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

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

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 11,072 ratings · 714 reviews

In which a humble young carpet merchant wins, then loses, the princess of his dreams

Far to the south of the land of Ingary, in the Sultanates of Rashpuht, there lived in the city of Zanzib a young and not very prosperous carpet dealer named Abdullah who loved to spend his time daydreaming. He was content with his life and his daydreams until, one day, a stranger sold him a...more

Mass Market Paperback, 298 pages

Published August 7th 2001 by Greenwillow Books (first published 1990)

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Sep 05, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Castle in the Air" is Diana Wynne Jones' sequel to her amazingly awesome novel "Howl's Moving Castle." It was originally published in 1990 (four years after "Howl's Moving Castle"). At first glance, this novel doesn't sound like a sequel--it sounds more like a companion book at best--but I promise it does explain more about Howl and Sophie, just not right away and not, perhaps, in the most obvious way.

That said, this story is set in the Sultanates of Rashpuht a land far to the south of Ingary (...more "Castle in the Air" is Diana Wynne Jones' sequel to her amazingly awesome novel "Howl's Moving Castle." It was originally published in 1990 (four years after "Howl's Moving Castle"). At first glance, this novel doesn't sound like a sequel--it sounds more like a companion book at best--but I promise it does explain more about Howl and Sophie, just not right away and not, perhaps, in the most obvious way.

That said, this story is set in the Sultanates of Rashpuht a land far to the south of Ingary (where Howl and Sophie make their home). Instead of a land akin to King Arthur and Merlin, Rashpuht is much more likely to harbor Aladdin and other desert-dwellers. This change in setting, along with a new protagonist, make for the most dramatic differences between "Castle in the Air" and its predecessor.

Abdullah works as a carpet merchant in the city of Zanzib. Abdullah's stall may not be as prosperous as his father's first wife's relatives would like, but Abdullah can't stand most of them so he doesn't worry too much. What really bothers Abdullah is the fact that he's selling carpets at all. Abdullah is convinced there is more to life and spends a good deal of his time daydreaming about what his life could be like if, say, he were a prince who had escaped bandits and disguised himself as a carpet merchant before he found his true love.

All in all, the young man doesn't give his daydreams much thought until he is sold a mysterious carpet. With the carpet, Abdullah finds that all of his dreams seem to be coming true with alarming accuracy. Whisked to a magical garden, Abdullah meets and falls in love with the beautiful and intelligent Flower-in-the-Night only to have her abducted by an evil djinn. So begins Abdullah's adventure as he and his carpet set off to rescue his true love.

This being a novel by Diana Wynne Jones, the plot is filled with charming twists and enjoyable characters throughout. The other great thing about this novel is how much Jones fleshes out the world she introduced in "Howl's Moving Castle." As the novel progresses, readers learn more about the relations between Ingary, Rashpuht, and Strangia (a land that becomes important later, trust me). At the same time, Jones also creates a completely new set of customs and even a new diction for her Rashpuhtian characters which gives the novel an impressive depth.

I don't know if this was the intended effect but, even though both novels are written in English, this change in diction also creates the effect that the characters here speak a different language and that, on some level, their customs would be very foreign to those found in Ingary. One of Jones' best inventions is that buyers and sellers in Zanzib always speak to each other "in the most formal and flowery way." This habit creates a lot of conversations that function on a variety of levels much in the same way body language can add to an exchange. For example:

"It is possible that my low and squalid establishment might provide that which you seek, O pearl of wanderers," he said, and cast his eye critically over the stranger's dirty desert robe, the corroded stud in the side of the man's nose, and his tattered headcloth as he said it.

"It is worse than squalid, mighty seller of floor coverings," the stranger agreed.

Exchanges like this appear throughout the novel and make it really enjoyable to read. At the same time this type of double talk suggests that Abdullah is a shrewder narrator than Sophie might have been at the start of the novel. Abdullah doesn't always know exactly what's going on during the novel, but he always tries to make sure he comes out on top (or at least not on a forty foot pole).

