be more aware of those plot holes and inconsistencies, such as the the confusing details of family schisms, the vaguely described hierachy of magic users in Chrestomanci's world and what precisely happens in the final magic confrontation. Nevertheless there are emerging details of Jones' enduring enjoyment of names (both whimsical and punning) and the creation of a universe which just had to be explored in future novels, both of which more than amply compensate for any reader regrets over the only just less than perfect published tale. And the final question to mull over: which came first, the perfect title or the storyline?This 2007 edition has the added attraction of special features, in particular a fascinating question and answer session with the author and a section on her concept of Parallel Worlds, both worth seeking out for their own sake.
    • 5/5
      This was pretty fluffy. Cat's mother and father die in a boat accident, so he and his sister are raised by their lower-class landlady (who is constantly called greedy, but I found her sad and sympathetic), until "Chrestomancy", someone they found out about in some mysterious letters of their parents', shows up to take them with him. Gwendolin is frustrated by Chrestomancy and how he ignores her, so she harasses him until he takes her magic. Then she flees the house into another universe, displacing a different version of her.
    • 4/5
      This proto-Harry-Potter novel is a little listless, but overall fun and inventive.

      Cat’s older sister, Gwendolen, is an up-and-coming witch, and he follows along when she goes to learn magic from the renowned magician, Chrestomanci. Unfortunately, Gwendolen is an attention-hungry brat. Out of brotherly devotion, Cat has to go along with and cover up for her schemes.

      Cat’s a bit of a cipher, but his sister makes him a sympathetic character in three different ways. I liked him because:

      He was single-mindedly devoted to a family member
      His devotion to his family member was not reciprocated
      His sister treated everyone so awfully that, when Cat acted decently toward them, it seemed like an act of heroism by comparison

      However, I got a little impatient with the story because I wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be about. Cat never really has any motivation of his own, so I thought he was just going to be the camera through which we saw Gwendolen’s story. But halfway through the novel that theory of mine was destroyed, and I wasn’t quite sure what to latch on to next.

