Fiction - Anthologies & Collections, Children - Fiction & Literature

Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories

Name: Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
ISBN: 9780060555351

by Diana Wynne Jones

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones presents ariveting collection of unpredictable tales, including:

A cat tells how the kindhearted wizard she owns is suddenly called upon to defeat a horrific Beast.
When Anne has mumps, her drawings come to life, and she must protect her home from them.
Four children become involved in the intrigue surrounding an innocent prince, an evil count, and a brave outlaw.

These fifteen stories and one novella will enchant, startle, and surprise!

A collection of sixteen stories including "The Plague of Peacocks," "Aunt Bea's Day Out," "The Fat Wizard," "No One," and "Everard's Ride."

Synopsis

Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones presents ariveting collection of unpredictable tales, including:

A cat tells how the kindhearted wizard she owns is suddenly called upon to defeat a horrific Beast.
When Anne has mumps, her drawings come to life, and she must protect her home from them.
Four children become involved in the intrigue surrounding an innocent prince, an evil count, and a brave outlaw.

These fifteen stories and one novella will enchant, startle, and surprise!

Publishers Weekly

Old favorites come in new trimmings with the gathering together of these 16 previously published stories by Diana Wynne Jones in Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories. Shorter tales include "The Master," a vet's account of a strange, portentous dream she has about a house in the forest, and "The Girl Who Loved the Sun," wherein Phega's adoration for that celestial body causes her to repeatedly attempt to transform herself into a tree. Jones's four-part novella, "Everard's Ride," concludes the collection, with the tale of Cecelia and Alex, siblings who travel to a mysterious island to help Robert, a fugitive accused of murder. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones has been writing outstanding fantasy novels for more than thirty years and is one of the most distinguished writers in this field. With unlimited imagination, she combines dazzling plots, an effervescent sense of humor, and emotional truths in stories that delight readers of all ages. Her books, published to international acclaim, have earned a wide array of honors, including two Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honors, the British Fantasy Society's Karl Edward Wagner Award for having made a significant impact on fantasy, and the World Fantasy Society Lifetime Achievement Award. Acclaimed director and animator Hayao Miyazaki adapted her international bestseller Howl's Moving Castle into a major motion picture, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

Diana Wynne Jones lives in Bristol, England, with her husband, a professor emeritus of English literature at Bristol University. They have three sons.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Publishers Weekly

VOYA

Jones collects some of her best, previously published, short fiction in this anthology, covering contemporary, mystery, and fantasy settings. Some highlights include the short stories Enna Hittims and The Fluffy Pink Toadstool, which offer wonderfully fun and fantastical adventures. They have strange and wild plots where the impossible is absolutely possible and believable. The stories The Girl Jones and The Girl Who Loved the Sun are poignant tales of growing up and dealing with society's sometimes strict rules, leaving readers feeling thoughtful about their own possible choices in life. The dark and deeply suspenseful stories What the Cat Told Me, The Fat Wizard, and Little Dot are gripping until the end and show readers how difficult life situations can be, but how good things can happen in life with perseverance and effort. Finally, the novella Everard's Ride is full of other-dimension adventure, fairy-tale love, and friendship building. This collection will be in demand with readers who really like fantasy and science fiction genres. It is a must-have for public and school libraries where Jones's work is popular, where fantasy fiction is well liked, or where short fiction is requested or used for school assignments. Some of the more abstract point-of-view stories might be slightly difficult for younger readers; however, these stories will appeal to all reading levels fifth grade to adult. VOYA Codes: 5Q 3P M J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, HarperCollins, 504p., and PLB Ages 11 to 18.
—Karen Sykeny

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-This collection of 15 short stories and one novella begins with the autobiographical "The Girl Jones," about nine-year-old Diana. Among the selections that follow, readers will find stories about a science-fiction writer who becomes involved in an interstellar revolution, a haunting encounter with werewolves and a sinister fool, and a talking cat cursed with long life. In the concluding novella, four children become embroiled in intrigue over an innocent prince, an evil count, and a brave outlaw. All of the selections have characters that are both appealing and realistically flawed, and the worlds they inhabit are brought to life through detail and humor. Each story smoothly draws readers in and brings its own mood and adventure. This is a good choice for collections in which the author has a following, though the lack of "Chrestomanci" stories and the somewhat daunting size may put off readers. The hefty volume includes most of the selections from Warlock at the Wheel and Other Stories (1985; o.p.) and Believing Is Seeing: Seven Stories (1999). However, the lack of overlap with Stopping for a Spell (2004) and Mixed Magics (2001, all Greenwillow), along with the new tales included, makes this a solid addition.-Beth L. Meister, Yeshiva of Central Queens, Flushing, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

This eclectic collection of previously published stories will delight existing fans and win new ones. Here's an impressive range, from "Enna Hittims," in which a young girl's unintentional magic looses tiny heroes to ravage her home, to the novella "Everard's Ride," a historical fantasy full of epic political maneuverings. "The Girl Who Loved the Sun" provides an unusual romance among Jones's trademark humor. "Dragon Reserve, Home Eight" explores power on a world where each wife rules over her several husbands. Closer to home, in "Carruthers," Elizabeth uses her magical stick to overcome her sexist father. Stock stories gain depth when told from unfamiliar perspectives, as with "The Green Stone," narrated by the harassed scribe of a high-fantasy quest, or with "Little Dot's" narrator, the comfort-loving cat of a neighborhood Wizard. The presumably autobiographical "The Girl Jones" adds a touch of personal eccentricity. The running theme of surprise, reversed expectations, and the unexpected gives this collection a constant impact. Great work from one of the best modern fantasy authors; too bad none are new. (Fiction. 10+)