On its own, "Castle in the Air" is a lot of fun as far as fantasies go. Read in combination with "Howl's Moving Castle" and "House of Many Ways" (Jones' latest novel featuring Howl and Sophie due out in June 2008) this book is excellent.
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Dec 21, 2008 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult-fiction, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Abdullah, a young rug seller in the Bazaar, is approached by a strange man who sells him a magical flying carpet one afternoon. He doesn’t quite get the instructions for proper rug operation down, but learns that the carpet will take him to the garden of his dreams whenever he falls asleep on it. There, in the garden, he meets the lovely Flower-in-the-night, a princess, and they fall in love. The night they plan to elope (she is promised to a man she has no desire to marry and Abdullah’s family...more Abdullah, a young rug seller in the Bazaar, is approached by a strange man who sells him a magical flying carpet one afternoon. He doesn’t quite get the instructions for proper rug operation down, but learns that the carpet will take him to the garden of his dreams whenever he falls asleep on it. There, in the garden, he meets the lovely Flower-in-the-night, a princess, and they fall in love. The night they plan to elope (she is promised to a man she has no desire to marry and Abdullah’s family is trying to set him up with some unappealing distant relations to keep him in the family), she is stolen away by a djinn, and Abdullah – captured by her father - must escape from prison in order to rescue her. He and the carpet, a djinn in a bottle, a strange soldier, and a couple of cats (all enchanted save for Abdullah), set out to free Flower-in-the-night from the clutches of the djinns Dalzel and Hasruel (as well as all of the other princesses they have collected).

After I discovered that Diana Wynne Jones had written sequels to Howl’s Moving Castle, I was really excited. Except then I found out that they weren’t really sequels so much as they were completely different stories with Howl and Sophie thrown in at the end to mix up the plot and save the day (or have their days saved). It was sort of a letdown, as it relegated them to the status of Scooby Doo characters - “And we would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you pesky kids!” Howl’s Moving Castle was so much more complex, and I felt that the complexity of the storytelling was somewhat lost – either by the sudden introduction of this maverick element (maybe a more gradual development of the side story would have made this less jarring), or by its very inclusion (maybe leaving it out entirely would have made a better story). I wasn’t disappointed or enraged, I just felt a little misled – because a sequel implies to me that I’m going to get more than 40 (and, ok, I’m estimating here) pages of the characters I’ve been hoping to see again. At any rate, this was an enjoyable tale – in the style of Arabian Nights, complete with flying carpets, djinns (both good and evil), princesses, and prophecies. I quite enjoyed most of it – it has Diana’s characteristic wry humor and quirky characters.(less)

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Apr 10, 2011 Myles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

DWJ Book Toast, #7

Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite fantasy authors, growing up and now, and I was saddened by the news of her death. I can't say I'm overcome with emotion - as personal as some of her work is to me, its not like I knew her after all - but I wish I could put into words how I feel about her no longer being out there, writing new adventures and laughing at all of us serious fans thinking so hard about her words when we should simply get on with the business of enjoying them.

A...more

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Jun 09, 2012 I r h rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, magic, 2010, review

El argumento, si nos fijamos bien, tiene un cierto toque de Las mil y una noches que le diferencia claramente de EL CASTILLO AMBULANTE. Y es que, si lo que esperas es encontrarte una continuación, aquí no la encontrarás. Casi podríamos decir que es un libro aparte.

Así, nos encontramos siendo testigos de las aventuras (¿o quizá desventuras?) de Abdullah por encontrar a su amadísima y bellísima Flor-en-la-noche. Tengo que decir que ambos me han encantado. Uno por su fuerza y sus ganas de conseguir...more

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Jul 28, 2010 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, childrens

Abdullah is a carpet merchant in the lands south of Ingary, in the city Zanzib. And although he is a humble carpet merchant he day dreams constantly about being a prince. One day his dreams start becoming a reality when he finds himself in the garden of Flower-in-the-Night, a princess, by way of a magic carpet. However, his princess is kidnapped by a djinn and it is up to Abdullah to save her with the help of a moody magic carpet and a wicked genie.

