The Magicians of Caprona

Book 2 of the Chrestomanci Series

Diana Wynne Jones

Illustrated by Alison Bryant

From the author of Howl’s Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones, comes The Magicians of Caprona, the second book in the fantastical ‘Chrestomanci’ series, presented by Folio in its first ever fully illustrated edition with artwork by Alison Bryant.

‘The best children's writer of the last forty years.’

Neil Gaiman

Enter a world of feuding wizard families, where spells are sung, and cats are wise indeed! Folio is back with the second installation of Diana Wynne Jones’s ‘Chrestomanci’ series, the riotously theatrical The Magicians of Caprona. Developed closely with the author’s estate, this sorcerous edition comes bursting with six vibrant illustrations by series artist Alison Bryant. Explore the fantastical Italian dukedom of Caprona, dominated by two families of rival spell-makers: Casa Montana and Casa Petrocchi. Two adventurous children – Tonino Montana and Angelica Petrocchi – must set their differences aside and uncover the identity of a rogue enchanter before their families’ ancient grudge breaks to new and magical mutiny.

It's a story that remains as fresh and inventive as when it was first published in 1980. Bound in printed, textured paper featuring Alison Bryant’s charming cover art, this edition includes Jones’s original foreword and author’s note, detailing both the inspiration and writing of this classic children’s fantasy. Boasting some of the most memorable scenes in the entire ‘Chrestomanci’ sequence – the shapeshifting duel in which spells are sung like opera; Tonino transformed into a sinister wooden puppet – The Magicians of Caprona combines the whimsical with the nightmarish in the tradition of Lewis Carroll and Roald Dahl, a truly magical tale conjured by one of the most influential children’s and fantasy authors of all time.

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Bound in printed and blocked textured paper 

Set in Legacy Serif with Wonder Night as display 

296 pages   

7 full-page colour illustrations 

Black & white illustrated title page and chapter heads 

Endpapers and slipcase printed in silver 

9˝ x 6 ¼˝ 

Printed in Slovakia

DISCOVER A WORLD WHERE SPELLS ARE SONGS

‘Stands out from the crowd, for her humour, her originality and her touching, clever, rollickingly good stories.’

Guardian

Inspiring a generation of fantasy authors, including Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman and Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones is a multiple-award-winning master of the genre. For all its playfulness and dazzling theatrics, the ‘Chrestomanci ‘series is anchored by its humane characters, vivid prose, and a melding of the mundane and the magical that makes Wynne Jones’s tales so fondly remembered and influential. Alison Bryant invokes that perfect sense of nostalgia in her original artwork for this edition, from a spellbinding cover, full-page illustrations, and chapter headings to quirky endpaper designs. Bound in gorgeously textured paper with a slipcase in midnight blue and moonlit silver, this edition is truly worthy of a place in the Scriptorium of Casa Montana. The Magicians of Caprona is Diana Wynne Jones at her cleverest and most exuberant, both a perfect showcase of her storytelling brilliance and a classic example of British children’s fantasy. Whether rekindling memories of a childhood read or introducing to younger readers more familiar with Harry Potter, this is a story that will surprise and enthral, casting a spell that’s hard to break.

BIOGRAPHIES

About Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones had an unsettled childhood against the background of the Second World War. Her family moved frequently, finally settling in rural Essex. She and her two sisters were deprived of books but, armed with a vivid imagination and an insatiable appetite for stories, Jones wrote them herself to read to her sisters. She never ceased writing, and from 1973 onwards published many titles, which have been released worldwide in 30 languages. Her magical adventures have enthralled children and adults ever since. Among Jones’s best-loved books are the ‘Chrestomanci’ series and Howl’s Moving Castle (1986, Folio 2019) and its two sequels. In 2004 Howl’s Moving Castle was made into an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki for Studio Ghibli, Japan. It broke all box-office records in Japan at the time and was nominated for an Oscar. Jones’s numerous awards include the Guardian Award for Children’s Fiction, two Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards and a Life Achievement Award at the World Fantasy Convention 2007. Neil Gaiman called her ‘the best writer of Magic there is’.

About Alison Bryant

Alison Bryant is a Devon-based illustrator who studied at Harrow Art School before completing a postgraduate course in publishing. After graduating she spent two years in Zambia, teaching drawing at the Africa Literature Centre. She works with a range of media and uses digital techniques to combine her drawings and prints. Her clients include Notion, Hodder Wayland, Macmillan and Barefoot Books. For Folio, Alison has illustrated Diana Wynne Jones’s ‘Chrestomanci’ series: Charmed Life (1977, Folio 2023) and The Magicians of Caprona (1980, Folio 2024).