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

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

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 8,585 ratings · 775 reviews

When Charmain Baker agreed to look after her great-uncle's house, she thought she was getting blissful, parent-free time to read. She didn't realize that the house bent space and time, and she did not expect to become responsible for an extremely magical stray dog and a muddled young apprentice wizard. Now, somehow, she's been targeted by a terrifying creature called a lub...more

Paperback, 404 pages

Published May 26th 2009 by Greenwillow Books (first published June 1st 2008)

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Dec 08, 2010 Nic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First of all, I should note that Diana Wynne Jones is my favorite author. You're unlikely to find any of her books getting fewer than four stars from me.

That said, I loved this book less than a number of her others. (That, ladies and gentlemen, is the closest I come to criticizing DWJ.) To be fair, it was billed as "The sequel to Howl's Moving Castle," which is my favorite book in the world, so my hopes and, to an extent, my expectations, were high. And in all of the usual ways - neat and relata...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: completists

Shelves: own, childrens-book, disappointing, fantasy

Well, I feel a lot of guilt for giving the final chapter of the Castle series a measley 2 stars, but it is what it is.

The magic was pretty boring, consisting of water pipes heating up/cooling down, food appearing when you say "Breakfast, please!", and doorways that lead to many places depending on which direction you turn. Whoop-dee-doo.

The plot was so, so slow-moving. And predictable. Maybe if it had just been one or the other I would have been more satisfied, but slow-moving and predictable?...more Well, I feel a lot of guilt for giving the final chapter of the Castle series a measley 2 stars, but it is what it is.

The magic was pretty boring, consisting of water pipes heating up/cooling down, food appearing when you say "Breakfast, please!", and doorways that lead to many places depending on which direction you turn. Whoop-dee-doo.

The plot was so, so slow-moving. And predictable. Maybe if it had just been one or the other I would have been more satisfied, but slow-moving and predictable? Yikes. There was only one surprise at the end-- which I'd been preparing myself for since DWJ likes to save all the twists for the last chapter-- but it was barely dealt with and never hinted at prior to its reveal, which made me wonder if it was just an afterthought.

One great thing that I can always count on Diana for, though, is to draw excellent characters. They're not always likable (and in this case... not even a little bit likable), but they're always consistent and interesting. Charmain was definitely consistent; I don't know about interesting. She was too much of a lazy tool for me to really find interesting. Also, minor quibble: I thought her age was really ambiguous. It was probably mentioned at the very beginning but it was never reinforced, so I forgot how old she was. Turns out she was 13, which sounds about right. What a brat.

This series is the only thing by DWJ that I've ever read, but it makes me wonder about what she thinks a good female character is. Charmain and Sophie were surprisingly similar, although Sophie was much more likable. Both are kind of jerks, but Sophie is at least a lovable jerk. Charmain just.... ugh.

So, here's a quick attempt at summing up the plot. Charmain goes to her Great-Uncle's house while he's being restored to health for a few weeks. Oh, and he's a wizard with a magical house, and the health restoration thing is being taken care of by elves. It took me awhile to place the setting, because it seems very modern/our world, but it's still set in the same universe as the other two books. While Charmain is settling in, she has a run-in with an evil creature called a lubbock (who is the villian for the whole book) and is annoyed by the presence of Peter, a magically-challenged apprentice waiting for her Great-Uncle to come back. I wanted Peter to be the tween version of a love interest so I'd have SOMETHING to distract me from the obvious plot (view spoiler). There's also some stuff going on about finding a mysterious object called the "Elfgift" that will save the kingdom, and of course it was blindingly obvious what exactly the Elfgift was. Yawn, yawn, yawn.

Sadly, this one felt like a children's book in a bad way. The first two were appealing to kids while still remaining clever and accessible to my age group.

The second book in this series,Castle in the Air, remains my favorite. I highly recommend that one. Just thinking of Abdullah makes me feel weepy and nostalgic...

