Enchanted Glass

I happened to have this sitting on my shelf with some other library books when I heard Diana Wynne Jones died. I have been a considerable fan of her fiction since I first read Charmed Life back in the late 70's. She seemed to have this great gift for making magic worlds where the magic felt as real as a sunset or a tree in bloom, without ever becoming mundane, pedestrian or .. well, unmagical.

Not all of her fiction was particularly polished. Sometimes it could be a little bit of a homemade cake - still delicious but a little bit wonky on one side and with few crumbs in the frosting. But I kind of liked that about her. She felt to me like a workmanlike storyteller, a craftsperson. Nothing particularly precious about DWJ.

Among the obits show more and memoriams printed this month there was one that said She was amused by the considerable academic attention her work attracted; reading in one paper that her work was "rooted in fluidity", she remarked: "Obviously hydroponic, probably a lettuce, possibly a cabbage."

There's Diana, wry, funny, never above her company or seduced by others into thinking herself either better or worse than she actually was. Feet firmly on the ground, head firmly in the clouds. So. To Enchanted Glass. Its a lovely cabbage.

In fact some parts of it concern cabbages. And village fetes, and incursions from Elfland, and computers, and werepuppies, and lost heirs and housekeepers who will insist on moving the furniture and messing up the filing system so nobody can find the spell to fix the leak in the roof. Its not the best thing she's ever written, its not the worst. Its right in the center of her wheelhouse, and so an ideal book really, with which to comfort myself in the week in which she left us. show less

Andrew was working at a university when his grandfather Jocelyn Green died, leaving him a legacy that turns out to be more than he can remember. For example, he can remember that the panes of glass on the back door should not be broken or that he leaves his gardener's inedible vegetables outside overnight, but he doesn't remember their importance or who eats them, respectively. Then there's the field-of-care, the tract of land under the protection of his grandfather, and now Andrew himself. Aidan Cain, a boy with no little magical ability himself, runs from mysterious visitors into Andrew's protection. Will Andrew be able to remember what his grandfather told him and come into his inheritance? Why is Aidan in danger? And what is the show more importance of the panes of glass on his kitchen door?

Diana Wynne Jones is one of the authors on my "automatic order" list - when a new book comes out, I immediately put it on hold at the library sight unseen and knowing as little about the story as possible. This story does not disappoint. The story is a fast read with twists and turns carrying the reader along with it. The characters sometimes run to eccentric but are so much fun to spend time with. Like Howl's Moving Castle, each individual's approach to magic is a little different, and magic is accepted alongside science as part of reality. Highly recommended. show less

Andrew Hope inherits two things from his grandfather: Melstone House and an ill-explained duty to look after the "field of care" surrounding the house and village. Andrew also inherits his grandfather's housekeeper, Mrs. Stock, and gardener, Mr. Stock (no relation to each other). This contentious pair inflict punishments on Andrew when he offends them - Mrs. Stock by cooking nasty meals, and Mr. Stock by delivering inedibly large veg. Add one mysterious runaway boy, Aiden, Mr. Stock's lovely niece, Stache, Mrs. Stock's simple nephew, Shaun, a giant, a dog, an assortment of villagers, the evil Mr. Brown from Melstone Manor, and Mr. Brown's assorted henchmen. And magic, of course - it wouldn't be a Diana Wynne Jones book without magic. show more Andrew and Aiden have to figure out how to protect the field of care, the mystery of Aiden's parentage and why he is being pursued by a number of very nasty customers, and what to do about the encroaching Mr. Brown.

This was a very enjoyable book - not as complicated as some of DWJ's stories, but very satisfying, and like the others will be well worth re-reading. Also the cover, depicting the stained glass window from Andrew's kitchen door, is beautiful. show less

I think Enchanted Glass is maybe the fifteenth Diana Wynne Jones book I've read and it's definitely one of my favorites. I would even say top five after the first two Chrestomanci books, Howl's Moving Castle and House of Many Ways. It has everything I like most about her books -- magic in everyday situations, positive family (and adopted family) relationships and a bit of danger.

Andrew Hope inherits his grandfather's home but doesn't realize that with it he also inherits a "field-of-care" -- a magical parcel of land containing his home and the local town. After the arrival of young Aidan, a runaway orphan who is being chased by mysterious beings, Andrew has to remember things he learned as a child but subsequently forgot and try to show more figure out how to protect this young boy and all of the citizens of Melstone from the shady Mr. Brown.

