#39: Diana Wynne Jones, Witch Week (Chrestomanci #3) [JRI]

[kareila]

Some confusion: I read this next because it comes second in my hardback copy of The Chrestomanci Quartet, but Goodreads has it marked as #3 in the series. I think I should read The Lives of Christopher Chant next, which Goodreads has marked as #2, even though it comes last in my book. At least everyone agrees that Charmed Life came first.

Chronology aside, I didn't much enjoy this story of a rather dreary world not unlike our own, except that witches are common but burned at the stake when revealed. The story is set during the last week of October 1981 at a boarding school where all the kids are obnoxious, cruel to each other, and quick to accuse each other of witchcraft without justification - and the teachers aren't much better. The students in class 6B have worked themselves into a magical mess when one of them is instructed to summon Chrestomanci. Chrestomanci quickly judges that their entire world isn't supposed to exist, and spends the rest of the story quizzing everyone about history so that he can figure out where their parallel universe splintered off and set it right.

#40: Diana Wynne Jones, The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci #2) [JRI]

[kareila]

This story turns out to be a prequel to Charmed Life, describing the childhood of Christopher Chant before he became the Chrestomanci that Cat comes to know. In addition to being tapped as the future Chrestomanci, Christopher and Cat have much in common - both have their magical abilities exploited by trusted family members, and both hate living in Chrestomanci Castle at first, until gaining a better understanding of what their future holds.