Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle, #1)

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Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle #1)

4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 · rating details · 58,111 ratings · 3,708 reviews

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wi...more

Paperback, 429 pages

Published April 22nd 2008 by Greenwillow Books (first published 1986)

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Apr 06, 2009 Cara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cara by: Ash

Shelves: to-re-read, favorites, fantasy, books-made-into-movies, books-i-own

Honestly what made me want to read this book was the movie. *gasp* I know, I know shouldn't do that. The movie was good (I am a fan of Hayo Miyazaki's films) and I wasn't disappointed in the book. As always much of the book wasn't put into the movie, but it was understandable because I imagine it would be hard to piece together a movie with all the components this story has.

To really grasp and understand the book it should be read twice I think. Since I did watch the movie I wasn't as shocked at...more

105 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2012 Ceridwen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ceridwen by: Ninja Sock Puppet

Shelves: cats-and-dogs, celts, grrrrl-power, monarchy, young-adult, fantasy, audio, stolen-from-richard

Cross-posted on Readerling

I've never read Diana Wynne Jones before. I know!

Another ride to the cabin, another audiobook. I've discovered the young adult section, which is better suited to listening while driving. The length coincides with the time it takes to drive up and back, and it's just lighter thematically so I won't concentrate too hard and drive off the road. The reader for the audiobook had an accent that bugged me at first, but I eventually got over it because I liked how she said the...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before Hayao Miyazaki made "Howl's Moving Castle" into a feature length animated film in 2006 (2004 if you saw it in Japan), it was a book written by Diana Wynne Jones in 1986. Due to the inherent difficulties of creating an animated film, Miyazaki greatly abridged and adjusted the plot of the novel for his movie. I happened to enjoy both film and novel but after reading the book I realized that the plot is extremely different in the novel--enough that the book and movie become completely differ...more Before Hayao Miyazaki made "Howl's Moving Castle" into a feature length animated film in 2006 (2004 if you saw it in Japan), it was a book written by Diana Wynne Jones in 1986. Due to the inherent difficulties of creating an animated film, Miyazaki greatly abridged and adjusted the plot of the novel for his movie. I happened to enjoy both film and novel but after reading the book I realized that the plot is extremely different in the novel--enough that the book and movie become completely different viewing experiences.

Anyway, that's all I'm going to say about the movie. On to the discussion of the book:

Sophie lives "in the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility exist." In other words, all of the traditional fairy tale stories are real. Not so bad, except that Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three sisters, which everyone knows means Sophie is doomed to failure should she ever set out to seek her fortunes. Sophie is resigned to her fate--living obscurely, and less than successfully, working in the family hat shop. Except that this is not a traditional fairy tale and events soon intervene to set Sophie on a very unexpected course indeed for an eldest daughter.

It all starts in the hat shop after some interesting things begin to happen when Sophie talks to the hats she trims. Interesting enough to attract the attention of the dangerous Witch of the Waste. When her encounter with the Witch of the Waste leaves Sophie cursed in the body of an old woman, she has no choice but to go out and seek her fortune in hopes of breaking the curse (even if she is an eldest daughter).

Along the way, Sophie comes upon a mysterious moving castle that has taken up in the hill's of Ingary. The castle belongs to Wizard Howl "who was known to amuse himselv by collection young girls and sucking the souls from them. Or some people said he ate their hearts." Either way, he was not anyone Sophie expected to ever meet let alone move in with. Until she does. Adventure ensues as Sophie tries to break the curse and help Howl with his own uniquely magical problems.

In terms of fantasy novels, "Howl's Moving Castle" is one of my favorites. The world Jones creates is fully realized without ever getting boring or limiting the reader's imagination. The tone of her narrative is also spot on. Readers of Jane Austen's novels or the "Sorcery and Cecelia" series will notice a similar narrative voice. Although this novel is largely timeless, the prose has a charmingly Victorian tone--taking its time to arrive at the action, the better to familiarize readers with the characters involved and show the readers just how fantastic they (and the story) really are.

I also adore this story because it is romantic, thrilling, and completely absorbing. Even at 329 pages, the novel is far too short. Happily, Diana Wynne Jones follows up "Howl's Moving Castle" with "Castle in the Air" (1990) and a brand new book featuring Sophie and Howl ("House of Many Ways") is due out in May of 2008.
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Jun 26, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone with a heart and half a brain

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, leaves-awesomeness-behind, favorites

For some reason I've been reading a lot of really great books lately. I feel that itch to find something I can tear apart and relish in the destruction. However, Howl's Moving Castle didn't provide me with that opportunity.

It is an amazing and fantastic book. The characters are so very different, funny, quirky and lovable that I was sucked in right away. The storyline was intriguing and fun to read. The writing was quite good and the world was utterly fascinating.