(The guilt for giving 2 stars has not gone away yet.)
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Apr 11, 2011 Myles rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

DWJ Book Toast, #8

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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Jul 12, 2008 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was excellent, and it was certainly almost a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, although calling it the sequel is perhaps unfair to Castle in the Sky.

Vague spoilers follow:

It did rather fail as a traditional novel for two reasons. First, there was nothing much holding it together thematically. Charmain's character development was interesting and coherent, but it had no real bearing on the endgame of the plot, beyond the fact that it allowed her to be...more

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

“House of Many Ways” is Jones’ third novel featuring Howl and Sophie, following “Howl’s Moving Castle” from 1986 (also a movie adaptation made by Hayao Miyazaki in 2004) and “Castle in the Air” from 1990. Although all of these novels stand alone very nicely, certain nuances of the story will make more sense if you read the novels in sequence. Certain characters’ cameo appearances will also be more satisfying with the background afforded by reading all three novels.

This particular story starts in...more “House of Many Ways” is Jones’ third novel featuring Howl and Sophie, following “Howl’s Moving Castle” from 1986 (also a movie adaptation made by Hayao Miyazaki in 2004) and “Castle in the Air” from 1990. Although all of these novels stand alone very nicely, certain nuances of the story will make more sense if you read the novels in sequence. Certain characters’ cameo appearances will also be more satisfying with the background afforded by reading all three novels.

This particular story starts in High Norland with Charmain Baker. Born to lovely parents determined to make their daughter respectable, Charmain is ill equipped for almost everything besides eating and reading—a fact that has escaped the notice of her parents and doesn’t much bother Charmain.

The only problem with her tame existence is that Charmain is unable to do the one thing she has always, desperately, wanted to do: work in the royal library with the elderly Princess Hilda and her even more elderly father, the king of High Norland.

As part of her plan to gain entry to the library, Charmain agrees to watch the royal wizard’s house while he undergoes treatment from elves for a mysterious illness. Upon her arrival at the house, it becomes clear that this house-sitting venture will be more than Charmain had expected what with the angry kobolds and the sudden arrival of the wizard’s new apprentice, Peter. It may, however, also be exactly what she needs.

There are a lot of reasons that I like this book and its predecessors in the series. Diana Wynne Jones has a particularly charming writing style that is both cozy and engaging. There is something decidedly old fashioned about the prose, ranging from the chapter titles reminiscent of those found in E. M. Forster’s “A Room With a View” to the swift and casual narration so similar to the voice Jane Austen favored in her novels. At the same time, amazingly, Jones integrates elements of the fantastic like magic and wizards and elves without ever seeming outlandish or contrived.

“House of Many Ways” is a particularly appealing title, by an already well-liked artist. First and foremost, for obvious reasons, I like that Charmain is a bookish character who wants to work in a library. The other characters that populate this novel, including some from both “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “Castle in the Air,” are original and appealing though not by any means perfect.

Even Charmain, the novel’s heroine, has moments where she is quite mistaken about a variety of things. Happily, never long enough to become problematic for readers. At the same time, it is refreshing that Charmain is utterly useless despite her being so well read. When she arrives at the wizard’s house she cannot cook, wash clothes, or do many other things that most people take for granted.

This story is about magic and a fair bit of adventure. But it is also about what every college senior has to think about sooner or later: being an adult. As the novel progresses, Charmain learns about more than books and magic, she learns how to grow up and take care of herself, even when that means admitting she might need some help.