This book was a really fun read, it was charmin...more

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Sep 26, 2007 iamtedae rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of offbeat fantasy

Shelves: favorites

This sequel to Howl's Moving Castle a little more exotic, with its placement in an Aladdin-esque country populated with merchants, camels, carpets (flying and otherwise), genie, djinn, and mysterious princesses. It's a terrific adventure, although probably more appreciated by the under-13 crowd. On the downside, while you can certainly read it without the pleasure of the first story, the references aren't explained and, as my memory isn't always too sharp, I had to go look up some of the names t...more

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May 19, 2011 Julie Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lent by a friend, this sequel to Howl's Moving Castle actually can stand well on its own (or so I would imagine) as the entire thing is told from the point of view of Abdullah who knows nothing of any of the events from the previous book (which, to be fair, figure but lightly in this tale).

A daydreamer who lives the ordinary life of a modest carpet seller in the Bazaar, Abdullah longs for a princess to marry and wishes he came from royalty. One day a mysterious wanderer sells Abdullah a flying...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Devlin Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-recommendations

Quite a good story. It is a separate tale in the Howl and Sophie series; they, along with Calcifer, make an appearance near the end of the novel.

For those readers looking for more of the heartwarming tale of our three intrepid heroes this tale is more of an aside to the series but, it is a very good, stand-alone novel worth reading. The story is ingenious and the characters are very rich and alive. It is the tale of an Arabian carpet merchant in his attempt to rescue the princess of his dreams.

D...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 12-eltemplo, reseñas

"Casi veinte años después de su aparición en el Reino Unido nos llega por fin esta secuela de una de las obras más admiradas de Diana Wynne Jones: Howl"s moving castle, publicado en España primero como El castillo viajero (en la antigua edición de SM) y después como El castillo ambulante (en la nueva edición de Berenice). Los aficionados al anime recordarán la historia de la joven Sophie y del extravagante mago Howl en la versión animada del maestro Miyazaki, y los amantes de la buena literatura...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Jody Mena added it · review of another edition

Wonderful book! It reminded me very much of Arabian Nights, but only if Scheherazade had help from the Brothers Grimm and Mother Goose, and with a very British sense of humor. It had a bit of a slow start, and was set so far removed from the events of Howl's Moving Castle that it was hard to fathom from the outset how this book would be related. However, Jones's writing style rescued the story from being dismissed, as otherwise might have happened, and I was slowly yet inexorably absorbed into t...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 4/5

Imagine this: when you were born, a prophecy was foretold about you. Now, imagine that this prophecy resulted in your father deciding to leave you with next to nothing upon his death, and now you’re making a living by selling carpets in the bazaar. The sun is hot, the profits are swiftly spent, and your stall happens to be right next to the fried squid vendor. This, my friend, is not imaginary for young Abdullah. And because his reality is so d...more Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 4/5

Imagine this: when you were born, a prophecy was foretold about you. Now, imagine that this prophecy resulted in your father deciding to leave you with next to nothing upon his death, and now you’re making a living by selling carpets in the bazaar. The sun is hot, the profits are swiftly spent, and your stall happens to be right next to the fried squid vendor. This, my friend, is not imaginary for young Abdullah. And because his reality is so dreadfully mundane, he spends most of his time daydreaming that he is elsewhere, as well as someone else entirely. The next thing to imagine: Abdullah’s dreams (both the good parts and the bad parts!) coming wildly and unexpectedly to life…bejeweled palaces, desert bandits, flying carpets, beautiful princesses, and all…!

Castle in the Air is a sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, which is one of my favorite books (and movies!) ever. I had previously picked this book up some time ago, but never got to finish it. I am very glad I returned to it, because any chance to be reunited with Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer in any way, shape, or form is not a chance to be missed. This book is quite often very funny, in fact I found myself laughing every few seconds at Adbullah’s constantly flattering form of speech. It is the custom in his land, Zanzib (which is south of Howl and Sophie’s kingdom of Ingary), to be extremely polite at all times. So everything out of his mouth sounds something like, “O fabulous fabric, carbuncle and chrysolite among carpets, this miserable churl apologizes profoundly for spilling cream upon your priceless surface–” and even when the conversation is between two angry people, they are still angry in the most POLITE way. Even funnier was the part where Abdullah met the girl of his dreams, a princess named Flower-in-the-Night, and her first impression of him was that he was a girl. The hilarity sprinkled throughout, as well as the delightfully warm feeling of running into Howl and Sophie again, made this a lovely read. Diana Wynne Jones can really be counted on to deliver something clever, funny, and sweet, all at the same time.(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Cakeely rated it 3 of 5 stars