If you've watched the movie then...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Mariel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: it still moves

Recommended to Mariel by: stillness is the move

I'd started writing this review yesterday. I had to quit because I was busy having one of my anxiety fits about using cliches, not saying what I really mean, unclear sentences, my bad grammar, blah blah. I worry about it so much that it is hard to write anything.

Howl's Moving Castle is one of those books that I wish I'd not read so I could read it again. That's a cliche, it's true, but it is true. A lot has been written about Howl's on goodreads so I'll try and say something beyond all of the t...more I'd started writing this review yesterday. I had to quit because I was busy having one of my anxiety fits about using cliches, not saying what I really mean, unclear sentences, my bad grammar, blah blah. I worry about it so much that it is hard to write anything.

Howl's Moving Castle is one of those books that I wish I'd not read so I could read it again. That's a cliche, it's true, but it is true. A lot has been written about Howl's on goodreads so I'll try and say something beyond all of the true things about it that would appeal to fantasy junkies (that is me). I wouldn't be able to come up with a list of all the things that I wanted in a book (if I could I'd write better stuff than I do to amuse myself). I'd just wish for something this good to appear in my hands all on its own. Diana Wynne Jones has a book about how to write fantasy. I haven't read it. I wonder what she has to say about endings, though. If there is one thing I don't like about her it is the endings. (The sequels to Howl's are not special in any way, to me.) How to write a good ending?

It's like what John Lennon said. If it's not okay, it's not the end. I loved that there was like this chance for things to be okay. That's an ending. Fantasy is good to me because it is different than any forseeable future. What I can recognize is seperated like Morrissey under a stage spotlight. The best moments, and all of it put into some kind of dramatic context where there's actually a point to any of it. (I suck at explaining stuff!) My favorite part is what felt familiar to me (people stuff). I can't explain it to myself why that is. Reviews all over goodreads constantly mention something called "world-building" (I'm sure I've done it too, in an attempt to be normal or useful. Yeah, right) in reviews of all kinds of fantasy type books (probably more than anything else. I don't understand technical talk). I am going to admit something else besides that I don't understand commas or semi-colons (or did I remove that confession?): I don't understand reality either. I either believe it or I don't. It should be like a movie if it is really good. You don't think about how they did it. You're at home there. Most of the time I'm feeling anxious and not at all at home. That's why I love books so much. I get to be at home, for a change.

I recognized Sophie. Sophie lets herself down in so many ways. I can relate to this so much! Being hard on yourself to the point you don't want to do anything at all? Check. She believes everything in her life is predetermined; from being the eldest of her sisters, obligations, the job in the hat shop. I cannot remember exactly what her reasons were for not taking a chance on anything. It was definitely something about a kinda curse/fate on the eldest kids. It resonated with me for all of the reasons I can come up with not to do things. It's hard to push past that kinda shit. For example, how it is drilled into your head that if you don't have everything in life figured out before age eighteen you're screwed. You can go back and do something else if you made the bad choice for yourself. I'm a naysayer, though. Reminding doesn't last long enough. I believe this kinda shit can happen, just like she did.

I hated that the Miyazaki anime made the point of the story that Sophie thinks of herself as being beautiful (as an image). It wasn't about that!

The curse the Witch of the Waste lays on her is killing (and oh so telling) because it takes away the life she didn't think she deserved to have. Not what the life is, just the right to have one.

There was a lot about this book that got to me on those "oooh" levels about plots, the world, atmospherics, villains, right and wrong and the characters. It was pretty much freaking cool (I loved that moving castle before I ever even "saw" it). Cool isn't all that special without something to make it feel like it mattered, or you were "there".

The movie isn't bad. It just wastes time on the stuff that isn't special and ignored what was (to me). It was also pointless to waste the jab on John Lassiter. (It IS annoying having to watch him blab on about how great Miyazaki is on all of the dvds. I know I'm in for a treat to watch Spirited Away! I've seen almost everything he's done. I'm a mega-fan. Shut-up, you stupid fucker. I hate that Disney dvds don't let you skip. "Fastplay", my ass.) The whole bit about the turnip head turning into a prince jab at Disney tied-up endings? I can't stand it when successful people are bitter. Terry Gilliam's stupidly pointless intro "explaining" Tideland just 'cause some critics at Cannes panned it (if you have to explain it to the audience beforehand...). Or Christopher Guest's bitter awards show movie. Art School Confidential. Howl's Moving Castle the Movie or China Mieville's Un Lun Dun. Um, I could go on with examples. Don't waste your own story time on making bitter jabs at other people. This is your time and if you have something to say, say it. I mean, they have the chance.

Ooops.

I hope this didn't suck too bad. This reviewing business is tough.

