Howl's Moving Castle

published	2001 by Eos
first published	1986
binding	Mass Market Paperback
isbn	006441034X (isbn13: 9780064410342)
pages	336
description	In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another mat...more [close] In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter. After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls. The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning. In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle? Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place. [close]
date added	12-07-06 edit book

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Could it be any better?	6	28 days ago, 07:03PM

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Juushika rated it:

03/05/08

bookshelves: borrowed

Read in October, 2007

In the land of Ingary, where magic can and often does happen, Sophie is a young woman, the unlucky eldest of three. She works at the family hat shop while her sisters go off to seek their fortunes in apprenticeships—until one day, when the Witch of the Waste comes to the hat shop and curses Sophie, turning her into an old lady. Sophie leaves the hat shop and her home town, searching for the cure to her curse and for her own fortune. Her journey takes her to the moving castle of the a fire d...more In the land of Ingary, where magic can and often does happen, Sophie is a young woman, the unlucky eldest of three. She works at the family hat shop while her sisters go off to seek their fortunes in apprenticeships—until one day, when the Witch of the Waste comes to the hat shop and curses Sophie, turning her into an old lady. Sophie leaves the hat shop and her home town, searching for the cure to her curse and for her own fortune. Her journey takes her to the moving castle of the a fire demon, an apprentice wizard, and the Wizard Howl, who steals girls's hearts. A playful, fantastic, personal book, Howl's Moving Castle is a magical adventure story about very human journeys of coming of age, discovery of identity, and love. However, as the book progresses the plot becomes increasingly complex and muddled, detracting from the book's clarity in plot and meaning; the ending is abrupt and somewhat anticlimactic. Nonetheless, the book remains a fun, swift, and meaningful read, and I do recommend it.

This book is of course the inspiration for Miyazaki's anime film of the same name. While the two have the same concept and many similar aspects, they differ as the plot progresses, and for once the film is actually better than the book: in the book, plot lines, character inclusion, and character growth are often too complex, confusing the story and approaching major themes, characters, and interactions in insufficient depth. In other words: the book lacks the broad narrative sweeps, limited cast, and tight plot of the film, and it suffers for it. This is perhaps most obvious in Howl's character and in the relationship between Sophie and Howl. As the book's protagonist, Sophie's character growth is subtle and well-developed, evolving throughout the book through slow and natural revelation. Unfortunately, the same natural, eventual growth does not exist elsewhere. Howl remains his vain, selfish, shallow self until the book's conclusion; the relationship between Sophie and Howl also remains argumentative and strained until the conclusion. There, in the length of a single chapter, Howl matures and they both realize their true feelings and begin their romantic relationship. Another downfall is the extensive cast. Many of the characters appear only briefly or very late, and become lost in a mess of names and short scenes. Do not mistake: the book is still easily readable, and the plot makes sense and resolves to a logical conclusion. But the plot and the character identities and developments are not as clear as they could be, and the book suffers for it: the story becomes muddled, and so the themes become muddled.

Despite the muddled plot, many other aspects of the book shine like diamonds. From the premise, to the characters (at least the better developed ones), to the lively sense of humor, to the land and magic of Ingary, Jones creates a colorful, vivid, truly human story. There is a certain amount of playful irreverence to every aspect of the book: Howl is a beautiful man who seduces beautiful women—and spends two hours in the bathroom every day. Sophie turns from a dull young woman into a batty old lady, taking out her frustrations by vicious house cleaning and calling even Calcifer the fire demon "young." The book's setting is similarly off kilter and playful: Howl's moving castle, which frightens Sophie's city, is the same castle that Howl uses to run away from girls, identities, and obligations; in the land of Ingary, magic is at once part of life (so Sophie is entirely unsurprised by her curse) and complete unexpected (so she is frightened of the cursed the scarecrow that chases the castle). Jones exhibits a rare sense of humor. Nothing—not suffering, not journeys, not love—is taken too seriously, and so her book is continually amusing, but at the same time, everything is meaningful—brief plot points come back at the end of the story, and the humorous, faulted characters do go on to immense personal growth. This unusual and delicate combination makes for a book that is funny, colorful, and always a joy to read, but is at the same time intensely authentic, human, and meaningful.

I hugely adore the Miyazaki film based on this book, so I will admit that I was disappointed to see how different the film and book are, and even more disappointed that (as very rarely happens) the film is in this case a better story. Nonetheless, I was delighted by Howl's Moving Castle, and I do recommend it. There are some definite faults, and the book is ultimately too complex, muddled, and abrupt, but it remains a delightful read. Jones's style is a pleasure, her characters are faulted, funny, and ultimately realistic, and Sophie's journey—through places, meeting people, and finally discovering herself—makes for a truly wonderful story. This book was not everything I hoped it would be, but I'm still glad I had a chance to read it. It is a young adult title, but I recommend it to all readers. Any age group can and will appreciate the humanity and humor of this text....less

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