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Oct 06, 2011 I r h rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, 2010, stand-alone, review

Charmain ha vivido toda la vida rodeada de algodones. Nunca ha tenido que limpiar, ordenar o cocinar, ya que a sus padres no les parecía conveniente que ella hiciese algo así., ya que no es "respetable". Siempre ha vivido con la nariz metida en los libros, sin preocuparse de nada más. No tiene independencia, ni posibilidad alguna de demostrar su valía. Por eso, cuando su tía Sempronia (la cual, según dicen, es un poco bruja) le dice que tiene que cuidar de la casa de un tal tío William, que es m...more Charmain ha vivido toda la vida rodeada de algodones. Nunca ha tenido que limpiar, ordenar o cocinar, ya que a sus padres no les parecía conveniente que ella hiciese algo así., ya que no es "respetable". Siempre ha vivido con la nariz metida en los libros, sin preocuparse de nada más. No tiene independencia, ni posibilidad alguna de demostrar su valía. Por eso, cuando su tía Sempronia (la cual, según dicen, es un poco bruja) le dice que tiene que cuidar de la casa de un tal tío William, que es mago, no se lo piensa dos veces. ¡Una aventura, como la de sus libros!

Pero las cosas no son como se las imaginaba. La casa es, en apariencia, minúscula, está lleno de trastos y porquerías, mucho trabajo duro por hacer. Se llevan a su tío sin que le de tiempo de explicar nada, y se encuentra con una perrita, Waif, tan hambrienta como ella. Y cuando Charmain va en busca de las demás habitaciones, descubre que, para acceder a ellas, hay que seguir instrucciones muy detalladas: girar a la derecha si quieres ir a un sitio, a la izquierda para ir a otro, medias vueltas (que no enteras, ¡si no irías a otro sitio!). A sus problemas se suma Peter, un chico que asegura ser el aprendiz de su tío, bastante dotado para crear problemas y que no distingue la derecha de la izquierda (ideal para una casa como esa).

LA CASA DE LOS MIL ESPEJOS continúa en el mismo mundo que EL CASTILLO AMBULANTE y EL CASTILLO EN EL AIRE, e incluso recupera a algunos de sus personajes (view spoiler), pero no llega a la altura de los demás. Si bien nos encontramos con una buena historia, tan imaginativa como las anteriores, se hace algo pesada hasta la llegada de Sophie y los demás.

Los personajes no me han calado tanto como los anteriores. En EL CASTILLO AMBULANTE adoré a Sophie, a Calcifer y a Howl (a él por encima de todos), y en EL CASTILLO EN EL AIRE Flor-en-la-noche y Abdullah me encantaron, pero aquí no destaco a casi ningún personaje. Charmain, con sus continuas quejas sobre los quehaceres del hogar, no me ha llegado demasiado como protagonista; en cambio, Waif, la perrita, y Peter, sí me han gustado, igual que el rey. Pero no se pueden destacar demasiado.

Aún así la historia entretiene, casi tanto como los anteriores, aunque en alguna parte llegue a aburrir. Los problemas mágicos que sufren Charmain y Peter te arrancarán un par de sonrisas, y la imaginación de la autora desborda el libro por los cuatro costados.

Una última mención que no tiene casi nada que ver con el libro. Los dos primeros son de la editorial Berenice: muy pequeños, de pasta dura blanca, con sobrecubiertas monísimas; este, en cambio, es de Nocturna: muy grande (en comparación), no es de pasta dura, no tiene sobrecubiertas,... Llamadme tiquismiquis, pero me gusta tener las ediciones iguales ¬¬"(less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Quigui rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the last of the Howl's Castle series of books, we start with Charmain, a bookish 14 year old, who gets volunteered by her great-aunt to take care of her distant great-uncle William's house. Well, magical house. Charmain is a respectable young lady (read: sheltered and spoiled) and, as such, she doesn't know how to do much besides reading a lot, and eating a lot of pasties. That includes washing clothes and dishes, and goes as far as making tea.

Luckily for her, the house is indeed magical, and...more In the last of the Howl's Castle series of books, we start with Charmain, a bookish 14 year old, who gets volunteered by her great-aunt to take care of her distant great-uncle William's house. Well, magical house. Charmain is a respectable young lady (read: sheltered and spoiled) and, as such, she doesn't know how to do much besides reading a lot, and eating a lot of pasties. That includes washing clothes and dishes, and goes as far as making tea.