P.s. I'd give my heart to a demon too.
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Jul 15, 2012 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, fantasy, read-in-2012, series, ya, favorite-books

This book is completely magical and this is how I know:

On the fourth of July, we crammed ourselves into our car (my husband, mother in law, two girls, and I) and drove for over an hour to go see some fireworks. There was traffic almost the entire way, and I was jammed in the back in between two booster seats, which let me tell you – was not comfortable. I am a tall person and my knees basically alternated between being squished in between the two front seats, or slanted crazily off to one side....more This book is completely magical and this is how I know:

On the fourth of July, we crammed ourselves into our car (my husband, mother in law, two girls, and I) and drove for over an hour to go see some fireworks. There was traffic almost the entire way, and I was jammed in the back in between two booster seats, which let me tell you – was not comfortable. I am a tall person and my knees basically alternated between being squished in between the two front seats, or slanted crazily off to one side. I was good and addicted to this book at that point, and I smuggled it into my tote bag in the tiny hope that might be able to read some along the way. However, what happened was that as soon as I pulled it out, my daughter recognized the title and became very interested. I knew it was a mistake to teach her how to read!

(Kidding, kidding.) I casually offered to read some of it aloud in the car. At first it was just the girls and me as I read about Sophie toiling away day and night in her hat shop, losing her father and cursed to a bad fortune. Then the conversation between my mother in law and my husband slowly died down as we got to the magical switcheroo that Sophie’s sisters had pulled behind everyone’s backs. The radio went off right about when The Witch of The Waste made her grand entrance, and by the time we got to our destination (much more quickly than the clock would suggest) my husband was chuckling as Sophie told a solicitous stranger, “I’m not your mother, young man” like a badass. As soon as we got into the car and promptly got stuck in the mad rush to head home, my narration services were again requested. We all know the basic plot, thanks to watching the Studio Ghibli film approximately 134 times last fall, and my oldest daughter was giddy with anticipation for Howl’s tantrum. (Truly, one of the best scenes in both the book and the movie.)

This book is magical, because it managed to distract a four year old, a six year old, two adults in their thirties, a sixty five year old, not to mention my knees, for several hours in a tiny car on one of the hottest days of the year. I love almost everything about this book. I love that Diana Wynne Jones thought that a romance between a spoiled, shallow drama-queen pretty boy and a feisty ninety year old woman was a great idea and that she completely made it work. I loved seeing a nineteen year old Sophie, frightened and secluded, throw off all of her fears and embrace being a ninety year old woman, ready to take on anything that got in her way. The writing is simplistic, but the dialogue and mystery are downright elegant. Maybe this book isn’t perfect – some of the later conflicts seemed a bit manufactured – but I don’t really care. This book is going on my favorites shelf forever and ever. Dare I say this? I liked it more than the movie.

Stop by The Readventurer today, where I compare this book to the Studio Ghibli adaptation!
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Mar 23, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: why-the-hype, kick-ass-heroines

At least no one can accuse me of not having read this book now. Howl's Moving Castle is probably the single most popular piece of children's fantasy, right after Harry Potter of course. I've heard endless praise for this series ever since it was first released but, for some reason or the other, I was never drawn to it. It seemed charming, but not much else. Well, as I expected, Jones's story is a charming, cute, and fun adventure novel with just the right amount of depth to be considered prevale...more

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Feb 28, 2009 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who enjoy fairytales

This was a charming story. I've never read Diana Wynne Jones before and enjoyed it quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of Neil Gaiman's Stardust (although I did not like that one nearly as much). The character of Sophie Hatter was well done - I liked her wit and her "take no prisioners" attitude.

The supporting case was also good. I particularly liked Calcifier and his interactions with Sophie. As to Howl himself, there was no doubt in my mind his "true self" and I knew from the start where the tal...more

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Jan 15, 2010 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy, favorites

I'll admit that I read this book after watching the movie and I love them both, though they are both very different. I own the book, now all I have to do it find the movie. The first time I read this book I was confused at a few parts but the second time around I got it which let me appreciate the book even more. It was fun to be able to look for the hints all along the way.

Sophie is turned into an old woman by the witch of the waste. This sets Sophie on her journey and finds herself being the...more

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May 22, 2009 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Becky by: Fiona

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2009, humorous, reviewed

This was a very fun, charming story. It really seems so simply written, yet read more than one line and you are a part of the action, not just watching it.

I really enjoyed Sophie, and feel like she is very human -- prone to snap judgments and bad decisions and she tends to underestimate herself. Howl is a very fun character, a bit of a "player" until his heart is stolen (literally).

