Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Howl's Moving Castle
Book Review: Couldn't Put It Down
Summary: 5 Stars
I consider myself picky about the books I like....This one was right up my alley. While trying to find books to fill the void while waiting for the next Harry Potter to come out, my nephew told me about Howl. I was surprised that it was written in 1987 (which would put me in highschool) and I'd never heard of it before. Well, I loved it. It has a little of everything....romance, humor, mystery and lots of magic!
Sophie is the oldest of 3 sisters and therefore (in her mind) doomed to a life of bad luck and boredom. She accepts her fate as a hat maker in her family's shop until the dreaded Witch of the Waste visits her store and in a fit of temper, turns Sophie into an old woman and furthermore the curse won't allow Sophie to tell anyone what happened to her.
Sophie has no choice but to leave the shop and seek her fortune. She decides to go to Wizard Howl (A handsome and powerful, but incredibly conceited wizard who lives in a castle that is fueled by a fire demon) in hopes that he can remove the spell.
Howl is the most interesting character. He is vain and selfish and just when you think you hate him, he turns kind and compassionate. By the end of the book, you can see how Sophie falls in love with him. They are a perfect match for each other.
The book can be complicated for younger readers (I even found myself re-reading particularly difficult chapters to make sure I had grasped them) I also found myself coming up with questions that don't seem to be answered in the book. However, all in all, I thought the book was imaginitive and entertaining. It's full of colorful characters and creative plots!
Book Review: Cute and fun
Summary: 5 Stars
I got Howl's Moving Castle for my girlfriend and myself since we loved the movie. The book is excellent and quite different from the movie. So even if you think you know the story it is worth checking out. My only problem with the story was that the ending was very convoluted, I had to reread the last few pages to figure out who was doing what. Otherwise the story was very enganging and the characters likable. I think the story will please both children and adult fans of fantasy.Book Review: Delightful tale of magic by Diana Wynne Jones
Summary: 5 Stars
Sophie lives in a small village in the magical land of Ingary. Her village fears the heartless wizard, Howl, whose dark castle insists on circling the village--but it is a wicked witch who suddenly places an aging spell on Sophie, causing her to leave the village and, exhausted, take refuge in Howl's castle.Filled with finely drawn characters, this is a book accessible for all ages. Perhaps the best part is when the characters visit our world, and we see things through their perspective.
Jones includes bits and pieces of standard fantasy, from fire demons to seven-league boots, but what results is, as always, entirely her own.
Highly recommended. Jones is finally starting to get her due as an author, and this is a good place to start reading her works.
Book Review: Diana Does it Again
Summary: 5 Stars
Howl's Moving Castle might be British author Diana Wynne Jones's best-known novel after it was turned into an Oscar-nominated, animated movie in 2004. Howl's Moving Castle follows the tale of a young woman named Sophie Hatter. Or, at least she used to be young, until one day the wicked Witch of the Waste pays a call at that Sophie's family's hat shop. Before Sophie knows what has happened, she finds that she is a ninety-year-old woman who is setting off to seek her fortune (despite being the eldest of three girls, and, therefore, doomed to failure). Nothing turns out as Sophie expects, not in the least, as she finds herself the cleaning lady to the wizard Howl. She is confronted with dubiously-labeled spells in the bathroom, green slime and a fire that is much more than it seems. Not even his castle is straight-forward, as it moves across the country and has a door that leads to four different places.
Diana Wynne Jones is a science-fiction and fantasy writer who has been publishing novels for over thirty years. Jones specializes in creating worlds rife with magic and adventure. She appeals to readers not just by writing exciting stories, but she manages to master the difficult craft of making her books witty without lowering the tone of the book. Jones also creates captivating characters that readers of all ages can fall in love with.
I have lost track of how many times I've read Howl's Moving Castle, but I think it's safe to say that the number is in the double digits. What drew me in the first time I read Howl's Moving Castle was the refreshing take on a fantasy-adventure story. I think it's safe to say that in the last decade there has been a flood of fantasy stories available, and many of them involve wizards going to school. And that can get quite dull. I was delighted at how original this book was. What has kept me coming back has been the fact that every time I read Howl's Moving Castle, I find myself laughing. And even though I know quite well how the book is going to turn out, I am always excited to get to the next part and honestly can't put it down. As a matter of fact, I'm going to have to cut this review short, because I'm almost to one of the most exciting parts now!
Book Review: Different From the movie but great
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is very cleverly written. It is intriguing and doesn't tell you the obvious- it treats you like you are an educated adult who can understand the insinuations. The plot is drastically different from the Studio Ghibli film. I believe I love the book more than the movie.