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Revision as of 09:43, 25 August 2020
, 09:43, 25 August 2020no edit summary
My bestest, bestest, bestest, favouritest thing about Diana Wynne Jones is that she is not a trainspotter. She doesn't go in for much of that tiresome world-building stuff that drags out even children's fantasy novels to a gazillion pages. Instead, she goes for laughs to break up the spells. And yet, her worlds are as fully-realised and vivid even as Tolkein's. High Norland is a land of fairy tales, but it's full of immediately recognisable characters - the over-protective mother, the posh old maid, the forbidding auntie, the geeky girl and the over-enthusiastic boy. Wynne Jones always writes a strong female character and she doesn't let us down with Charmain, who is feisty and determined, but utterly untried.
The plot itself centres on the location and meaning of the Elfgift. It's a fairly straightforward baddies -versus -goodies affair, and we do get to meet Sophie, Howl and Calcifer again, but mostly we simply enjoy the magic and Charmain's discovery of it, which is just as it should be.
It comes recommended not only to all junior fans of magical fiction, but also the hordes of over-protective mothers out there. Loosen up!
My thanks to the nice people at Harper Collins for sending the book.
They shouldn't miss Diana Wynne Jones's superb [[Charmed Life (The Chrestomanci) by Diana Wynne Jones|Chrestomanci series]]. [[The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett]] will also appeal. We can also recommend [[Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones]].
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