I would like to check out the other books in the series, but this one does stand alone quite nicely. :)

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Jan 20, 2013 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Hannah by: Jeannette

Shelves: 2013-reads, ya

After a good initial start, this story never took off the way I anticipated (and hoped) it might. The writing style was difficult for me to get caught up in, and I kept waiting for something enchanting and thrilling to happen. Unfortunately, after chapter 3, nothing did. At all.

While I appreciated some aspects of Wynne Jones fantasy building (the castle and it's doorway portals in particular), I don't see where she executed these ideas in any kind of sustained imaginative way. Apart from Howl (w...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Nafiza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favourites, recommend-to-friends

I watched the movie first. In fact, it was entirely accidentally that my cousin and I, in the midst of this loud, busy family reunion, came across the movie version and were completely sucked into the tale of Sophie, Howl and Calcifier. So when the movie was done and I sat back with a sigh and some sadness that another good thing had come to an end, I thought of reading the book to prolong the loveliness. Because everyone knows that books are always better, right?

In this case, the book was just...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Seak (Bryce L.) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy

I watched the movie, Howl's Moving Castle, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, when I was going through my anime phase, not to mention I'm pretty much always going through a Christian Bale phase. I loved it, of course, it was so odd and just plain weird, exactly why I enjoy anime so much.

This was quite a while ago, and it wasn't until just recently that I started reading reviews of the book by Diana Wynne Jones, so I ordered it right away. And, because my "to read" pile is enormous, it sat on my shelf f...more

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Jan 20, 2009 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tyler-and-kate-bookclub, fantasy-sci-fi

3.5 STARS

I'm not sure why I didn't get more "into" this book. Perhaps it was that we read it over the holidays so chapters were squeezed in between busy days and tired nights. This is my first Wynne Jones book and I thought her style was fine, if nothing especially striking--but I was just not that captivated by the plot. I kept waiting for things to "pick up"--where was the excitement? Interest? But, no... it tended to plod, IMO. Even so, Howl was a rich and interesting character. Still, I actu...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Fiona rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: read-more-then-once, books-i-own, childrens-and-young-adult, fantasy-sci-fi-horror, bought-new, 2012, re-read

This is probably one of Diana Wynne Jones' best books in my opinion and I love it up there with Dogsbody.

Floating castles, talking fires, bouncing scarecrows? They could only be the wonderful creations of DWJ.

I think what the author does best is create very real and very identifiable characters that somehow - you always feel you have always known. It's sort of magical how she does it, because many books may spend a few chapters establishing characters. With DWJ they just pop out at you straight...more

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May 02, 2013 Elevetha Houre rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who don't mind loose ends

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: adventure, fantasy-adventure, magic-and-other-magical-substances, middle-grade, quirky, srb-style

Well, I liked it. It could have used the opposite of editing which is something I rarely say. Things weren't there that should have been. Also the romance could\should have been handled better. It kinda went something like:

Howl: Hello, old lady.

Sophie: Hello, famous wizard.
*accusingly* You like young ladies, do you not?

Howl: Why yes, they are quite nice. You, however, are quite old. Clean my magical moving castle for me?

Sophie: Why not. ~~You need to change me back into a young lady again anyway~~...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: movies, i-own, 2011-reads, best-characters, love-love-it, made-me-laugh, original-creative-premise, pleasantly-surprised, strong-heroines, wizards-witches

March 26 2011. I just found out Diana Wynne Jones died today. The day I start reading my first book of hers. I don't know much about this author, I'm unfamiliar with her works, but I can feel people's loss, the fans of her writing. And I can still thank her for becoming the well known and loved writer she apparently was. She contribruted to the literary world that I love, and any author who can do this and write amazing fantasical novels earns my respect.

My review
3/27/11

Howl's Moving Castle is...more March 26 2011. I just found out Diana Wynne Jones died today. The day I start reading my first book of hers. I don't know much about this author, I'm unfamiliar with her works, but I can feel people's loss, the fans of her writing. And I can still thank her for becoming the well known and loved writer she apparently was. She contribruted to the literary world that I love, and any author who can do this and write amazing fantasical novels earns my respect.

My review
3/27/11

Howl's Moving Castle is a fun, engaging, magical story. It’s unique, kind of strange, but a very enjoyable read. It sounded like the kind of book that I would love, and I did end up loving it. Just one thing, I didn’t think the writing was stellar. It was good, it has a good pacing and is engaging, but it’s not the best writing. I would have liked more emotion in the characters shown through the writing. Aside from this, I loved the rest of the book. Before I read it, I knew that it had been made into an anime movie, which I have not see yet, but as I was reading, I could so picture the story playing out in anime! Now I have to watch the movie :0) But I would like to see the book made into a live action movie, not animated; it could be epic and fantastical. Something like Stardust, maybe, which I love.