Luckily for her, the house is indeed magical, and does provide for her meals, and she has always her Uncle's recorded instructions, that help her navigate around the house and help solve some mishaps. Did I mention it is a magical house? Well, it is. From the outside it looks small, but turn left instead of right at a doorway, and you'll find yourself in a completely different room, or building.

To add to the joy, in comes Peter, great-uncle William's new apprentice that he didn't know about, and who doesn't know his master isn't home. Peter, unlike Charmain, does know how to do things around the house, which should have come as a relief, if he didn't botch every magic attempt. And there were a lot of attempts.

And, as one job isn't good enough for bookwork Charmain, she writes to the King to tell him she would like to help him and his daughter organize the Royal Library. I do understand the girl, of course, a library is such a wonderful place to work when you love books.

But there is something missing here, isn't it? Of course, it would fit the series if Howl and Co. weren't there. And they are. Sophie is helping the King with his financial and magical problems, and Morgan and Calcifer come along, of course. And Howl, because he couldn't bear to be left behind. So he appears in his most adorable form ever (I'm not telling what it is, though it's easy to see when reading the book).

And so, Charmain has some adventures with magic, kobolds and lubbocks, manages not to destroy a house or kill her housemate, while getting herself a puppy.

Did I like this book? Hell, yeah! It was a rollercoaster of fun, but that was to be expected. It's Diana Wynne Jones, after all. But I did like it more than Castle in the Air, probably because of Howl. But Charmain was also a reason – incompetent as she was in household tasks, she is a bookworm, so I can find no fault in her (well, I am able to overlook most faults). I loved reading her adventures and misadventures, and if there was a lot of fun on the Castle scenes with the regular cast, her interactions with Peter were really great.

Had there been more books to this series, I would have read them. As it is, I will treasure these three forever.

Also at Spoilers and Nuts (less)

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Jul 03, 2009 Joselyn Star rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unfortunately, I found this book very boring. I also left this book feeling like there were some plotholes that should've been covered. (I'm not going to list them here lest I sound like a fool if they were actually explained.)

Well anyway, I know that DWJ's style is kinda like this... lots and lots of description (sometimes useless), lots of details and nonsense until maybe 3/4 of the book, then BAM! Everything gets solved really quick. The thing is, I don't really like her style, usually becau...more

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Sep 07, 2008 Genevieve rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, sff, ya-childrens

To me this reads rather like Diana Wynne Jones trying to write a book that would translate perfectly into a Hayao Miyazaki movie. This sets it apart from Howl's Moving Castle , which was mutlilated in the process of being turned into a Miyazaki film. The hyperkinetic, overstuffed and underexplained action of the latter third or so; the surreal, dreamlike beauty of certain scenes; some bizarrely cute flourishes (like Waif); the frilly Anglo touches (Afternoon Tea, crumpets); the out-of-the-blue a...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya-fiction, fantasy-and-science-fiction, authors-ij

This follows Castle in the Air as a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. Charmain Baker is pleased when her family sends her to look after Great-Uncle William's little cottage while he's ill; after all, she longs to have some time to herself and the freedom to read and do whatever she wants. But Great-Uncle William is the Royal Wizard of High Norland, and his house is...a little unusual. Soon Charmain is drawn into intrigue at the royal palace, where the king has called in magical help from another k...more

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Jun 10, 2008 Cassie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Howl's Moving Castle

In this sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, we once again move to a new continent, but we see the return of old favorites like Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer, as well as a few characters from Castle in the Air, namely Jamal and Princess Hilda.

When this book showed up in my mailbox, I excitedly pulled out all my Howl world books and reread them in anticipation of House of Many Ways. I probably need to reread it before truly judging it, but upon finishing it I didnt’ feel as much of a need to reread as I...more In this sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, we once again move to a new continent, but we see the return of old favorites like Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer, as well as a few characters from Castle in the Air, namely Jamal and Princess Hilda.