First off let me say that I'm a big fan of Diana Wynne Jones and of 'Howl's Moving Castle' however, this "sequel" did't really speak to me. I use the term sequel loosely since the characters from the first book are virtually unknown until about 2/3 of the way through. I spent most of the book waiting for the characters I already loved- the reason I picked up the book in the first place.

It didn't help that I never really connected with the main character Abdullah. On the one hand Jones did a goo...more First off let me say that I'm a big fan of Diana Wynne Jones and of 'Howl's Moving Castle' however, this "sequel" did't really speak to me. I use the term sequel loosely since the characters from the first book are virtually unknown until about 2/3 of the way through. I spent most of the book waiting for the characters I already loved- the reason I picked up the book in the first place.

It didn't help that I never really connected with the main character Abdullah. On the one hand Jones did a good job of characterizing him as a historical, middle eastern, young man but on the other hand his personality really irked me. He's constantly turns his nose up at the "lewd" and "disrespectful" behavior of the rest of the characters who act with Jone's typical sassy argumentative style, which I love. Despite this he's constantly layering flowery praise on these same characters, which is explained as part of his cultural upbringing but to me just smacks of hypocrisy. Abdullah is also a real stickler for traditional gender roles and thinks all women should be put on a pedestal and protected from anything unpleasant. Granted Jones' does NOT have the same outlook and likes to give her female characters a hefty share of the action but its still irritating to read through such a conservative character.

If you look past Abdullah, the plot line is ok but not amazing. It starts off at a fast enough pace but the middle drags on for quite a while with the feeling of very little being accomplished. The climax and resolution feel terribly rushed at the very least are written at a much faster pace than the rest of the book. Granted this is rather typical of Jones' work, her endings tend to cram too much in too fast. If you aren't used to it you'll be caught off guard since the majority of the book read fast and easy; you have to consciously make your self slow down when you get to the conclusion otherwise everything whips by in a blur.

In conclusion the main reason I would recommend this book is to bridge the gap between 'Howl's Moving Castle' and 'The House of Many Ways' (book three).(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Lari Don rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books

One of my favourite Diana Wynne Jones books – her Arabian Nights novel. Castle In The Air initially seems to be a story about a poor carpet seller, his love for a beautiful princess, and the problems caused by a nasty Djinn and a genie in a bottle, with all the manners, colours and scents of an exotic eastern story. But it’s ALSO the sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, which is set in a very different northern fairytale world. I remember the very first time I read it, years ago, being initially disa...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, fiction

Charmingly improbable sorta sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. Young carpet merchant daydreams of a princess and adventure, right up until he acquires a magic carpet and a genie in a bottle. A sincere, if not terribly deep, meditation on the way our desires can bend the world around us, often making it more difficult to keep hold of the things we have. But it doesn't have to be deep to do what it's doing. I, incidentally, would be great at having a genie. Wish-making strategy, I could bring it, unl...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reviewing Howl’s Moving Castle, I began to research the author. It said there was a sequel to HMC, and I just had to grab it! The book is called Castle in The Air. It’s POV is not Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, or any of the cast you read in the first book. It’s of a boy named Abdullah who lives South of Kingsbury. He sells rugs and always daydreams about being a prince and meeting a beautiful woman in a garden. One day, a man sold him a magic flying carpet. While sleeping on it, the carpet takes...more After reviewing Howl’s Moving Castle, I began to research the author. It said there was a sequel to HMC, and I just had to grab it! The book is called Castle in The Air. It’s POV is not Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, or any of the cast you read in the first book. It’s of a boy named Abdullah who lives South of Kingsbury. He sells rugs and always daydreams about being a prince and meeting a beautiful woman in a garden. One day, a man sold him a magic flying carpet. While sleeping on it, the carpet takes him to a wonderful garden. He meets a beautiful girl and thinks it a dream based on his daily daydream. The princess calls herself Flower-in-the-Night (seriously, that’s the love interests name. I know right?) Abdullah figures out it’s reality, and they plan to elope together. Once she’s almost to the carpet, WHOOP! A Djinn picks her up in his big claws and carries her to an unknown place. He embarks on a journey featuring a cranky genie, black cat with her kitten, stubborn carpet, and a dishonest (yet) honest soldier.

