The Pinhoe Egg
-
-
4.9 • 27 Ratings
-
-
- $6.99
Publisher Description
Cat Chant and Marianne Pinhoe have discovered something exciting—something truly precious, very strange, and valuable. An egg.
An egg that has been hidden away in an attic for who-knows-how-many years. An egg protected by some strong “Don't Notice” spells. An egg that Marianne gives to Cat, even though he lives at nearby Chrestomanci Castle. Chrestomanci himself, the strongest enchanter in the world, is sure to be interested in the egg—and interference from the Big Man is the last thing Marianne's family of secret rogue witches wants.
But how much longer can the Pinhoes keep their secrets? Gammer, the leaderof the clan, has gone mad, a powerfulbad luck spell is wreaking havoc, and there's an unexplained plague of frogs.Not to mention the mysterious barrierCat finds in the forest.
Marianne and Cat may be the only two who can set things right. But first Marianne must accept her own powerful magic, and Cat must uncover the secrets behind the mystical Pinhoe Egg.
In this new Chrestomanci book, Diana Wynne Jones is at her most magical.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wynne Jones is at the top of her form in this excellent addition to the Chrestomanci books, set not long after the events chronicled in Charmed Life. Marianne's summer gets off to an unpromising start, thanks to her grandmother, the willful and manipulative Gammer Pinhoe, head of all Pinhoe family witchcraft in Ulverscote and the other villages surrounding Chrestomanci Castle. Marianne becomes errand-runner for her entire extended family when Gammer lurches into a punning, malicious (and wickedly funny) form of dementia, the seeming result of a run-in with another local witching family. Meanwhile, up at Chrestomanci Castle, Cat Chant (last seen in Charmed Life) has inadvertently become the owner of a horse named Syracuse, whose powers include helping Cat recognize the presence of dwimmer, a mysterious, nature-oriented magic. On a trip to Ulverscote, Cat meets Marianne, recognizes her as a kindred spirit and becomes the caretaker of a mysterious egg they find in the attic of Gammer's house. Wild magic ensues as the egg hatches, long pent-up nature spirits are released, ugly secrets are revealed, and Marianne and Cat confront terrifying challenges. Longtime fans will be pleased to encounter Cat once again, and to watch the early stages of his friendship with Marianne unfold. Newcomers will relish the lavish storytelling, and doubtless be driven back to earlier books. Witty, wise and wonderfully imaginative this novel ranks among the author's best. Ages 10-14.
Customer Reviews
What a wonderful book!
One of Diana Wynne Jones's very best, and that is saying quite a lot.
Great book
I read The Pinhoe Egg when I was around eleven years old, in that awkward stage where you're not really inclined to read children's books anymore, but aren't quite ready for the young adult books. It was a perfect in-between. Diana Wynne Jones is a brilliant author, and I still enjoy this book now; there was just enough romance and driving plot line to make it interesting, while keeping it child appropriate and magical. I would definitely recommend this and any of Diana Wynne Jones' books to everyone.
Pinhoe egg
Awesome bk. My daughters at age 16 and up to my age 45 enjoyed this bk.