The Chrestomanci Series - the Lives of Christopher Chant

Think of a world, almost like our own but a little more genteel and old-fashioned, where magic and witchcraft is as common as mathematics--but just as dangerous in the wrong hands. In The Lives of Christopher Chant--the fourth book in her Worlds of Chrestomanci series--Diana Wynne Jones succeeds in creating a vision of England close to our expectations of what should be, but subtly different enough to excite our interest and draw us into a strange new world of incredible reality and possibilities.

Christopher Chant is a dreamer, a boy who returns home each night with strange gifts from his nocturnal travels and leaves sand in his bed as proof. He's happy to play cricket and wander the world in secret--so having nine lives and being the next "Chrestomanci" is not part of his plans for the future. It's only when an evil smuggler known as The Wraith threatens his existence that the young Christopher truly takes hold of his destiny. He must try to halt his loss of lives and defeat evil before times runs out.

Set at least 20 years before the events as told in the first Chrestmanci novel, Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant is a detailed fantasy and wild adventure with dollops of humour that will challenge and intrigue every fan of this sequence of otherworldly novels.

Chrestomanci patrols the pages of three more full-length novels--Charmed Life, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week and in a collection of short stories, Mixed Magics. He is undoubtedly Diana Wynne Jones' finest creation and should not be missed. --John McLay

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Brilliant book - no child should miss it - Rated
Recently ordered this for my nephew who loves it as much as I did (and still do). The best of the Chrestomanci series in my opinion. Christopher struggles with his emerging magic powers, the discovery that he has a few more lives than normal and his complicated and deadly family relationships. I'm a Harry Potter fan but I really think this book has that series beaten for sheer imagination and good writing.

Creative, Imaginative and Totally Terrific - Rated
I can assure you that you will never read a book with so much scope for the imagination as this. The creativity and magic of the book means that it will stay with you for years to come. Every person who I've spoken to enjoyed this book, which is intended for children but is fine for the adults who are a child at heart!

Christopher Chant is a young boy, sorely neglected by his parents, who is the same as every other young boy who you would meet apart from one thing - he has nine lives. Every night, he enters a world fraught with danger and excitement - he goes where no child has gone before. When his gift is realised, he is sent away to Chrestomanci Castle against his will. I will not say any more in case I spoil it for you!

I would recommend this book to people of all ages, especially to children who are not keen readers as the characters are likeable and the story is easy to follow. It has also won numerous awards, including a place on the newly revised 'Top 100 Books to Read Aloud' list.

Readers, you would be stupid to let this book pass without reading it!

Amazing! - Rated
This book was amazing. The storyline was original and intigueing and there was always a new twist to the story. It was never boring. A book for all ages, highly recomended!

The Lives of Christopher Chant - Rated
Far better than charmed life. I like the character of Christopher much better than Cat.

A good read, though not her best - Rated
Like the rest of the Chrestomanci series, this book is interesting and inventive in its exploration of what forms magic can take. The way in which Chrestomanci's having nine lives allows him to travel from world to world is more properly explored than in the other books, as are other curious factors taht pop up in the 'later' stories. This is more or less what you would expect from a prequel, but the fact that it is described as 'volume 1' is somewhat confusing, and I do not recommend reading it before Charmed life, as it will spoil many of the surprises for you.

Other than that, it was essentially a good and enjoyable read with colourful characters - not top notch for Dianna Wynne Jones, but wothwhile over all.