Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones was a British fantasy author whose inventive, witty, and wonderfully unpredictable novels for children and young adults are regarded as some of the finest fantasy fiction ever written. Her influence on the genre is immense, and her work continues to win new readers decades after its original publication. Born in London in 1934, Jones grew up in an eccentric, book-filled household and attended lectures by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien at the University of Oxford, where she studied English. She began writing in the 1970s and published over forty novels, as well as short stories and the legendary The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, a wickedly funny reference guide to fantasy fiction clichés. Howl's Moving Castle (1986) is her best-known novel — the story of Sophie Hatter, a young woman cursed to live as an old woman, who takes up residence in the moving castle of the mysterious Wizard Howl. The novel was adapted into a beloved animated film by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in 2004. Castle in the Air (1990) and House of Many Ways (2008) are companion novels. The Chrestomanci series — including Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant, and Witch Week — follows a powerful enchanter responsible for controlling the use of magic across parallel worlds. The Dalemark Quartet, Fire and Hemlock, Archer's Goon, The Homeward Bounders, Hexwood, and Deep Secret are among her many other acclaimed novels. Jones wrote with boundless imagination, sharp intelligence, and a refusal to talk down to her readers. Her plots are famously complex, her characters are vivid and unpredictable, and her humour is dry and sophisticated. Jones died in 2011, but her books remain essential reading. The audiobook editions of Jones's novels are enchanting. Her books and audiobooks are essential for fantasy readers of all ages who love inventive, intelligent, and joyfully unpredictable storytelling.