When this book showed up in my mailbox, I excitedly pulled out all my Howl world books and reread them in anticipation of House of Many Ways. I probably need to reread it before truly judging it, but upon finishing it I didnt’ feel as much of a need to reread as I did with Jones’ other books. The story is complex, but not as intricately laid out as the first two. There were certainly plenty of things going on and creative magic, but still I felt like something was missing.

The best part of this book was the reappearance of Howl and Sophie. On its own, this book was a decent enough read, but not anything too special. I didn’t feel that connected or interested in Charmain. Howl on the other hand is amazingly hilarious. I was constantly giggling. Now, it’s spoiler time. Like the last book, Howl is not himself, but unlike Castle in the Air, the reader knows this as soon as he appears on the page. But, still, a bit of spoiler space before I talk about how amazing he is. After this point, the spoiler will be mentioned more than once. As soon as we see Howl’s other shape, we do find out it is him (well, within a few paragraphs), but since this happens about a fourth of the way through the book, I figured spoiler space was called for.

—Spoiler Space—

So, again, the best part of the book was Howl, Calcifer, and Sophie. Why? Because Howl decides he’s going to relive his childhood and spends most of the book running around as a five-year-old "angelic" boy. This of course drives Sophie crazy, who not only has to take care of their toddler son Morgan, but deal with Howl’s shenanigans. The baby was supposed to be left with Howl and Calcifer while she went to help one of their princess friends from Castle in the Air, but about ten minutes after Sophie arrives at the castle, little Howl (calling himself Twinkle) and Calcifer arrive with Morgan, pleading that babysitting was far too hard.

In some ways, I really felt like this book was just an excuse to write more about Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer. Nothing wrong with that, but then the plot and new characters that were added in didn’t really stand on their own . I think the difficulty I had just writing up a summary for the book says something about the lack of focus of the novel. I’d rather that Jones’ would have dropped the pretend of a different main character and just let the good ones glow. If she returns to this world, I’d really like to see a book about Morgan, all grown up.

Read the rest of my review at
http://yafantasy.com/house-of-many-ways/(less)

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Dec 09, 2008 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I will read anything by DWJ - she is one of my favorite authors. House of Many Ways features appearances by Sophie, Howl (disguised as a little boy), their toddler Morgan and Calcifer. They are as engaging as always but the central character in this wonderful tale is Charmain, a spoiled teenager who has been raised to be respectable and who spends all the day with her nose in a book. Charmain's aunt whisks her away suddenly to take care of her Great Uncle William's house while he is away being c...more

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Jul 13, 2008 Zen Cho rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kidslit, sff

Yay! The paperback didn't take very long at all to come out, did it?

It is DWJ so of course I enjoyed, but agreed with whoever it was -- on LJ flist, or on GR? -- who said that it was unfortunate that Howl, Sophie et al were in it, because the old characters were obviously more interesting than the new ones. Charmain was all right. I got quite irritated with her, because -- I can identify with her just wanting to read books all the time and getting irritated when people won't let her do that, and...more

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Dec 18, 2012 June rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy and Jones fans

Recommended to June by: Elissa

Shelves: fantasy

I loved Howl's Moving Castle and I am an avid Diana Wynne Jones fan. (Though I have to admit that I love the film of Howl even more than the book - one of three where that is the case.) A great adventure which made it a very quick read for me. A strong female character who does not consider herself likeable. 9/1/08

I reread this because I didn't remember it very well. I saw I enjoyed it and decided to read it again for a Jones retrospective.

