In Mixed Magics, celebrated British fantasy author Diana Wynne Jones has gathered together three previously published short stories and one brand new tale about the inventive enchanter with nine lives, Chrestomanci. Fans of Wynne Jones know that Chrestomanci is the powerful sorcerer responsible for making sure that the magical users of the many worlds that run parallel to ours don't mismanage their spells. In "Stealer of Souls," he is pitted against Master Spiderman, an evil monkey-magician who intends to make himself the most potent enchanter of all worlds by stealing the essence of other sorcerers. In "Carol Oneir's Hundredth Dream," Chrestomanci must discover the reason why Carol, a bestselling dreamer (she bottles her exciting dreams for others to sleep through and enjoy) is having dreamer's block. In "Warlock at the Wheel," Chrestomanci is so influential that he doesn't even have to show up--he sends his agent Kathusa to rescue a bewildered warlock from a little girl and her large dog, who, strangely enough, have taken him prisoner. And, in the most thought-provoking story, "The Sage of Theare," Chrestomanci must help a confused teen realize that questioning the will of the gods is not only healthy but necessary! Each story is, in turn, frightening, thoughtful, funny, and wise. Readers of Charmed Life and The Magicians of Caprona will be delighted to discover that Wynne Jones has brought back some well-loved characters from other Chrestomanci novels to engage in exciting new adventures. A mystical, humorous collection with wide appeal for young fantasy buffs. (Ages 10 to 13) --Jennifer Hubert

From Publishers Weekly
Not even the glamorous presence of the nine-lived enchanter Chrestomanci (star of the Chrestomanci Books, noted below) is enough to dispel the scraped-together air that pervades this grouping of four short stories, three of which were originally published in the 1980s. Things start off slowly with "Warlock at the Wheel," a shaggy-dog story detailing the misadventures of a would-be car thief whose magic has been removed--prior to the tale's beginning--by Chrestomanci. "Stealer of Souls," the only story original to the collection, is also its most ambitious and successful, offering Jones aficionados the pleasure of watching characters from different books (Charmed Life's Cat Chant and The Magicians of Caprona's Tonino Montana) meet for the first time. Overall, however, the collection feels cramped: Jones, hemmed in by the constraints of the short story form, fails to develop the exuberant momentum characteristic of her complex, enchantment-filled novels. Only die-hard fans are likely to derive satisfaction from these further glimpses of Chrestomanci and his multiple worlds. Ages 10-up. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Four previously published stories of varying length. The first and shortest is about a magicless warlock who suddenly finds himself in a new world, with his magic restored. He lands in the hands of a spoiled little girl and her dog. Given the choice of jail or caring for the youngster, he chooses the former. The longest of the stories involves Cat Chant and new boy Tonino Montana. They are sent on a disastrous visit that ends with them releasing the souls of eight enchanters from the power of an evil enchanter. Story three, which is perhaps the most fun, is about Carol Oneir, "the world's youngest best-selling dreamer." Her hovering mother and her own desires for the trappings of fame are too much pressure for her though, and her dreams dry up. With the direct help of Chrestomanci, Carol discovers that her main characters are unhappy; as they escape from her dreams, she is released to live a relatively normal life as well. The last story features Thasper, son of a god, who is destined to bring down the order of Heaven. His father's attempts to avert the disaster will leave readers scratching their heads and pondering the effects of even the simplest act on everything else in space and time. The plots are fully realized and engaging, but characterizations are uneven-Thasper and the Willing Warlock are rather flat, while Carol and her dream folk leap right off the page. "Chrestomanci" fans will best appreciate this book. For a truly delightful short-story collection, try Michael Stearns's A Wizard's Dozen (Harcourt, 1993).Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. Jones offers four short stories for readers longing to revisit Chrestomanci, an enchanter with nine lives who oversees the magic in a parallel world "next door to us." Three of the stories have already appeared in U.S. editions: the witty "Warlock at the Wheel" and "The Sage of Theare" in Warlock at the Wheel and Other Stories (1984); "The Sage of Theare" again in Believing Is Seeing (1999); and "Carol Oneir's Hundredth Dream" in the anthology Dragons and Dreams (1986). "Stealer of Souls" is a good, strong story, notable for its creepiness as well as a bit of humor, but libraries where the other volumes are accessible will have to gauge whether one new good story is reason enough for purchase. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

ANNOTATION

Four separate incidents test the power of the Chrestomanci, a powerful enchanter with nine lives, to control misuses of magic on various worlds.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dapper, debonair, and wise, the great enchanter Chrestomanci has nine lives and a strong personality as well as strong magic. That personality reverberates in each of these four dazzling stories.

