I absolutely adored reading this book!

I initially sat down with the intention of only reading a few pages while I waited for something. However, before I knew it, I had finished the entire book by the end of the day!!

The way the plot gradually unfolded and the mystery kept growing bigger and more captivating was truly super engaging.

Christopher is such a delightful character. Conrad, on the other hand, complements his pixie dream girl personality extremely well. Watching them interact is thoroughly entertaining as Conrad is very practical while Christopher is overly dramatic.

The ending was a bit sudden, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the epilogue being so brief. But overall, I really relished the journey with this one.

I definitely have to reread it at some point :) It's fantastic writing as always.

Conrad grew up in the bookstore run by his uncle. When he was 12 years old, he was told a shocking thing - not only was he burdened with the sins of his past life, but he would also die in a short period of time! The only solution was to kill the enemy from his past life, who was hiding in a high-end residence. Helpless, Conrad, under the arrangement of his uncle, applied for a servant position in the high-end residence, but encountered another strange boy, Christopher, also vying for the same position...

This is the sixth installment of Chrestomanci! This volume was not published by尖端出版社either.

The book tells the story of Christopher before he became Chrestomanci, so it is set before the fourth installment, The Lives of Christopher Chant, when everyone was still a child. And the personalities of the children are so different from when they grow up XD The most mysterious one is Millie XD I still can't understand why she would marry Christopher. The romantic parts in Diana's books are so elusive~

I'm not sure if Conrad appears in other books. It seems like it's time to go back and review...

Conrad simply desires to join his friends at the new school. However, his uncle firmly believes that his bad karma will ultimately lead to his death. As a result, instead of going to school, Conrad is dispatched to work at Stallery Mansion to uncover the source of his bad karma. Once there, he discovers another boy in-training who also appears to have his own motives for being at the Mansion.

I fail to understand why people consider Christopher annoying and unlikable. I, on the other hand, adore reading about him! Unlike the previous installments of Chrestomanci, this one is narrated by Conrad in the first person. I find Conrad highly likable in his own right. But I adored the two as a duo - they form great friendships and make an excellent team!

Christopher is indeed full of himself, but I never sense that it is in an overbearing way, and he does possess several redeeming qualities. Conrad is younger and less experienced, but despite being a bit naive, he seems to know how to handle situations in the heat of the moment. I truly believe that this volume has made the Chrestomanci series a personal favorite.

Apart from the disappointment of being misled by the cat on the cover (as there were no cats!), this was a wonderful story filled with mystery and humor. And how can one not love a story set in a magnificent old mansion? Stallery Mansion surely had quite a few hidden corners that emerged quite unexpectedly. In fact, I am almost disappointed that they weren't explored even more thoroughly!

Conrad's Fate was a nearly flawless work of its kind, and it was an absolute delight to read. I think the ending could have benefited from an additional chapter or two, as everything was wrapped up extremely quickly. However, the actual conclusion regarding what became of Conrad, Christopher, and Millie was charming - I'd love to interpret that as Conrad and Christopher viewing each other as a sort of best friend.

Possibly my favourite of the Chrestomanci novels, this book is truly captivating. It tells the story of a boy named Conrad who is sent by his uncle to work at the local castle with a dark purpose - to kill someone as it is believed to be his fate. Just like many of Diana Wynne Jones’s books, it presents a wonderful blend of magic and reality. The magic emanating from the castle disrupts the TV reception in the town below, adding an element of mystery and charm. Conrad’s mum, who is deeply engrossed in writing a book, isn’t much assistance to anyone, which always gives me a tinge of sadness.

The tale of Conrad’s fate is enthralling, as is his struggle with his undercover role as a footman in the exquisitely described castle. The question of who is behind the magical disturbances keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. These individual storylines are all gripping on their own. However, what truly makes this book stand out is the addition of the mysterious boy, Christopher. He is the link between this world and many others, as well as between this book and the other installments in the Chrestomanci series. Confident, charming, and handsome, Christopher is not at all what he seems. From the moment he steps out of a gypsy caravan into Conrad’s story, it springs to life. There are few such charismatic almost-heroes in children’s literature. I’m fairly certain that I’ve modeled several of my own heroes after trying to recapture the complex emotions I feel towards Christopher every time I read about him. This is a magical book set in a fabulous environment, and for those who love fantasy, it simply doesn’t get any better than this.

Tan divertida, original y maravillosa como siempre.

The Chrestomanci saga is becoming one of my all-time favorites :3

Here we get to know Christopher when he is about 18 years old, through the eyes of his partner in misfortune, Conrad, a boy who starts working in a large mansion in an attempt to put an end to his Bad Luck (which pursues him to the point of wanting to kill him).

As usually happens, the final twist I didn't see it coming at all, because if you want to be surprised, read a book by this author and that's it.

Anyway, these novels are my happy place: magic, English humor, absurd and realistic characters, wizards, libraries, an infinite network of worlds... and our beloved Christopher ♡

I just can't get enough of this series. The way the author weaves the story, creating a complex and enchanting universe, is truly remarkable. Each character has their own unique personality and backstory, which makes them feel so real. The magic system is also very interesting, with its own rules and limitations. And the humor! It always manages to make me laugh out loud. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy, humor, and a good story.