Charmain goes to house sit for her Great Uncle, gets to...more

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

I loved it! I admit, it was not as exciting or imaginative as the first two books, but it was still a very charming and enchanting tale, with lots of twists and turns (literally and figuratively) and a lot of very British humor. Once again, Jones' writing style manages to save the book from being dismissed during the slow parts, she's quite a talented author in my opinion. Where the other two books were more like fairytales, this book was more like a whodunit mystery involving fantasy creatures...more

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Mar 21, 2009 Ryan Mishap rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy

I was all excited about a new Jones book...and a bit let down by this one. This is aimed more at the 12 year old range than older.
The story concerns an adolescent girl, overly protected by her mother, who is pressed into service taking care of her great uncle's house while he is away for medical treatment from the elves. Oh, but Uncle Norland is the Wizard of the Realm and his house has many secrets. Charmain is excited to get out from under her mum, but her real passion is books. She is surpr...more

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Dec 21, 2008 Karin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Charmaine Baker has been prevented for most of her life from doing anything that might not be deemed respectable – cooking, cleaning, laundry, other household chores, and magic. Her mother is very particular. But, when her Aunt Sempronia volunteers her to look after her Great Uncle William’s house while he is away, Charmaine is secretly relieved. The thing she loves most of all in the world is reading, and the king and his daughter have an excellent library (which they are in the process of cata...more Charmaine Baker has been prevented for most of her life from doing anything that might not be deemed respectable – cooking, cleaning, laundry, other household chores, and magic. Her mother is very particular. But, when her Aunt Sempronia volunteers her to look after her Great Uncle William’s house while he is away, Charmaine is secretly relieved. The thing she loves most of all in the world is reading, and the king and his daughter have an excellent library (which they are in the process of cataloging). Charmaine, hoping to work for the king, sends him a letter offering her services as assistant librarian.

Great Uncle William’s house is a mess, and he hardly has time to explain anything to Charmaine, before he’s whisked off by the elves who aim to cure his life-threatening illness. Charmaine is left to figure things out for herself in a strange house with doors that open into different rooms depending on which way you turn when you step through them, an avalanche of dirty laundry, and a seemingly endless supply of half-empty teapots. For company, she has the dog, Waif, and shortly after her arrival, the boy Peter, who is to be Great Uncle William’s new apprentice.

Peter’s magic is completely unpredictable – except for the fact that it always goes wrong, no matter how perfectly he carries out the spell. Charmaine, possessed of some great magical talent of her own (heretofore unexplored!), manages to control her magic through willpower alone. Together they keep house for Great Uncle William, and unravel the mystery surrounding his illness, the treachery of his kobold gardener, and the location of the king’s missing gold.

Charmaine is a fun character. She’s delightfully willful – I love how she bullies things into behaving. If she could, she’d spend all her free time reading while munching on the delicious pastries her father creates in his bakery. I can definitely see the appeal. And while she’s a bit ignorant when it comes to keeping house, she’s determined to figure things out. Most of the characters manage to accomplish what they set out to do despite any problems they encounter along the way. They muddle through somehow, which only makes their success more amusing. The Wizard Howl makes another appearance (and his wife Sophie, and their son, and Calcifer!). There’s a similar foreboding atmosphere in this book as in Howl’s Moving Castle - that things could go really badly for everyone and that there are really dangerous things afoot – but also that there are enough competent people around to handle whatever comes their way. So, the scary elements are less so, because they come with a huge safety net. While this is a little bit less sophisticated than Howl’s Moving Castle, fans of that book will likely enjoy this one as well. And readers of Jones’ Chrestomanci books should also appreciate House of Many Ways.(less)

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May 12, 2013 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-ya, fantasy

So my reaction to this book is probably my fault - linked entirely to my expectation of the book in the first place. I thought it was a sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. Indeed it is promoted as that. But really it shouldn't be.
Howl and Sophie are not the main characters but appear in the story as supporting characters. If one did not expect them as main characters it really is a delightful story, filled with unique characters that Wynne-Jones is fond of crafting - a strange mix of fairytale and...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 4/5