A warlock tries to escape Chrestomanci's justice by fleeing to another world -- with hilarious results. Cat Chant and Tonino Montana reluctantly join forces when Chrestomanci sends them on a visit that turns suddenly dangerous. The youngest best-selling dreamer needs Chrestomanci's help when she finds she can't dream anymore. And as the gods of an ever-so-orderly world try to destroy the young Sage of Dissolution, Chrestomanci lends a hand.

SYNOPSIS

PerfectBound e-book exclusive extras: Diana Wynne Jones's The Chronicles of Chrestomanci: Nine Notes; Author Interview.

Dapper, debonair, and wise, the great enchanter Chrestomanci has nine lives and a strong personality as well as strong magic. That personality reverberates in each of these four dazzling stories.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

" `Stealer of Souls,' the only story original to the collection, is also its most ambitious and successful, offering Jones aficionados the pleasure of watching characters from different books (Charmed Life's Cat Chant and The Magicians of Caprona's Tonino Montana) meet for the first time," wrote PW. Ages 10-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Omnibus paperback editions combine two Chrestomanci novels in each volume: Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant make up The Chronicles of Chrestomanci: Volume I; Volume II has The Magicians of Caprona and Witch Week. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Chrestomanci is the overseer of a parallel world to ours. His job is to monitor all of the magic in his world to make sure that it is not misused. In this collection of four short stories, Chrestomanci is challenged by the things that happen around him. In the first tale, a warlock escapes his own time to find that he cannot escape his problems. In the "Stealer of Souls," an evil enchanter from the past has found a way to stay alive for over 100 years. He believes that if he collects the souls of other powerful enchanters, he will regain his youthfulness and become the most powerful magician in the land. It is up to two of Chrestomanci's understudies to save the day. In another story, Carol Oneir is paid to dream. Her dreams have been saved and sold for some time now. The only problem is, now she is having a hard time creating her much-anticipated 100th dream. She turns to Chrestomanci for help. In the last story of this collection, a young man sets out to find the wise sage. Chrestomanci guides him through his self-discovery in his travels. This collection, attempting to capitalize on the Harry Potter craze, falls short of what a reader of this age would want. There are a number of holes in the story that I believe would only be filled by reading the previous four novels. Then this collection of short stories might be worth the read. I believe I will leave it off my recommended reading list. 2000, Greenwillow Books, $15.95 and $15.89. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Scott S. Floyd

VOYA

Chrestomanci, the nine-lived guardian of magic, plays large and small roles in the four short stories of this collection. Each tale teaches a lesson. One is a take-off on O'Henry's The Ransom of Red Chief, with a banned magician getting a pass to a world in which he can use his magic again. Employing it to rob a bank and steal a car, he finds himself stuck with an obnoxious child and a vicious dog. Another story muses that fate cannot be evaded—in a perfectly ordered world, fear of disorder causes the predicted disorder. Then there is the tale of that overbearing child who dreams lovely dreams and sells them. Sells them, that is, until her dream characters go on strike. The main reason to have this book on shelves, however, is for the longest of the stories that delves into where all those nine lives might go and what almost becomes of the last life of a formerly powerful magician. Jones told of the selection and training of magicians and of worlds within worlds in her various books that begin chronologically with The Lives of Christopher Chant (Greenwillow, 1988/VOYA June 1988), prequel to Charmed Life (Greenwillow, 1977), and the other Chrestomanci novels. Her work is on what-to-read-after-Harry Potter lists, but fantasy addicts already know her well. Like J. K. Rowling and Philip Pullman, Jones slides her plots along the edge of what readers know to be real, teasing that the magical world might be just down that platform, over in the parking lot, through that mirror. Shades of C. S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll, perhaps? VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9).2001, Greenwillow, 144p, $15.95. PLB $15.89. Ages 11 to 15. Reviewer: Lynne Hawkins

School Library Journal