Enchanted Glass
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4.3 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A brilliant, intricate and magical novel from the Godmother of British fantasy.
When Andrew Hope's magician grandfather dies, he leaves his house and field-of-care to his grandson who spent much of his childhood at the house. Andrew has forgotten much of this, but he remembers the very strong-minded staff and the fact that his grandfather used to put the inedibly large vegetables on the roof of the shed, where they'd have vanished in the morning. He also remembers the very colourful stained glass window in the kitchen door, which he knows it is important to protect.
Into this mix comes young Aidan Cain, who turns up from the orphanage asking for safety. Exactly who he is and why he's there is unclear, but a strong connection between the two becomes apparent.
There is a mystery to be solved, and nothing is as it appears to be. But nobody can solve the mystery, until they find out exactly what it is!
Reviews
Praise for Enchanted Glass
"Enchanted Glass is no exception to Diana Wynne Jones's general rule of using, and possibly abusing, folklore and fantasy for her own splendid ends… Wynne Jones belongs to an elect clan of the most treasured of British children's authors, creating her own unique brand of fantasy, in the same manner as Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, and it's surely this experience that breeds the confidence to write with such subtle depth. Blissful."
Marcus Sedgwick, The Guardian
"At her best, as in… Enchanted Glass, Wynne Jones is superb, mixing the comical with the magical… Highly recommended, especially for boys."
Amanda Craig, The Times
"No one has ever written quite like Diana Wynne Jones. The author of over 40 novels, she combines the delicate humour and nostalgic village settings of Barbara Pym with the wild imagination of JRR Tolkien… This latest book remains as predictably unpredictable as all her other works."
Nick Tucker, The Independent
"Time to waive the 'no reading at table' edicts; Diana Wynne Jones is back with another fantasy novel, so if you have an eight- to 12-year-old, enjoy the silence for 332 pages. Enchanted Glass demands nothing less than full-body immersion."
Daily Telegraph
About the author
Diana Wynne Jones (1934–2011) spent her childhood in Essex and began writing fantasy novels for children in the 1970s. With her unique combination of magic, humour and imagination, she enthralled generations of children and adults with her work. She won the Guardian Award in 1977 with Charmed Life, was runner-up for the Children's Book Award in 1981 and was twice runner-up for the Carnegie Medal.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
One of the foremost living children's fantasy writers, Jones serves up a quirky comedy of magicians dealing with an incursion of troublesome fairies in contemporary England. Andrew Hope, an absentminded academic with magical abilities he barely recognizes, has inherited the property and responsibilities of his wizard grandfather. Melstone House comes complete with two bossy and irate servants, Mr. Stock and Mrs. Stock (no relation), as well as a number of supernatural beings, including an elusive giant. Andrew wants to write a book, but he's soon distracted by 12-year-old Aidan, who is on the run from supernatural enemies; Stashe, a pretty young woman intent on becoming his secretary; and the wealthy, powerful, and mysterious Mr. Brown. The pacing is leisurely, but Jones writes with the utmost respect for readers' intelligence. One very funny gag has Stashe using horse racing results for divination ( The two-oh-five at Kempton: first, Dark Menace; second, Runaway; third, Sanctuary. That seems to outline the situation pretty well, doesn't it? ), just one of several unusual talents that Melstone residents exhibit. Although the book contains a few tense moments, whimsy is the dominant mood and there's little doubt that virtue and romance will triumph. Ages 10 up.