I couldn't read this book fast enough. And yet, I regret reading it as fast as I did because it was wonderful and comforting -- like most DWJ books!

http://webereading.com/2010/06/new-release-enchanted-glass.html show less

When the magician Jocelyn Brandon dies, he leaves his house and field-of-care to his grandson, Andrew Hope, an academic in his thirties. Despite spending much of his childhood at Melstone, Andrew has forgotten most of what having a field-of-care entails, and is unaware of the extent of his own magical abilities. He is confronted with domestic issues caused by the strong-willed housekeeper and gardener he has inherited, and difficulties in writing his novel (about history)... and then 12-year-old Aidan Cain arrives at Melstone House looking for Jocelyn Brandon. Aidan is perused by the mysterious Stalkers and follows the advice of his recently deceased grandmother - that if in trouble, he should go to Jocelyn Hope.
As Andrew and Aidan show more explore the boundaries of the Melstone field-of-care, meet more of the unusual characters who live within it, evade Aidan's perusers, they realise that something is not right... and that the stain-glass window in the kitchen door is more than just a window.

Enchanted Glass is a delightful, entertaining story, which bears many of Jones' trademarks - a wonderful sense of place (including beautiful old buildings), quirky characters, a unique take on magic and a mystery surrounding the magic, magic creeping up on seeming-reality, an interesting appearance by modern version of some mythical figures, and a dog.
I love that the two characters are of different generations yet are able to find common ground, and that the story is both of theirs equally. There is something very likeable and convincing about both of them. (I love how Jones has captured the quirks glasses wearers can have, and given it a certain significance). Aidan is a very believable portrayal of a boy still grieving, and I love how the (sensible) adults treat his grief sensitively and with respect.

However, I personally thought there was something less than satisfying about Enchanted Glass. I think it was that it came so close to being brilliant but ultimately wasn't. There is an understated romance, which for me was a bit too understated to be convincing (although I approval of understated romance in general and there were things about it I thought Jones handled well). Also, something fell flat regarding both the final denouncement (maybe it was just a tiny bit too predictable?) and the 'final twist/revelation', which instead of being revealed where it may have changed the shape of the story, is added at the end.
Still, I wonder if my disappointment is merely because I was hoping for something else, rather than an indication that there was something wrong with what there was. It is a solid story - entertaining and enjoyable. Just not the DWJ I'd take to a desert island.

And because it is notable... the cover is fantastic. Not only is the enchanted glass crucial to the story, but the image captures it exactly how it is described - and manages to do so and still be an attractive and appealing cover! That's not something I'm in the habit of saying about DWJ covers! Kudos to whoever was behind that one. show less

Andrew Hope inherits Melstone House - a place he's always loved - from his grandfather, giving him the opportunity to pack in his job at the nearby University and write a book. But with the House come responsibilites and Andrew finds himself immersed in local politics of many descriptions. Then the 12 year old runaway, Aidan Cain turns up on his doorstep, looking for Andrew's grandfather, chased by mysterious Stalkers.

You can always rely on Diana Wynne Jones for simple but humourous and imaginative stories that just make you feel good. You care about the characters, even the awkward ones and, even after reading many, many DWJs books, I still find I usually can't predict how the plot will resolve. This was indeed the case for her new show more book and I now feel vindicated in my dislike of cauliflower cheese! show less

Despite being a staunch and long-time DWJ fan, I'm tempted to downgrade this story to 2½-stars. This is my 3rd reading and I'll be giving the book away now. The main protagonist has never appealed to me and the vague tie-in of a variation on the Tam Lin story was off-putting. Overall, the book’s storyline felt unfinished, or perhaps more like an early draught of a good idea. It is possible that DWJ was quite unwell by then and wasn’t in a position to undertake rewriting the story.

One of DWJ's writing styles I've always liked was her creative worlds of magic. In her earlier books, the magical fantasy was "almost plausible" and akin to a mythopoeic world of nature. However, the atmosphere in Enchanted Glass is very different show more bordering on rather unpleasant.

First quibble: the romance between Andrew and Stashe was so implausible, lacking realistic development. It's inclusion in the plot never felt logical.
As well, there is a twist to the story that was quite bizarre, involving family members. Second quibble, did this big reveal of who were the parents of what turns out to be closely related characters really enhance the storyline? I found these situations took away from the tale. show less