Plot
Marianne Pinhoe's family tries to keep their magic a secret. They don't want the "Big Man", or Chrestomanci, interfering, as he tends to do when people misuse magic. And the Pinhoes certainly are guilty of that. Gammer, the head of the Pinhoe clan, has ostensibly gone mad, but Marianne doesn't believe that she's completely 'round the twist. She's sure that Gammer's the one sending plagues to the Farleighs, a related clan that also wishes to stay out of the sights of the "Big Man". Until recently, the Farleighs and the Pinhoes had been working together, but it seems that Gammer has started a war, and it'll be hard to keep their operations under wraps for long.
Meanwhile, up at the Castle, Cat acquires a horse. He also meets the man who was bootboy at the Castle when the current Chrestomanci was a lad, Jason, and helps him and his new wife choose a house. They finally settle on Woods House, Gammer's old place, and Marianne, while showing Cat around, gives him an old egg from the attic, an egg with strong "Don't Notice" spells placed on it. An egg that is sure to arouse the interest of the "Big Man" up at the castle – something the rest of the Pinhoe clan, and Gammer in particular, doesn't want at all.
Characters
Marianne Pinhoe: Marianne is the main protagonist of the book. She is set to be the next Gammer of the Pinhoe clan, but that isn't what she wants at all. She has very strong magic, but, like many of Jones' characters, doesn't know it. She is an enchantress, although her mother trains her up to be a witch. She appears to have a lot of "dwimmer," a type of nature/living magic.
Joe Pinhoe: Marianne's brother is sent to work as a bootboy (and spy) up at Chrestomanci Castle. He isn't really interested in the work, however, and mostly idles about. He is a disappointment to the family, but he'd fixed it that way on purpose. He likes to fix up contraptions using magic and machinery, and he and Roger try to turn it into a lucrative business scheme.
Eric "Cat" Chant: In the first Chrestomanci book, Cat is a very lonely character, clinging to his older sister and, later, to Janet, and distrusting the adults of the Castle. In this book, we see that he has not only grown to like and trust the people of the Castle, but he forms many new friendships, both with characters older than himself (Jason the former bootboy and his wife, Irene), and characters of his own age (Marianne). He acquires a horse (Syracuse) whom he has an intimate friendship with, and a griffin (Klartch), although Klartch had been a mistake, hatched from an egg Marianne had given him.
Roger Chant: Roger is the son of Chrestomanci (Christopher Chant) and Millie (the Living Asheth from The Lives of Christopher Chant ). He, like his sister, is quite fat. Instead of wishing for a horse, he acquired a bicycle. He makes quite good friends with Joe Pinhoe, and together create a flying machine, which they work on in secret.
Julia Chant: Julia is the daughter of Chrestomanci and Millie. She caught the horse fever from Janet, and tried to ride Syracuse, but found she couldn't deal with his temperament, so he became Cat's horse. She used to have a crush on Jason, and is upset that when she learns that he is married.
Janet Chant: Janet is the other world equivalent of Cat's sister, Gwendolen. She used to live in the normal world (suspected to be our world) and got to Cat's world by the works of Gwendolen. Although she can get fiery sometimes, she is usually kind and sympathetic. Janet discovers she is one of those people afraid of horses. She, like Julia, had been infatuated with Jason, but was much more devastated than Julia when he showed up married, seeing as 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." She, by her faithful gardener and Marianne, is called "Princess Irene." She is the kind of woman that most people end up liking, even Janet and Julia. She is a Pinhoe, and ends up buying Gammer's old house. It is strongly implied that she will become the next Gammer, seeing as she has a lot of dwimmer.
Chrestomanci: Also known as Christopher Chant. Referred to as "The Big Man" by the Pinhoes. 'Chrestomanci' is the title of the post held by a nine-lived enchanter who keeps order in the magical realms. Father of Roger and Julia Chant, and guardian of Janet Chant. Cat is apprenticed to him to become the next Chrestomanci.
Millie: Chrestomanci's wife, a kind, loving woman and a powerful enchantress.