The characters were superb. Howl was a hoot, (reminds me of Stanton in The Native Star, or the other way around, which ever you happen to read first I suppose). And oh but do I love Sophie! She’s snappy and stubborn, and acts just like an old lady does, even though she’s really a young woman under a spell. She’s possibly my favorite heroine I’ve read in a book. I loved the interaction between Howl and Sophie, their fighting and bickering. It was funny. I would have liked to have the romance played out. It’s obvious that they end up together at the end, but I would have liked the book more if there was more romance. Which would have been interesting to read, because Sophie’s an ’old’ lady, and Howl is a strapping young man. I would have liked watching Sophie start to fall in love with that insufferable man, but still having her dominant snarky attitude as she denies her feelings because she doesn’t want to like him, (or something like that)… Well, in any case, I still loved the story. I’m excited to read the sequels and have more of Howl and Sophie.

One last thing; I really enjoyed the chapter headings, they amused me :D(less)

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Feb 25, 2011 Loederkoningin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, ya, steampunk, the-great-k-and-k-shelf

Yup, this picture pretty much sums it up: a colourful quirky little fantasy tale that brings back memories of bedtime stories.

I too watched the movie first, got curious and picked up the book. And however the Japanese did a splendid job at bringing Howl with his dangling earring and dazzling androgynous looks - and the castle, which is masterly designed - to life, I'm glad that the book has a much richer plotline. I love all the cute and imaginative elements. Compared to the book, the movie is...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Qt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

3 1/2 stars. I wavered between three and four throughout the book. I did enjoy it a lot; I really liked the humor and the author's style of writing, and there seemed to be a lot of interesting magic and characters in the book's world. On the downside, I never really felt like I *knew* the characters. Also, I didn't always really know what was going on and often found it confusing. It seemed like things could have been explained or filled in a little more. (On the other hand, I am easily confused...more

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Feb 04, 2012 moshimoshineko rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I don't get what's so great about this book. I found it boring, the characters are meh and tbh how Wynne Jones draws out a storyline over 200 pages when they could cover 100 is completely pointless, and did I mention, boring.

I was interested in the introduction of Sophie and her sisters, but then the Witch of the Waste turns Sophie into a 90-year old lady and it just becomes boring. She joins Howl's Moving Castle and become a "cleaner" there after making a contract with the fire demon that powe...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Chandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, sci-fi-fantasy, kids-young-adult, clever-girls, fairy-and-folk-tales

Sophie Hatter is the oldest of three daughters living in the magical realm of Ingary. Because she is oldest Sophie assumes she is destined to a life of drudgery and monotony. As her two young sisters are sent off to pursue their more exciting fates, Sophie is left to run her father’s hat shop. Life is indeed dull until one day the Witch of the Waste appears and turns Sophie into an old woman. Feeling that things really can’t get much worse Sophie decides to strike out on her own and soon finds w...more Sophie Hatter is the oldest of three daughters living in the magical realm of Ingary. Because she is oldest Sophie assumes she is destined to a life of drudgery and monotony. As her two young sisters are sent off to pursue their more exciting fates, Sophie is left to run her father’s hat shop. Life is indeed dull until one day the Witch of the Waste appears and turns Sophie into an old woman. Feeling that things really can’t get much worse Sophie decides to strike out on her own and soon finds work as a cleaning woman at the infamous Wizard Howl’s bizarre moving castle. She sets to work with a vengeance while also befriending the castle's inhabitants –a practical and hardworking young apprentice named Michael and a wisecracking fire demon named Calcifer. As an old woman Sophie loses much of her fear and self-consciousness making her the perfect foil for the mysterious, vain and oddly perceptive Howl. I’ve barely scratched the surface of what this imaginative story is all about, but I really do have to stop somewhere!

It absolutely didn’t surprise me that I loved this. First and foremost, I’ve become an ardent DWJ devotee in the past year – devouring her Chrestomanci series and salivating over all of her works I have yet to read. But also this is basically my very favorite kind of fractured fairy tale – the kind that respects and pays tribute to the original form, but also cleverly mixes things up. You have witches and wizards, magic and curses and there’s definitely more than a hint of Bluebeard about the whole thing. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Charmed Life (first in the Chrestomanci series) as it features a protagonist living in the shadow of others and going about life completely unaware of their own worth and abilities. And there are obvious parallels between Howl and Chrestomanci – both are charming, flamboyant and powerful wizards. At the end of the day, I find Sophie’s growth and transformation more engaging than Cat’s. How awesome that a crabby old lady - doing and saying things that a young lady would never dream of - gets to be the protagonist for once.

