I'm not quite sure of the first Diana Wynne Jones book I read - it might have been "A Sudden Wild Magic." The title is stuck in my mind, even if the plot isn't. I probably read it when I was finishing high school. It counts as one of her "adult" works. I remember loving the twists and turns - I actually have vague memories of checking it out and reading it twice. It's been close to twenty years, though, so I'm not terribly surprised I've forgotten some details.
I fell in love when I read The Chronicles of Chrestomanci. I had bought Volumes 1 and 2, and remember starting to read them while I was staying over at a friend's house, but for the life of me I can't remember what made me pick them up. Or buy them. Had I just heard her name somewhere and thought I should read some of her books? Did the covers catch my attention? The description of the enclosed novels? I really wish I could remember. I don't think I realized she'd written A Sudden Wild Magic for quite a while - the tone between her adult work and YA fiction is different.
Mrs. Jones (or should it be Wynne-Jones? I'm not entirely sure) died last Saturday. Many people have written her wonderful tributes. One thing that I've noted in all the commentary is that so many people wish they'd found her books when they were younger.
I'm among them. I didn't read the Chrestomanci books until I was in my mid-twenties. I love them now, but what a revelation they would have been when I was in my teens. How did I miss them? I haunted our libraries - the Book Mobile librarian protested at how many books I checked out each week. "She won't be able to read all of those," he'd tell Mom. "Oh yes, she will," Mom would reply. She'd happily conspire in my book frenzy. Family friends would constantly bring books to us. I remember reading various authors: Zilpha Keatly Snyder. John Bellairs. Lois Duncan. Natalie Babbitt. How did I miss Diana Wynne Jones? I didn't let genre stop me, or "age group" or any of that - if it interested me, I picked it up. And her books would have definitely grabbed me.
I think I like her "young adult" books more. Happily, I could be proven wrong - there's still many I haven't found. I keep hoping the books will be re-released as the fantasy craze continues.
Some of my very favorite books of hers include:
The Dark Lord of Derkhelm
Howl's Moving Castle*
The Lives of Christopher Chant
**The movie version of Howl's Moving Castle is a great movie, and an excellent example of how one artist can take the work of another, put their individual stamp upon it, and yet still retain the spirit of the original.
