Jones, Diana Wynne. Witch Week (2001 ed). 269 Pages. Greenwillow Books. $6.99
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci
Well, I’m not sure how I feel about Witch Week. I will say that it’s why I knew about Guy Fawkes before V for Vendetta came out, but to be honest, Guy Fawkes Day isn’t even a blip on the U.S. calendar. Nor had I heard of Witch Week, which is (apparently) the week between Halloween and November 5th. Though, even if I do have a very mild grasp of the premise, I do really enjoy the narrative. I enjoy Diana Wynne Jones’ prose as a rule, and this is no exception.
In a world related to Chrestomanci’s, magic is illegal, so of course the world is full of it. Witches are burned at the stake, and their orphans are sent to places like Larwood House. It’s a boarding school and orphanage, all in one. There are several points of view in this book, though Nan Pilgrim and Charles Morgan are the central characters. Charles has had several encounters with witches in the past, and Nan is descended from a famous witch. Both of them come into their powers during the story, which is what starts the plot along. They alternately explore their powers, and try to hide them, because discovery means death, even for children.
Unfortunately for Nan and Charles, they are not the only ones discovering their magic, and things are not entirely as they seem. When Brian Wentworth disappears and “the Witch” is blamed, they must run for their lives before the inquisitors get them.
In Conclusion:
This book does require at least a basic understanding of Guy Fawkes, which I think many Americans lack. There’s an editor’s note at the beginning which explains in brief, and that is enough to grasp the basics. Additionally, I know some people have trouble with books that have multiple P.O.V. transitions– this is one of them. Nan and Charles are central, and while the book is mostly told from their viewpoints, they are not the only narrators. I did enjoy it, but I’m not sufficiently satisfied by the ending, which feels like a bit of a cop-out. It scores a 4.5/5.
Aelia Reads 
This one grew on me astronomically from my first reading to, say, my third. But I did know a reasonable amount about Guy Fawkes to begin with–I had this great series of (British) picture books when I was small, and one of them was called Hare and Guy Fawkes. So I knew about the festivities as well as the historical background, more or less, from when I was a little kid. I expect it makes a world of difference.
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I think I may have enjoyed it more when I was younger. I’ve forever had a mental image of Nan wrapped in a pink blanket (a different one from the book cover) looking crankily at the stupid broom. Someday, I might try to draw it.
However, I did still like it, just maybe not as much as I did the first time.
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