I will say that it threatened to turn into a hot mess about ¾ of the way in, but in true DWJ fashion all the intricate threads came together quite tidily in the end. And like all of her books I’ve read to date it was funny, touching and extremely clever throughout. I honestly almost feel the urge to read it all over again! Finally, regarding the film adaptation – I did see it first and absolutely loved it. Since they are so different most people understandably prefer one over the other, but for my part I can say that enjoyed both equally. One is a mind blowing visual feast with strong feminist and pacifist overtones. The other is a thought provoking fantasy that explores the age-old themes of fate, evil, love, etc. Ultimately, I think Miyazaki still got to the heart of the novel with his adaptation, but just changed things to fit with his own aesthetic sensibilities and thematic concerns. Truth be told the movie also veers into hot mess territory a time or two, and if I'm honest I can't say it recovers itself as nicely as DWJ did. But overall it worked for me and it helps that DWJ herself seemed to be at peace with the modifications. Really, I say you can’t go wrong if you try both! (less)

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Jul 11, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-challenge, great-characters, fantasy, plot-twist, own, brings-the-lolz, childrens-book, little-romance

A very solid 4-star. The characters were vibrant and loveable, the world was easy to immerse myself in, and the humor was spot-on. The only problem I had was that I got a little confused at the end. I have a feeling that this is one of those books I'd have to read more than once to fully grasp.

I loved the fantasy setting Jones created. Sophie is the main character, the eldest of three children. So of course she knows that seeking her fortune would be pointless, because the oldest child always fa...more A very solid 4-star. The characters were vibrant and loveable, the world was easy to immerse myself in, and the humor was spot-on. The only problem I had was that I got a little confused at the end. I have a feeling that this is one of those books I'd have to read more than once to fully grasp.

I loved the fantasy setting Jones created. Sophie is the main character, the eldest of three children. So of course she knows that seeking her fortune would be pointless, because the oldest child always fails hardest (obviously she has never read the Three Billy Goats Gruff). It's little touches like these that I love-- instead of just sticking to the obvious fantastical aspects, like wizards and spells, the author brings in more subtle things like the Eldest Child Inferiority Complex. Such a good time.

My personal favorite character was, by far, Calcifer. Calcifer is a fire demon occupying the fireplace of one Wizard Howl, and his introduction is incredibly ambiguous. He strikes a deal with Sophie, the type of deal we've been conditioned by all fantasy books ever to recognize as a DISASTER. It doesn't help that Sophie notes Calcifer has a "distinctively cunning look" as he makes a bargain with her (free him from his servitude to Howl, and he'll break Sophie's curse). Over the course of the novel I grew to seriously love Calcifer, and it was made all the more exciting because I was never sure if he was good or bad.

The author has a very enjoyable sense of humor, too. Here are a few choice quotes:

"I want to get married and have ten children."

"You're not old enough!" said Sophie.

"Not quite," Martha agreed. "But you can see I've got to start quite soon in order to fit ten children in."

"Not here either," he said. "You are a terror, aren't you? Leave this yard alone. I know just where everything is in it, and I won't be able to find the things I need for my transport spells if you tidy them up."

She felt really thwarted. "Tidying up is what I'm here for!" she shouted at Howl.

"Then you must think of a new meaning for your life," Howl said.

The writing style is consistently like that-- something about the way the characters talk seems almost old-fashioned, reminding me of the fairy tale atmosphere. This author isn't for everyone, she draws very eccentric characters (Howl, I'll have to admit, was a little too strange for me to really connect with). But there's such variety in the characters-- plucky Sophie, odd Howl, sly Calcifer, gentle Michael-- that it's beyond easy to find one to latch onto.

It's a book that feels like a genre classic, although I don't know if is truly considered one. For me, at least, it has the promise of high re-readability quality. It's not gimmicky, not cheesey, not contrived. It lacked a certain it factor to make me go absolutely crazy over it, but I enjoyed it immensely, feel a deep love connection to the characters, and am really looking forward to the rest of the Castle series.

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Oct 10, 2010 Ninja Sock Puppet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ceridwen

Recommended to Ninja Sock Puppet by: Kat

(Bonus points for catching all twelve inappropriate pop culture references.)

I fell into a google hole this weekend while Ceridwen was away booknerding on the West Coast (Midwest, REPRESENT!, what?) and learned all about Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard was a literary genius--not content with simply writing mediocre science fiction, the man actually got people to believe it was all real. See, the entire space opera subgenre of sci-fi isn't simply stories, it's channeling actual events from our galacti...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, 2009, all-kinds-of-fantasy, own, ya-kids-teen, lovestory-done-right, best-characters-ever, mc-girl

Howl's Moving Castle is one of those strange books that I love, without knowing why exactly I love it. Even after I finished my second reading, I still can't quite put my finger on what it is that Howl has that is so memorable, but it's something all right.