Where is Sophie, her husband Howl, and everyone else you ask? They’re all stuck in the plot as secondary characters. Lettie (Sophies sister) and her husband Ben Suliman are also shown and they help the journey move forward. Michael is sadly not mentioned. (I really like him, darn it!). Howl and Sophie also present their little newborn Morgan. Such a happy/dysfunctional family. *sigh*

The first critique I have to give is how slow the plot moves. It’s not extremely “oh my god just get on with it”, but you can definitely skip a few pages and still know what’s going on. It isn’t has humorous as HMC, but it still has the adventure aspect. The love between Flower-in-the-Night and Abdullah is magical. It’s one of those books where you sigh and say, “I want this type of love”. The writing style was different, which was interesting. It’s not a book that will stick out in your mind in the future, but it’s a cute read.

I give this book four stars. It lost one point for how slow the plot progressed. Otherwise it’s very nice and I recommend it.
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Oct 05, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dwj, fantasy

This, the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, begins in an Arabian Nights fashion, which seems light years away from the European land of Ingary. Genies in bottles and flying carpets have nothing to do with a Welsh wizard and a fire demon powering the moving castle, surely? And many of the other distinctive characters in that famous first installment must be unrelated to the eastern city of Zanzib in the Sultanates of Rashpuht, mustn't they?

But appearances are deceiving in this parallel world where...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Nigel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

They're quite careful to reassure you that this is a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle on the cover and in the blurb, probably because you spend a good half to three quarters of the book wondering what the connection is. Then by the end, of course, you realise that it's been connected from the start, in the classic manner of fairy tales and Arabian Nights as executed by Diana Wynne Jones, and it all makes sense.

So Abdullah, who deals carpets, buys a flying carpet which transports him, when he sleep...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Kimika Lee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, biased-because-of-author

Let me start off by saying that one of my all time favorite authors is Diana Wynne Jones. She has a sort of magic with her words that just makes the book so beautiful! All hail Diana Wynne Jones! Oh, if I could write like her…

Diana Wynne Jones writes in simple terms, which I appreciate. Not like a certain *ahem* book with a dragon called Saphira. And with this, she weaves a world where magic is mixed together and mysteries are abundant. And here is where what I love most about Jones becomes appa...more Let me start off by saying that one of my all time favorite authors is Diana Wynne Jones. She has a sort of magic with her words that just makes the book so beautiful! All hail Diana Wynne Jones! Oh, if I could write like her…

Diana Wynne Jones writes in simple terms, which I appreciate. Not like a certain *ahem* book with a dragon called Saphira. And with this, she weaves a world where magic is mixed together and mysteries are abundant. And here is where what I love most about Jones becomes apparent. Every scene that happens has a clue. And when the mystery is resolved, I got so frustrated at my inability to see what happened that I went back and folded every corner of a clue that I found. Not only did she manage to hide what happened with a series of unexpected and hilarious happenings, but every loose plot end was tied in together neatly, so that it folded into a pretty little box. Sorry. My metaphors tend to act up after reading Wynne Jones.
My favorite thing about this book? How merchants are so flowery in their description. Funniest thing ever!
Annd onto my favorite quotes:
"Not trade - sell, O master of a stack of mats," the stranger corrected him. (6).
"Of course it does, O lily among mackeral." (8).

Of course, I must explain my 3.5 rating... *sigh*. As much as I hate to point my least favorites in this book, however, I will.