      Within the last fifty pages, I finally did find out what the real story was, but I wish the real story had been hinted at a little more strongly earlier on.
    • 5/5
      This is the first of Diana Wynne Jones' books that I ever read, probably shortly after it was published in the late seventies. It's one of the few books that I still go back to, and find things to admire and enjoy to this day. It's not the book that's been longest in my collection, but it's the book that I've loved consistently over the last thirty Or so years.The book is from the pov of Cat, a small boy who has literally no idea of what is going on around him. The clues are all there, but he's so enmeshed in the constructed world that his sister built, and those his sister recruits maintain, that he doesn't understand it. Systematically, every piece of his world is taken away, and he is left with the weight of the world -- and an imposter that he dare not reveal to his guardian -- on his shoulders. And nonetheless, he's not a hero or a drip (though he is a little doormattish, but he gets called on it.). He's a small boy, doing the best he can.I love the world, a magical steampunk place. I love the Related Worlds, and Chrestomanci of the many and florid dressing gowns.The characters are different people; they walk and live and breath, misunderstand and are misunderstood; make plans, have hopes. Few are all bad, or all good, and no one is perfect. I love het deft way that a few details givesw a glimpse of an entire world, a culture and ethos that is different than our own. I have almost all DWJ's books, but this (and Power of Three) have been my favourites for an incredibly long time. And, while I'm here, IMO? Pinhoe Egg was a worthy successor to Charmed Life.
    • 5/5
      I read this first many years ago. It was my introduction to Diana Wynne Jones. I love Chrestomanci's world where magic works and technology lags behind our world. I love the growth of Cat as a character. The ebook has a series of short notes about the universe that are well worth reading. If you like the Harry Potter series, the Narnia series, or Lloyd Alexander, I think you'll like this series.
    • 5/5
      My first DWJ and therefore my favourite. The book which lead me to so many delights. I'd give it five and a half stars if I could.
    • 5/5
      This charming book is the first in the Chrestomanci series and is told from the point of view of Eric, Cat Chant who with his sister, Gwendolen, become orphaned and end up finding a new life at Chrestomanci castle. They live in a world of magic and one of the strongest parts of this book is Gwendolen's striving to prove that she's a powerful witch and how along the way she uses and abuses people especially her brother. As Eric adapts to his new home and starts to grow away from his sister, he begins to learn his own power and that he can do things by himself. This book would be an appropriate read for a middle school student or older elementary school student who would see themselves in Eric while getting lost in the wonderful world. All of the magic elements are done in such a way that they don't seem terribly out of place because they're normal to Eric, which allows the reader to get lost in the world. This is a funny and at time slightly heartbreaking book about what really counts about family in the midst of a fantastic magical world and is a great entry book to the works of Diana Wynne Jones.
    • 5/5
      This edition has a celebratory foreword by Neil Gaiman, and an author interview and discussion questions after the story. I'm enjoying a frisson of suspense - whose life is the charmed life of the title? Is it accomplished witch Gwendolen Chant or her modest brother Cat, or someone else?
      In a magical world is a charmed life a blessing or a curse?
      content spoiler: corporal punishment.
    • 5/5
      Read it if you like Harry Potter, Narnia, King Arthur, or any other fantastical stories enjoyed by adults and children alike.
    • 5/5
      What a lovely read! DWJ never ceases to amaze me with her convoluted plots. It’s a coming of age story for a little boy who thinks he possesses no magical skills, but all I’ll say is beware of older sisters! And just when you think you’ve got the plot figured out, something completely unexpected happens that throws all your suppositions out the window—or out the doorway into one of DWJ’s other worlds. She is definitely the master of the Twisty Plot. This is the first in her Chrestomanci series, and I am so looking forward to reading the other books.
    • 5/5
      Cat and his sister Gwendolyn go to live with their wealthy cousin the Chrestomanci after their parents are killed in an accident. Gwendolyn is a witch and very full of herself and her powers. She behaves badly and is flagrantly rude and insufferable. Cat has an entirely different personality. He is quiet, respectful, truthful and shows real concern for other people, even his awful sister. As the story progresses Gwendolyn's thoughtlessness and selfishness bring another version of herself from a parallel universe to take her place as Gwendolyn moves to another world to get more of what she wants. This new girl's name is Janet and she is much more like Cat, definitely not the sister he's used to. Janet and Cat try to keep it a secret from the Chrestomanci that this switch has happened and Cat and Janet must try very hard to solve the problems that Gwendolyn set in motion. An excellent book. I look forward to the others in the series.
    • 3/5
      The first of a series of novels featuring the Worlds of Chrestomanci, a series of worlds where witches, wizards and all sorts of other magical folk abound. In this one, siblings Cat (Eric) and Gwendolen Chant are orphaned and end up living with the mysterious Chrestomanci in his luxurious castle. Larks abound. A nice, quick read, although not as imaginative or compelling as I had hoped. (It would make a great film, though!)
    • 4/5
      This book was both funnier and darker than I remembered it. I think there is a lesson, which is that if you're a child in bad trouble, telling the powerful adult what's going on might be the wisest course. In "The Pinhoe Egg" which is the next in chronological order, Cat seems to have figured this out. Another lesson is that a habit of subservience is a bad one, and this theme also shows up in "The Pinhoe Egg".
    • 3/5
      I've been putting off reviewing this one because I'm not sure quite what to say about it. It's quite similar to [The Lives of Christopher Chant] in plot and characters, and I think I liked Christopher better. [Charmed Life] takes place about 25 years after The Lives of Christopher Chant (which means no reappearance of Throgmorton :( , an almost unforgivable offense ;) , although there is a playful dragon who almost makes up for it) and follows the life of Cat, seemingly the next generation of nine-lived presumptive-future-Chrestomanci who does not know his own power. Honestly, it seemed a bit predictable. I wouldn't have minded the formulaic plot, actually, except that Cat was a far less engaging character than Christopher was. He was just as lame to begin with, but with less reason (or at least, less elaborated on reason), and didn't grow into himself the way Christopher did. I also found Gwendolen unrealistically evil (and there really was no developmental explanation for her!), although I did like Janet. Finally, given Christopher's own background, I would have thought he would've handled Cat's situation better. However, lest you think I didn't like it, I did. It was fun, and it did keep me guessing about the details of the plot if not the final outcome. A fun fantasy read, but I suspect that whichever of Charmed Life or the Lives of Christopher Chant you read first will highly determine which you like more (and I haven't read the rest of the series yet).
    • 3/5
      Gwendolen is the worst, nastiest child, and Cat is a bit doormatty for my taste. And the real action arrived all bundled up in the last 50 pages.
    • 3/5
      Fanciful tale of two orphans, the elder a witch, in a Victorianesque world of magic. It went quite well until Gwendolyn left then dragged until the final action. I'm not a fan of villain driven plots as this turned out to be.
    • 5/5
      It's often very difficult for Harry Potter lovers to find an equally satisfying read once they finish the series--but listen up my fellow muggles: I have found it. After years of walking right past Diana Wynne Jones' books at work, I finally picked up the first of her Chrestomanci series and it was really, really wonderful. In fact, i think it's quite clear that Ms. Rowling is more than a little indebted to Jones.
      Clever, humorous, and delightfully chock full of magic, Charmed Life introduces the magically gifted Chant family and the details of their particular world. Chrestomanci (which is the name of the many-volumed series) refers to the title given to a kind of magical master who's job is to control the magic done by witches and wizards so that ordinary, non-magical people are not taken advantage of. Interesting, eh?
      I highly recommend if you are looking for a light, funny, and thoroughly engaging read. Also, if this matters to you, it's worth nothing that his book is intended for young adults.
    • 3/5
      This was a memorial re-read, as Diana Wynne Jones has recently passed away. It's a kids' book, but a very enjoyable one. The first entry in her Chrestomanci series, it does a good job setting up the world and characters.
      It's also particularly remarkable as a kids' book about two siblings which has one of them turn out to be just absolutely horrible! As a reader, you think that the character in question is just bratty and spoiled and will learn to mend her ways. But nope. Just plain evil. I love it!
    • 3/5
      I can't be too harsh. It is a children's book and not the type of children's book that can entertain adult readers as well. I'm thinking of the Harry Potter series and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was an easy listen, interesting enough to keep my brain mostly engaged while doing chores around the house. But the characters seemed flat and mostly unsympathetic. Most of them seemed frustratingly passive and/or stupid as well. Still, it was a fairly clever and complete alternate world, and kept me just interested enough to want to find out what happened next. I won't be reading the rest of the series.
    • 5/5
      Good heavens, did I enjoy this. One of THE most aggravating baddies I've ever encountered, a plucky young anti-heroine, and Cat. Who wouldn't feel sorry for Cat? This is, more than anything, the story of how Cat decides to reclaim his power - literally - and be in charge of his own life. It's a grand thing for a young person to be able to do, and Diana Wynne Jones writes it beautifully. This is good YA fantasy that I'm happy to have discovered, and I can't wait to read more.
    • 4/5
      Cat and his sister Gwendolen (who is a powerful witch) go live with Chrestomanci after their parents die. Cat does his best to stay out of trouble while Gwendolen does the opposite.I love this book from start to finish. The characters are interesting, the setting is fantastic, and the story is thoroughly enjoyable. Even the minor characters are well-formed with recognizable personalities.