I originally read this book back in the fall of 2009. I liked it, thought it was pretty cute, but it wasn't my favorite read of the year or anything. Flash-forward to this year: quite by accident I happened across Hayao Miyazaki's Academy-Awa...more Howl's Moving Castle is one of those strange books that I love, without knowing why exactly I love it. Even after I finished my second reading, I still can't quite put my finger on what it is that Howl has that is so memorable, but it's something all right.

I originally read this book back in the fall of 2009. I liked it, thought it was pretty cute, but it wasn't my favorite read of the year or anything. Flash-forward to this year: quite by accident I happened across Hayao Miyazaki's Academy-Award winning film version (view spoiler).

The film version, to say the least, is WEIRD. Like, blotches of brilliance mixed with the incomprehensible. But even Miyazaki's version was dynamic enough to make me watch it twice. Maybe it was Billy Crystal's voice that I was drawn to. Maybe I...I don't know. Anyway, watching that adaptation prompted me to reread the book, and I'm glad I did.

So...what exactly is it about Howl's Moving Castle that resonates with me? I'm not exactly sure. I can't say it's the characters - no one (Sophie, Michael, Calcifer, or the eponymous Howl) seemed very fleshed out or well-rounded, yet they were still shockingly memorable. I can't really say it was the plot - mostly I felt like I was just along for the ride, observing things from the sidelines rather than being down in the trenches, with the characters, where the action was. It wasn't the writing style, which wasn't very descriptive, but wasn't overly bland, either. I...I don't know. But there is something about this book that is completely unique and memorable.

Specifically, there's something about Howl that has stayed with me. He is an incredibly dynamic character, but I'm not exactly sure why. As I was reading the second time around, I noticed that he doesn't really have that many scenes, as readers spend more time following Sophie around as she cleans and whatnot. I found myself searching and searching for clues to his inner nature or motivations. I'm still a bit underwhelmed by his relationship with Sophie - the few times they were actually together in a scene, they were bickering. Doesn't say 'I heartily love you' (no pun intended). But still...all these things said, Howl's Moving Castle and its characters are among the most memorable. It's been a day since I finished my reread, and I've found myself still thinking about the characters. That's definitely power, right there. (less)

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May 04, 2008 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairytale, ya-fantasy, bookwyrm_chrysalis_reviews

This is definitely one of those books that I enjoy more and more every time I read it. I always have a memory of how rushed the ending is, and I still think it’s pretty rushed, but I think I understood the book quite a bit more this time. The book builds to a climax, but the actual final battle barely seems to take up many pages and then we have a few pages to wrap up all the plots, via the narrator pointing out various things the audience didn’t know yet.

The complexity of Jones’s writing is on...more This is definitely one of those books that I enjoy more and more every time I read it. I always have a memory of how rushed the ending is, and I still think it’s pretty rushed, but I think I understood the book quite a bit more this time. The book builds to a climax, but the actual final battle barely seems to take up many pages and then we have a few pages to wrap up all the plots, via the narrator pointing out various things the audience didn’t know yet.

The complexity of Jones’s writing is one of her greatest skills as an author, but also leads to confusion. Every page of Howl’s Moving Castle is thick with hidden meanings, truths that will be revealed later, and she rarely tells you something that doesn’t have some future meaning. From Sophie’s seemingly unrelated days in the hat shop where she talks to hats as she works to the dog she saves from a bush. Nothing is without meaning. I highly recommend reading this book at least twice to truly understand it.

Howl’s curse still confuses me, no matter how many times I read it. It seems like Jones really liked a poem and thought it would make a good magic curse, so she makes the Witch of the Waste use it as a curse on Howl, but then the curse elements just seem to come true a bit random. Some of the pieces of the curse/poem are instigated by Sophie, but they still don’t quite make sense to me. There’s a sense of “why” missing. The rest of the book though is so wonderful and interesting that I’m willing to put aside my issues with the curse and just assume I’m not getting something.

Pacing seems to be the key to why I have to keep rereading the book. I love the depth of the plot, but Jones keeps such a fast pace, typically telling more than showing, so that I sometimes find myself becoming lost as I try to figure out which are the most important elements. On the second reading though, I already know the basic plot points, so I can enjoy the ride. It’s also important in all three books to know who might be disguised or cursed into a different form.

The newest release of this book includes an interview with Diana Wynne Jones, and I found it pretty interesting. Something I especially liked was how she talks about how many girls want to marry Howl. She tries to tell them they wouldn’t want to live with someone who drips slime whenever his hair color goes wrong, but they see it as a challenge. Personally, while I think Howl is adorable in that “yeah, as long as I don’t have to deal with him…” sort of way, I think only Sophie can really handle him on a day-to-day basis.