On the whole, I absolutely LOVE the female characters in this book, and generally anyone in this book. Aside from the main character. Yes. Sadly, Abdullah did not evoke any sympathies on my part. And this is what made me knock off 2 stars, just on his character. On the whole, he is absolutely likeable, but he’s too reserved. I almost feel he shouldn't be the main character. Scratch that. I’d LOVE it a lot more if he was replaced with his friend, the Strangian soldier. When he speaks, he doesn’t speak. He murmurs. And having been raised in a land where women are thought a little bit inferior, I understand when he thinks one of my favorite characters is too outspoken. But I can’t abide the thought that he thinks his lovely Flower-in-the-Night is a-okay (did I just say a-okay?) even if she is even more outspoken than the character mentioned above. Sorry. It might become a bit of a spoiler if you've read Howl's Moving Castle. Besides Abdullah, this is a lovely book with a solid plot, and lovely characters.

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Jun 25, 2012 Elli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nelle notti d'oriente
Divertentissimo secondo volume legato al personaggio del mago Howl e al suo castello errante. Anche se stavolta Sophie, Howl e Calcifer giocano il ruolo di semplici comprimari (e per molto tempo non li "vedremo"); ed è solo un accenno alla terra di Ingary, all'inizio del primo capitolo, a farci comprendere che ci troviamo sempre nello stesso mondo. Il protagonista indiscusso di questo romanzo, infatti, è un giovane mercante di tappeti di nome Abdullah, che vive in un paese n...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Mackenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle but you would never know it until toward the end and probably wouldn't even need to read Howl's Moving Castle to enjoy it. That said, it started out as a very difficult read mostly due to the language but also because the story didn't have a very promising start. The premise was this: the main character, Abdullah, a carpet trader, lived in Zanzib (where etiquette required him to give very wordy compliments in all of his conversations regardless of hi...more This book is a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle but you would never know it until toward the end and probably wouldn't even need to read Howl's Moving Castle to enjoy it. That said, it started out as a very difficult read mostly due to the language but also because the story didn't have a very promising start. The premise was this: the main character, Abdullah, a carpet trader, lived in Zanzib (where etiquette required him to give very wordy compliments in all of his conversations regardless of his true feelings, thus my difficulty with the language at first. Thankfully he doesn't stay in Zanzib long). Abdullah purchases a magic carpet for his stock but unfortunately can't figure out how to make it work after the previous owner leaves. Afraid that he had been duped and it would fly back to it's original owner in the night, he decided to sleep on it only to find that it had taken him to a garden simliar to the one he was dreaming of while he slept. There he meets a princess, Flower-in-the-Night (let's call her Flo) whom initailly mistook him for a woman because she had never met a man other than her father, the sultan and she assumes all men look like her father, portly and bald. It was explained that Flo's father had kept her from all men because it was prophezied at her birth that she would marry the first man she met aside from her father and he wanted her to meet and marry a prince from a neighboring country because it would bring wealth and power to his own kingdom. I would like to say after several meetings but truly I believe it was their third(maybe second), Abdullah and Flo decided to elope but as he was about to retrieve her on his magic carpet, she was kidnapped by a Djinn (who was on a princess kidnapping spree for a reason we would learn later in the novel). Abdullah is blamed for Flo's disappearance and thrown in jail but he escapes with the help of his carpet(it was at this point that I felt that the novel began to show some promise). On his way to attempt to rescue Flo, Abdullah experiences danger, hardship and the shock of culture outside of Zabzib. He also meets several interesting characters including but not limited to a grumpy genie, a disgruntled soldier and a fericous cat and her kitten. This book was similiar to Howl's Moving Castle in that it gives the false appearance of a predictable story; not necessarily a bad thing seeing how there are many good predictable stories. However, even if the ultimate ending may turn out as suspected, the end is jam-packed with so much action, twists and revelations that the reader is guarenteed to get at least a few surprises. Some might not appreciate this formula, but I guess I do.(less)

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Nov 06, 2011 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-to-buy, comedy, fantasy