Elegant line drawings head the 20 chapters, underscoring the humor. Sunnyside-up eggs and sliding slices of bacon decorate like shoe buckles below striped silk stockings on page 160. When probabilities shift, Conrad 12 and his fellow page, incognito Christopher Chant 15, learn to cook an alternate breakfast menu choice at Stallery manor. Most transformations are minor or ignored, as "half Stallchester thinks postboxes were always blue" not red on page 19.

Like Jones' previous "Lives of Christopher Chant", the naïve boy narrator is fooled by a bad uncle ("shrewd respectable faces and expensive clothes" on page 47), caught in between romancing couples and neglectful parents. Here, there is more fun and less scariness, with no lives lost. We see the rich Stallery estate through Conrad's eyes. We accept lies from adults in charge, ease our foot blisters on the carpet of grass, fear the drooling watchdog Champ ("short for Champion and not a description of its habits" for eating on page 194), gawk at the gilded gaudy extravagance, and resent and admire the confident classy Christopher who is "all right underneath. And he makes me laugh" on page 309.

Conrad's stingy uncle Alfred Grant claims that to foil bad karma, the lad must kill someone at the rich estate. Someone on Stallery hill illegally shifts the time-space continuum, causing neighboring worlds to collapse sideways and threatening all the universe. From series Twelve, the powerful magician Christopher searches Seven for his best friend Millie, and their mentor, ruling Chrestomanci Gabriel de Witt, seeks them and the source of universal destruction. Christopher's annoying arrogance and love for Millie are clear in the small responses by them and others.

We see through some deceptions before Conrad. Though he spent all 12 years in an Alpine tourist village Stallchester, he did attend school and church. His ignorance of the consequence for murder (hanging) can be attributed to naïvety rather than a plot error.

People are convincingly real, despite the caricatures. Who is bad? Good? All feel humanly both. Who is high class? Low? Middle? The ending turns Downton Abbey preconceptions upside down. The cruel Countess reprimands, with mighty anger invested in a sweet small "why". Actors hired for extra servants are among the many hilarities. Temporary Under-Butler Prendergast, the best imitator of the small pigeon-like Amos, is "almost ridiculously tall and thin, with a sideways sort of hitch to his face" on page 266. He calls the gardener Avenloch and the boy Smedley "a rake and a wheelbarrow" on page 301.

As before, clues hint at the truth. Lady Mary Ogworth, the aspiring fiancée to the heir, would be a witch even without her glamor spells, just for her mean treatment of servants. A tabloid magazine in the ruined Stallery version has drawings, not photos, so who is the bouncing ball ghost? Why are the alternate Stallery mansions always decrepit?

Clever plot twists lost me in their sudden accumulation at the end. The convoluted solution of disguises and loving couples is worthy of Shakespeare and Dickens, the soap opera genius of his day. Other reviewers do not even try to sort out the identities. I had to read again.

Every minor role is as vivid as a major part, a treasure all. Butler Mr Amos is a "short pear-shaped penguin" on page 355, more awe-inspiring than the Bishop, with eyes like "stones in his purple face" on page 75, smelling "strongly of good cloth, fine wine, and cigar" on page 76, and rocking "on small shiny feet" on page 79. In his son Hugo, "big lips and a snubby nose" are "nice-looking" on page 82.

Miss Semple is "one of those nice, kind people who have no sense of humor at all" on page 100. We benefit from the author's abundant fun, although purples feature in excess. The unnamed witch whose knitting traps Millie in the decrepit versions of Stallery is "a heavily built woman with a blunt, mauve face.. the kind of woman who knows you're up to no good, even if you aren't, and calls the police" on page 232. Expressed just as a child would, convoluted yet clear.

Housekeeper Mrs Baldock has "purple bits down the side of her face were almost violet with impatience", "huge ankles that draped over the sides of her buckled shoes" on page 127 and sends them to learn ironing. Christopher burns "a dark brown iron-shape.. printed a whole row of church windows right across the sheet. Then.. a daisy-shape in the lower half", while gawking Conrad's iron chisels "a very deep black.. dug-out canoe" on page 131. Christopher pish-tushes his own quick magical recovery with "Pig-headed piffle!" on page 133.

Ordered to choose the finest raw vegetables, Christopher mistakes gooseberries for "splendid peas, really big ones. Oh no, they're hairy. It can't be good for peas to have bristles, can it?", "bright red chilies" for "fine, glossy carrots" or "Long, thin cherries" on page 134. In 2010, for UK cooking author Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution", W. Virginia kindergarteners failed to identify even tomatoes or potatoes from beloved ketchup or french fries.

Typo:
On page 92, "tweak at my neckloth, than at Christopher's" should be "then" as on page 82.

Not typos:
On page 63, gypsy caravans "I hadn't noticed there were three before" becomes
On page 64, "all five caravans moved off at once. I hadn't realized there were so many" becomes
"all six carts bumped down into the road" so we know they are magical.
On page 186, "tag" is also known as "tig" in the UK.
"damn" - why bother with a single curse at all?
On page 193, "I can't feel her at all.. I hope I don't understand". Not sure whether "don't" is supposed to be there or not. Is he denying suspicion she's dead and gone?

