Mixed Magics

By Diana Wynne Jones

Glorious rejacket of the story collection set in the worlds of Chrestomanci.

The stories featured in this collection are:

Warlock at the Wheel
Stealer of Souls
Carol Oneir’s Hundredth Dream
The Sage of Theare

Everybody’s favourite nine-lifed enchanter makes a guest appearance in each tale. Plus man favourites from theChrestomanci novels – and a cast of thousands!

With illustrations by Tim Stevens.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Dec 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9780007389025

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.

Reviews for Mixed Magics

[cindywho-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

4 stories from the worlds of Chrestomanci - the first one was phoned in, but the other three were decent. Cat meets Toni, a professional dreamer has personnel problems & a child of prophecy is late for his own preaching.

[mstrust · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fours short stories involving Chrestomanci, the enchanter who keeps all the magic from getting out of control. In "Warlock At The Wheel", an irresponsible warlock steals a sportscar and leads the police on a chase, then finds that the car wasn't empty when he stole it. My favorite story was "Carol Oneir's Hundredth Dream" about a spoiled little girl who is also a famous professional dreamer. Her mother has built a cottage industry around her daughter's ability to control her dreams and package them for sale, along with plenty of dream merchandising, but then Carol's dreams stop.

[ilirwen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have already read The Chronicles of Chrestomanci 1 and 2 and loved them. This book was almost as fun to read. Most books by DWJ are. Of course the quality of the stories varied a little, but I definitely liked the whole book.

[chrisriesbeck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Four fun stories in the Chrestomanci series. I had read "The Sage of Theare" before most of the other Chrestomanci books. It's still an odd duck. Warlock at the Wheel is one of her slapstick stories. OK but I've never gotten even a chuckle out of that sort of thing. Stealer of Souls is classic Chrestomanci, with menace and magic, starring Cat and Tonino. Carol Oneir's Hundredth Dream is different, a bit slight, but interesting.Recommended for DWJ fans but not as a first Chrestomanci book.

[mikerhode · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Slight stories, but fun

[millilinnea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have already read The Chronicles of Chrestomanci 1 and 2 and loved them. This book was almost as fun to read. Most books by DWJ are. Of course the quality of the stories varied a little, but I definitely liked the whole book.

[jerenda-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, the tales were interesting, but far too short. The first one didn't make any sense at all and didn't connect with anything I knew about the books, therefore making it boring. But the second and third ones were good. The last one was just plain funny.

[T. S · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Gave us a break and mixed it up a bit. I am still concerned about the brown characters being so vile though...and this one especially being likened to a shriveled up monkey.

The story was overall okay, I am waiting for all things to come together somehow...or to splinter apart. SOMETHING needs to happen, there is too much of a sameness.

[katekf_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the great pleasures of Diana Wynne Jones' work is her ability to write young people that act their age. Mixed Magics contains four stories that take place in the connected worlds of Chrestomanci and every story is funny and at times sad. The best way to enjoy these stories is by reading the other books of the Chrestomanci universe as a few of them presume that the reader will understand how the world works. The One Hundredth Dream story could act as an introduction to this world as its told from the point of view of a stranger to Chrestomanci but the others work best after The Magicians of Caprona, Charmed Life and the Many Lives of Christopher Chant. To readers who know her world and Chrestomanci than these four stories are a chance to revisit favorite characters having new adventures and this is a book I plan on rereading many times. The Chrestomanci series is an appropriate read for middle school students and up as the main characters all tend to be young people working to understand the world around them and their place in them with magic and humor.

[lquilter_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First short story ("Warlock at the Wheel") was predictable but made me laugh out loud nonetheless. "Stealer of Souls" is somewhat fun, bringing together Gabriel de Witt, Cat, Tonino, and Chrestomanci-Chris.

[ariadnearanea · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quick read, in which we revisit characters met in earlier Chrestomanci books in a set of four otherwise unrelated short stories. Interesting concept, but I think I would have enjoyed a full length novel more - especially if it were a development of the story featuring Cat and Tonino.