One should definitely read Howl's Moving Castle before you read this one. I admit, I was disappointed that Howl, Calcifer, and Sophie were not much in this book. But the genie easily replaces Howl in every respect, as does the black cat Sophie. And while the carpet never speaks, its attitude is strikingly like Calcifer's - sulky if it doesn't receive praise (rather reminds me of the old copier at the library, which I had to constantly wheedle before it printed). These, along with a few new chara...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: fantastical-tale, alternate-history, compelling-protagonist, adventure

This book, like all of Jones', was hysterically funny and had characters that practically walked off the page. Readers get to again meet Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, and some other old friends--sometimes looking different than they usually do!--but get to experience it through another, equally worthy protagonist, and get to travel through the entire magical world, not just Howl and Sophie's Ingary.
Abdullah is a fanciful fibber with a penchant for flattering everyone, and this left me rolling with lau...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Bella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finally got my hand on this one a few weeks ago! AND it was the only copy left on the shelf. Yay me.

Anyway. I think any books by Diana Wynne Jones are great and this one's no exception to that. I loved the characters in this one and this story involved a different kind of magic than Howl's Moving Castle that's just as gripping and entertaining. More Arabian night, with Abdullah dealing with things such as a flying carpet, djinns and a genie on his way to find the abducted princess he has fallen...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Merrie Haskell rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 24, 2011 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Castle in the Air is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, but unlike its predecessor, it starts off in a slow moving way that makes you wonder how the two are related. Despite being exposed to many "flowery language"d tales from the middle east, I found the dialogue in the start of the book to be obnoxious, tedious and did not add to any sense of character development. I honestly expected a better hook from Diana Wynne Jones.

However, once the protagonist leaves his home town - truly his home coun...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Amanda H rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: forty-book-challenge, other

Diana Wynne Jones has been and still is, my favorite author. In the Companion to Howl's Moving Castle new characters are introduced and old ones are brought back, mostly towards the end. Although the story was slightly spoiled for me because I accidentially read the Sequel "House of Many Ways" before I read this book. It was still very well written and entertaining although this series is definietly geared towards younger children. The main reason that I like Diana Wynne Jones so much though is...more

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Aug 18, 2010 Jami Lowe rated it 2 of 5 stars

(warning: this book maybe the second in the series but does not focus on the characters of the first. i liked that aspect.)

i picked this book up because i enjoyed (surprising, because I'm not a huge fan of fantasy)the first book she wrote in this series, which was Howls Moving Castle. Loved that but Castle in the Air was LAME. Only recommend if you enjoy romance.

I still really love the way this author writes. on par with the first one in the manner that she always comes full circle; cleverly b...more

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Dec 12, 2009 Zoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the "sequel" to Howl's Moving Castle, though the characters from the first book don't appear until pretty close to the end (there is a third book that's apparently a sequel in the more traditional sense).

I'd heard from a lot of people that Castle in the Air wasn't as good as Howl's Moving Castle, but I actually enjoyed it more. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this book renewed my faith in Diana Wynne Jones. She was one of my favourite authors as a child, but recent attempts to read...more

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Dec 02, 2009 Douglas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I must admit I read this book for entertainment only. My critical analysis was parked in the back of the lot while I was up front with the crowds enjoying the show. Castle wasn't as good a novel for me as its prequel, Howl's Moving Castle, but it was a good read nonetheless.

Fans of the prequel might not initially like the vastly different setting and main character, Abdullah of Zanzib. Going from medieval Europe to medieval Persia could be a bit jarring, but once preconceived notions are out of...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Paula Bascur rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

El castillo en el aire puede considerarse una continuación de Howl's Moving Castle hasta cierto punto, ya que volvemos a Ingary, ampliando nuestro conocimiento de ese mundo y encontraremos a viejos conocidos. No cuando los protagonistas principales ya no son los de El castillo ambulante sino que se transforman –algunos- en secundarios de lujo. Sin embargo, el libro sigue lleno del humor y un estilo que puede resultar infantil pero no exento de encanto.

En El castillo en el aire nos encontramos en...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

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

The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci, #4)

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

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

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Quotes from Castle in the Air

“I am a believer in free will. If my dog chooses to hate the whole human race except myself, it must be free to do so.” — 183 people liked it

“Take it from me, Fate doesn't care most of the time.” — 142 people liked it

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

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