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The second Chrestomanci volume features two novels which have only two things in common: they both feature magic, and Chrestomanci shows up in both of them. However, the great wizard only makes brief appearances in the book, leaving centre stage to child protagonists who save society from an awful lot of harm by a combination of courage, brains, imagination and magic.

The first book in the volume, The Magicians of Caprona, is set in a world reminiscent of Renaissance Italy. It's basically Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet), except with added magic. As Diana Wynne Jones tells the tale, two wizarding families are responsible for the spells that keep the city of Caprona flourishing: the Montanas and the Petrocchis, who have been feuding for generations and seem unlikely ever to patch things up. When the city's spells start weakening, it looks like Caprona may be usurped by other cities. Obviously something is very wrong, but who is causing the mischief? Is it the Montanas, the Petrocchis, or is there a third party involved? Montana and Petrocchi children start investigating the matter, saving Caprona from perdition and unifying their houses in the process. Well, what did you expect?

The second book, Witch Week, is set in a completely different milieu: a boarding school in a modern England which is remarkably like ours, except that magic of any kind is strictly forbidden and witches are burnt at the stake. One day, a teacher finds a note advising him there is a witch in his class. This leads to a genuine witch hunt in which several pupils who might be witches (but aren't sure themselves) are accused of witchcraft by nasty classmates. The accused try to save their hides by hiding, pretending they're completely normal or pointing their fingers at others. And then rumours start spreading that the Inquisition is about to pay a visit to the school, bringing equipment with them which will surely help them find the witch, and suddenly a whole lot of people seem to get very nervous. Could it be that there's more than one witch at the school? And if so, what are they going to do when the Inquisition shows up?

This second volume of Chrestomanci stories (there is a third one, too, but I haven't read that yet) is less impressive than the first one, but still compulsively readable. The first story is charming but predictable -- a three-star affair with some good characterisation and amusing set pieces but little genuine development. Adult readers will spot the plot twists a mile off, and the fact that Chrestomanci's cameo is completely bland doesn't help, either. The second story, however, is very strong -- worth a full five stars for its great and ever so recognisable depiction of an adolescent witch hunt and adolescence in general. Apart from the very real possibility that they'll die at the stake, the protagonists of Witch Week are teenagers like people we've known and may well have been ourselves. They are intelligent but unpopular kids who are bullied by popular cliques and alternate between trying to avoid trouble and plotting subtle revenge on those who have caused them harm. The tone of the story is pleasantly rebellious and anarchic, and it's well crafted, keeping you guessing at the witches' identities and crossing your fingers for the underdogs until the very end. Chrestomanci makes an appearance in this story, as well, and it's considerably more fun than the one in The Magicians of Caprona.

In short, Volume II of the Chronicles of Chrestomanci is a solid addition to the series -- not as original as Volume I, but definitely worth checking out if you like Harry Potter-style fantasy. Just read Volume I first to get a feel for the world in which the stories are set and Chrestomanci's role in it...