Read the rest of the review at Bookwyrm Chrysalis :: YA Fantasy Book Reviews.(less)

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Jul 27, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya, favourite, 2007

This is a great story, full of wit and charm and adventure. It's a fantasy tale about Sophie who is turned into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste. Leaving her family's hat shop behind, she heads into the hills where Wizard Howl's moving castle has been wandering for a few weeks. She finds a way into the "castle" despite the stories that Howl eats young girl's hearts - she's no longer young, and so no longer afraid.

Howl is young and incredibly vain - he spends two hours in the bathroom befo...more This is a great story, full of wit and charm and adventure. It's a fantasy tale about Sophie who is turned into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste. Leaving her family's hat shop behind, she heads into the hills where Wizard Howl's moving castle has been wandering for a few weeks. She finds a way into the "castle" despite the stories that Howl eats young girl's hearts - she's no longer young, and so no longer afraid.

Howl is young and incredibly vain - he spends two hours in the bathroom before going out to woo pretty girls. He's miserable until they fall in love with him, and then he forgets all about them.

Sophie makes a deal with the fire demon called Calcifer, who has a contract with Howl, that she will find out what it is and so free him. In return, Calcifer promises to take the spell off Sophie. (Calcifer's the one who created the moving castle and keeps it moving.)

The castle is a wonderful, fantastical idea. Little more than a common room, a bathroom, a yard and two bedrooms upstairs, its main door leads either to the moving castle, one of two towns, or Wales (where Howl is originally from), depending on what colour the knob is showing.

Sophie's troubles take a backseat to the predicament of Howl, the King, Prince Justin, the Royal Wizard Suliman and the Witch, but it all interweaves. I confess there were a few details in the plot I don't quite get, but that's just another reason to read it again! There's way too much going on in this book to capture it all here.

I really loved this book. It's target reader's age is around 12, but that doesn't mean they're the only one who would enjoy this. The writing style is warm, quick, at times poetic, and full of humour. There are some really funny scenes, like Howl oozing green slime in a sulk because he accidentally dyed his hair the wrong colour.

Already I want to read it again, and watch the movie again - while different - is excellent too. By the same director who did Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki, it's beautifully done, and very well adapted, though about halfway through it takes a different direction. The English language version has some great voices, like smoky Lauren Bacall as the Witch. Can't wait to watch it again!! (less)

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Jul 04, 2009 Nic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who likes humorous, well-plotted fantasy with great characters and a happy ending

This is my favorite book in the world. I read it for the first time when I was probably eight years old and still thought that Wales was a made-up country based on modern England. The most recent time I read it was last week (August 2007), and my old copy is almost falling apart.

At any rate. To actual points regarding the book. A young woman named Sophie is afraid to live life because she knows that, as the eldest of three daughters, she is condemned by tradition to fail and be ordinary. When he...more

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Jul 22, 2009 Kasia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: high-fantasy, seen-on-a-screen

I was hoping for an epic fantasy here, got something a little different. Oh, it's a fantasy alright. A rather complex one, but I would not say exactly epic. The Howl's Castle lets you think it's going to be a grand LOTR type of a deal. The setup is simply sweet. But once you get past that. Once the heroine is inside the castle, once she meets Howl, everything slows down. What looked like a thrilling adventure, becomes this mystery story with weird clues spread on top of a thin, languid and somew...more

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Aug 30, 2008 Somesuchlike rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: author-diana-wynne-jones, genre-fantasy, genre-speculative-fiction, series-castle, type-ya-fiction

This is one of my absolute favorite books. Partly because of the wonderful quirkiness, and the way she plays around with fairy tales, which I love. Sophie is destined to never do anything interesting on account of being the oldest; the villain is named 'The Wicked With of the Waste', which sounds, when one is reading about the book, rather silly, but makes perfect sense when you realise that 'The Waste' is an actual place.

Mostly, though, I love it because I love the way Diana Wynne Jones writes...more

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Jun 02, 2011 ♥Xeni♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, fiction, young-adult, children, fantasy, movies-of-books

I actually quite liked this book a lot more than the film! Mainly because (unlike the film) the book is straight-forward, has a fun plot, and it's easy enough to take events as they come. The movie was just so... annoying, actually.

The main difference is that the movie has a huge plot addition, namely, the big war that takes place between the nations and that Howl gets caught up in. The book keeps things simple (well, simpleR). This is just another instance of wonderful writing on the part of D...more

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About Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones was the author of more than thirty critically acclaimed fantasy stories, including the Chrestomanci series and the novels Howl's Moving Castle and Dark Lord of Derkholm.

For Diana Wynne Jones's official autobiography, please see http://www.leemac.freeserve.co.uk/aut...

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Books by Diana Wynne Jones

The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci, #4)

Castle in the Air (Howl's Moving Castle, #2)

House of Many Ways (Howl's Moving Castle, #3)

The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Vol. 1 (Chrestomanci #1-2)

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