Title: Hexwood
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
First published January 1, 1993
379 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780006755265 (ISBN10: 0006755267)
Rating: 4.01
Overview
When the Controller Borasus receives a mysterious letter from Earth, he can’t help but feel a sense of unease. The letter suggests that someone has been tampering with an ancient machine, using it for the most mundane of purposes.
Could it be possible that someone has dared to break the Reigner seals? The Controller decides to investigate and heads to Hexwood Farm to get to the bottom of things.
Meanwhile, on the estate, Ann can’t help but be intrigued by the strange happenings around her. She senses that something deadly is afoot, but she can’t quite put her finger on what it might be.
Is it possible that Hexwood is changing her, too? Only time will tell in this gripping tale of mystery and intrigue.
About the Author
Diana was born into a family of teachers in London to Marjorie and Richard Aneurin Jones. She was only five when the war was declared, and she was evacuated to Wales.
Over time, her family moved multiple times, including to Coniston Water, York, and back to London. Eventually, they settled in Thaxted, Essex, where her parents ran an educational conference center.
Diana and her two younger sisters, Isobel and Ursula, spent most of their childhood left to their own devices. Diana attended the Friends School Saffron Walden before going to St Anne’s College in Oxford to study English.
While there, she attended lectures by C. S.
Lewis and J. R.
R. Tolkien.
She graduated in 1956 and married John Burrow, a scholar of medieval literature, the same year. Together, they had three sons.
Diana started writing during the mid-1960s as a means to keep her sanity. She wrote her first book, Changeover, which was published by Macmillan in 1970.
The novel is set in a fictional African colony during its transition period to independence. Jones’ books range from amusing slapstick situations to sharp social observations to witty parodies of literary forms.
Her works are often compared to those of Robin McKinley and Neil Gaiman.
Jones won the 1978 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for Charmed Life, the first Chrestomanci novel. She was also a commended runner-up three times for the Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognizing the year’s best children’s book.
She won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1996 for The Crown of Dalemark.
Many of Jones’ earlier children’s books were out of print in recent years, but they have now been re-issued for the young audience whose interest in fantasy and reading was sparked by Harry Potter.
Editoral Review
In her 1993 novel Hexwood, acclaimed British author Diana Wynne Jones creates a fantastical and intricate world that blends science fiction and fantasy elements. Jones, who also wrote the popular Chrestomanci series, is known for her vivid imagination and dynamic characters.
Set in a mysterious woodland estate, Hexwood tells the story of Mordion, a boy who finds himself trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over again. He is joined by a cast of otherworldly characters, including a shapeshifter, an android, and a group of aliens, each with their own agendas and desires.
Together, they navigate a web of deceit and betrayal, trying to uncover the truth about their past and present. Jones’s writing is masterful, crafting richly detailed descriptions and clever dialogue that immerses the reader in the story.
The pacing is quick, with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes. The characters are complex and well-developed, with their own distinct voices and motivations.
One of the strengths of the novel is the way it tackles themes of power, morality, and the consequences of our actions. Through Mordion’s journey, we see how the choices we make can have far-reaching effects, often without our knowledge or intention.
The novel also explores the idea of free will, asking whether our destinies are predetermined or if we have the power to shape our own lives. Hexwood can feel overwhelming at times, with its complex plot and numerous characters, but Jones’s skillful writing keeps the reader engaged throughout.
Fans of science fiction and fantasy will find much to enjoy in this imaginative and thought-provoking novel. That said, the novel is not without its flaws.
The ending feels rushed, with some plot threads left unresolved. The novel also struggles with pacing at times, with some sections dragging as the characters navigate the intricacies of the plot.
Nonetheless, Hexwood is a must-read for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and science fiction/fantasy lovers in general. Jones’s deft storytelling and imaginative world-building make for an unforgettable reading experience.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
