The Pinhoe Egg facts for kids
First edition (UK)
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| Author | Diana Wynne Jones |
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| Illustrator | Tim Stevens |
| Cover artist | Tim Stevens |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Chrestomanci |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
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Publication date
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September 2006 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 458 |
| ISBN | 978-0-00-722854-6 |
| OCLC | 70059480 |
| LC Class | PZ7.J684 Pin 2006 |
| Preceded by | Conrad's Fate |
The Pinhoe Egg is an exciting fantasy book for kids. It was written by a British author named Diana Wynne Jones. The book came out in 2006. It was the last book in her popular Chrestomanci series.
This story takes us back to Chrestomanci Castle. We also meet Cat Chant again, who was in the first Chrestomanci book. The book also introduces Marianne Pinhoe. She lives in a village near the castle. Her family uses a very different kind of magic. It's unlike any magic Chrestomanci or his students have seen before.
The Chrestomanci books are named after a powerful enchanter. He is also a British government official. He lives in a world much like ours. His job is to make sure magic is used properly. This important job is called the Chrestomanci office. The Pinhoe Egg happens in our time. It features Christopher Chant, who is the Chrestomanci in most of the books. People often call him Chrestomanci as his name.
Contents
Story Overview
Marianne Pinhoe's family tries to keep their magic a secret. They don't want the "Big Man," or Chrestomanci, to get involved. He usually steps in when people use magic wrongly. And the Pinhoes are definitely doing some things they shouldn't.
Gammer, the leader of the Pinhoe family, seems to have gone a bit crazy. But Marianne doesn't fully believe it. She thinks Gammer is sending magical problems to the Farleighs. The Farleighs are another family who also want to avoid the "Big Man's" attention.
The Farleighs and Pinhoes used to work together. But now, Gammer seems to have started a magical fight. It will be hard for them to keep their magic hidden for long.
Meanwhile, at Chrestomanci Castle, Cat gets a horse. He also meets Jason, who used to work at the castle. Jason was a bootboy when the current Chrestomanci was young. Cat helps Jason and his new wife choose a house. They pick Woods House, which used to be Gammer's home.
While showing Cat around, Marianne gives him an old egg from the attic. This egg has strong "Don't Notice" spells on it. Such an egg is sure to catch the "Big Man's" eye. This is exactly what the Pinhoe family, especially Gammer, wants to avoid.
Main Characters
Marianne Pinhoe
Marianne is the main character of the book. She is supposed to become the next Gammer of the Pinhoe family. But that's not what she wants at all. She has very strong magic, but she doesn't know it. She is an enchantress, even though her mother trains her to be a witch. She seems to have a lot of "dwimmer," which is a type of magic.
Joe Pinhoe
Joe is Marianne's brother. He is sent to work as a bootboy at Chrestomanci Castle. His real job is to spy for his family. However, he isn't very interested in spying. He mostly just hangs around. His family sees him as a disappointment. But he planned it that way on purpose. Joe likes to build things using magic and machines. He and Roger try to turn this into a money-making business.
Eric "Cat" Chant
In the first Chrestomanci book, Cat was quite lonely. He stuck close to his older sister and later to Janet. He also didn't trust the adults at the Castle. In The Pinhoe Egg, we see that he has grown. He now likes and trusts the people at the Castle. He makes many new friends. These include older characters like Jason and his wife, Irene. He also befriends people his own age, like Marianne.
Cat gets a horse named Syracuse. They become very close friends. He also gets a griffin named Klartch. Klartch was a mistake, hatched from an egg Marianne gave him.
Roger Chant
Roger is the son of Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant) and Millie. He is quite big, like his sister. Instead of wanting a horse, he got a bicycle. He becomes good friends with Joe Pinhoe. Together, they secretly build a flying machine.
Julia Chant
Julia is the daughter of Chrestomanci and Millie. She got "horse fever" from Janet. She tried to ride Syracuse, but she couldn't handle his personality. So, Syracuse became Cat's horse. Julia used to have a crush on Jason. She is upset when she learns that he is married.
Janet Chant
Janet is like Cat's sister, Gwendolen, but from another world. She used to live in a normal world, possibly ours. She came to Cat's world because of Gwendolen. Janet can be fiery sometimes, but she is usually kind and understanding. She discovers she is afraid of horses. Like Julia, she was very fond of Jason. She was even more upset than Julia when he showed up married. She had been planning to marry him in the future.
Irene
Irene is the woman who married Jason. She is described as having an "Egyptian profile, with dark hair." Her loyal gardener and Marianne call her "Princess Irene." Most people end up liking her, even Janet and Julia. She is a Pinhoe, and she buys Gammer's old house. It is strongly suggested that she will become the next Gammer. This is because she has a lot of "dwimmer."
Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant)
He is also known as Christopher Chant. The Pinhoes call him "The Big Man." 'Chrestomanci' is the title of a very important job. It is held by an enchanter with nine lives. This enchanter keeps order in the magical worlds. He is the father of Roger and Julia Chant. He is also the guardian of Janet Chant. Cat is learning from him to become the next Chrestomanci.
Millie
Millie is Chrestomanci's wife. She is a kind, loving woman. She is also a very powerful enchantress.
Awards and Recognition
The Pinhoe Egg was a runner-up for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. This was in the children's section. It was the sixth time Diana Wynne Jones was a finalist for this yearly award. The award is given by the Mythopoeic Society.
Locus magazine readers voted it number six for the 2007 Locus Award. This was for the best young adult book. In 2009, it was a finalist for the Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Awards. This was in the intermediate division.