A truly spellbinding story unfolds about a boy who is believed to have bad karma.

This captivating tale had me completely engrossed from start to finish. I loved this book with a passion and found it almost impossible to put down.

Each and every page serves as a crucial key that unlocks the mysteries and leads to the rest of the story. As the narrative progresses, all the pieces gradually fit together perfectly at the end, creating a seamless and satisfying conclusion.

It is just a wonderful book that takes the reader on an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. The author's skillful storytelling and vivid descriptions bring the characters and the events to life, making it a truly immersive reading experience. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story that keeps them on the edge of their seat until the very last page.

This book is suitable for readers between the ages of 9 and 12, but not only.

I am still amazed by the author's imagination and the simple, yet so vivid way in which she builds her characters.

In a multidimensional world, the wizards can travel from one place/space to another, and their apprentices can just as well mess things up not only in one dimension, but in many.

We have likeable characters, one or more mysteries, a girl lost between worlds, a tragic destiny (or maybe not), in short, all the ingredients of a successful book.

The story takes the readers on an exciting journey through different dimensions, filled with magic and adventure.

The characters are well-developed and the plot is engaging, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

It is a book that will appeal to both children and adults who love fantasy and adventure.

Overall, it is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and exciting book.

The last Chrestomanci book I read, namely Charmed Life, rather dampened my enthusiasm for reading any more works by DWJ for a certain period. Before that, I had placed this particular book on suspended hold at the library. Subsequently, I completely forgot about it. However, it arrived at the library after some time, and I did check it out. Eventually, I got around to reading it, and I'm truly glad that I did.

It has a light and playful ambiance, and the probability shifts are quite amusing. Just picture suddenly realizing that your uniform has changed both its style and colors in the brief moment it takes you to pick up a plate of what was supposed to be meat and potatoes but is now stuffed eggs. Christopher and Conrad are both endearing characters. Each of them is valiantly grappling with the problems that lie before them in their own unique ways. Even in poor Conrad's situation, the problems are mostly caused by others and are largely self-inflicted.

The imagery of all the dilapidated mansions and those places that would never receive any care is indeed sorrowful. By the conclusion of the book, one understands that Stallery too will be abandoned. Aside from that, it is a cheerful book, and it is undoubtedly satisfying to witness the "Countess" getting what she deserves.

The backdrop of the story is also fascinating. It is effortless to envision a grand mansion bustling with people and activity, with footmen and maids scurrying around ten and twenty at a time to maintain the spoilt lifestyle of four individuals. Whether it was intended or not, it prompts a few thoughts regarding class systems.

Diana Wynne Jones is an outstanding author who has an incredible talent for writing.

Throughout her life, she has never produced a single bad book.

"Conrad's Fate" is one of her remarkable works that contains some of the most fascinating magic I have ever come across in literature.

The magic in this book is so captivating that it immediately grabs the reader's attention.

However, what makes this book even more special is the charming prose and enchanting characters that Jones has created.

The prose is so beautifully written that it flows smoothly, making it a pleasure to read.

The characters are also very well-developed, with their own unique personalities and quirks.

They are so vivid and lifelike that the reader can easily imagine them as real people.

In fact, the charm of the prose and the characters is so great that it almost overshadows the magic in the book.

But upon closer inspection, one can see that the magic is an essential part of the story, adding depth and excitement to the plot.

Overall, "Conrad's Fate" is a wonderful book that showcases Diana Wynne Jones' exceptional writing skills.

Another delightful book from Diana Wynne Jones presents a young Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant) as a new friend to our protagonist, Conrad. Conrad is dispatched to work in service in a luxurious house in order to resolve an apparent curse on himself.

The story is filled with numerous interesting twists and turns. However, I'm not entirely certain that it justifies the rather generous length of the book. There are sections where not a great deal occurs apart from service and investigation.

Nevertheless, things pick up significantly towards the very end. It's a book where Wynne Jones's unique approach to magic might pose a bit of a hindrance. In Conrad's Fate, hardly anyone views the crazy happenings as particularly strange, which can make them seem rather ordinary to the reader. (The constant alteration of probability, a favorite device of Douglas Adams, is used here in an extremely understated way.)

Thankfully, the author's usual charm more or less makes up for it.

This is a most beguiling fantasy tale that is set in a world (or perhaps multiple worlds) that is just slightly sideways of our own. The story takes the reader on a captivating journey filled with mystery and wonder.

While I did feel that the resolution was a bit too neatly tied up, it didn't overshadow the many strengths of the narrative. The stakes along the way are extremely high, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. There are some truly excellent depictions of high weirdness that add an element of the unexpected and the otherworldly.

In addition to the fantastical elements, the author also does a great job of描绘ing the domestic hurly-burly of a large household. The characters are well-developed and come to life on the page, each with their own unique personalities and quirks. Overall, it's a thoroughly enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of fantasy and those who appreciate a well-told story.