Rating: 4
Description: Cat Chant is used to living in the shadow of his older sister, Gwendolen, a powerful witch. So when his parents die in a boating accident and the children are sent to live at Chrestomanci Castle, home to a powerful enchanter in charge of the regulation of magic, Cat tags along while Gwendolen embarks on a crusade to get the powerful magicians at the castle to notice her obvious talent. But Gwendolen is up to no good, and after several warnings and a particularly horrible incident, her magic is taken away. Even without her magic, however, Gwendolen somehow manages to get herself into another world, pulling a whole string of Gwendolen doubles along with her. Janet, Gwendolen's replacement, is much nicer to Cat, but they have trouble keeping the switch a secret. In the meantime, the pair get caught up in a plot that has Gwendolen at the center of it, a scheme that could disrupt not only Chrestomanci Castle, but several worlds, and it's up to Cat, who may not be as insignificant as he thought, to save the day.
Review: "Charmed Life" is a wonderful fantasy with memorable characters and a great new world. Cat is an adorable protagonist, and Gwendolen is a believable, petty villain who's a refreshing change from the usual evil. Each character is fantastically unique and well-developed without going over the top on minor character development. The plot, while it doesn't really go anywhere (pretty much the whole book takes place at Chrestomanci Castle), is nevertheless engaging. The world the book takes place in is a charming mix of historical England and a fantastical world of magic and dragons. "Charmed Life" will appeal to fantasy lovers, but can, and should, be enjoyed by others as well.