In Howl’s Moving Castle, we embarked on an adventure with Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer in the kingdom of Ingary. Castle in the Air took us to the desert country to the south, Zanzib. And now, we head to the neighboring land of High Norland, to meet a rather self-absorbed young lady named Charmain Baker. Charmain’s parents have brought her up to be so perfectly respectable that she can’t even wash dishes, let alone manage house-sitting for her Gre...more Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 4/5

In Howl’s Moving Castle, we embarked on an adventure with Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer in the kingdom of Ingary. Castle in the Air took us to the desert country to the south, Zanzib. And now, we head to the neighboring land of High Norland, to meet a rather self-absorbed young lady named Charmain Baker. Charmain’s parents have brought her up to be so perfectly respectable that she can’t even wash dishes, let alone manage house-sitting for her Great Uncle Norland (who happens to be the official Wizard of High Norland) while he’s away. She would much rather sit down and read books all day long. But alas, it is done, and now Charmain must somehow contend with her Great Uncle’s house, which is full of magic, including a library crammed with magical books that flip their own pages, a tea trolley that disappears and wheels itself back loaded with food, tiny blue people called kobolds who have a HUGE problem with the hydrangeas, a thoroughly charming dog called Waif, and a bumbling apprentice named Peter who suddenly shows up at the door. Did I mention the house’s passageways and corridors all bend both space and time? Charmain has never done magic in her life, as it isn’t quite respectable enough an activity to her parents, but now she discovers that she can do more than try it—she’s pretty good at it, too! Another thing that Charmain soon discovers: when threats arise from several corners and everything starts to seem like a huge conspiracy, who else could we call but Wizard Howl and his magical family?

I’ve mentioned before that it is always a distinct pleasure to run into Howl and Sophie again. And while Charmain was not a particularly pleasant heroine for me to keep company with for 404 pages (she is far too ridiculously spoiled and doesn’t even know how to boil water, hahaha), this was alleviated by the moments when Howl and Sophie (and of course Calcifer) appeared. Howl in particular is totally hysterical in this book, LOLLLL. I think I share Diana Wynne Jones’ weakness for dashing, impeccably dressed wizards, because she hasn’t been able to stay way from either of hers (Chrestomanci being the other dashing, impeccably dressed wizard)…and neither have I, haha. While I didn’t end up liking House of Many Ways as much as I liked the other sequel, Castle in the Air, I do have to say that the irrepressible Howl Pendragon and family could make me love any book!(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who love Sophie and Howl's characters.

Shelves: fantasy, magical, mystery

Charmain Baker is a girl who is left to look after the house of her Great Uncle who has suddenly become very ill. While he is being healed she is left to her own devices in a house that she startlingly realizes is quite magical, something that her parents taught her is not "proper." Despite her distaste toward her situation, she begins to find her own interest in magic as she bonds with an adorable, doting dog with a few secrets of it's own and a hapless new friend claiming to be her Great Uncle...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Jennifer Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

The sequel to Howl's Moving Castle is just as much an adventure story as its predecessor, and yet tells a very different tale.

While Howl's Moving Castle focused a great deal on magic and good and evil, House of Many Ways seems to focus on telling a story from the perspective of an overall perfectly innocent bystander. Charmain has never dealt with magic in her life, nor really learned anything useful, and suddenly she's dropped into a magical house with doors that lead to a hundred different pl...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, re-reads

This is my third listen to this audiobook version narrated by Jenny Stirlin, and I enjoyed it even more than the first two times I listened to it. In looking for the title to add to my Goodreads list, I discovered The House of Many Ways is shown as book 3 in the Howl's Moving Castle series. I would agree that it might be the third one to read if one thinks of this as a series. However, although the characters of Howl, Sophie and Calcifer introduced in the first book do have a part in this story,...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Started and finished listening to this one yesterday as I was very ill and in bed the whole day. I found it quite delightful and I liked it much better than the second one (Castle in the Air) though not as much as the first (Howl's Moving Castle). My favorite parts were still the ones with Sophie & Howl, though Sophie seemed to get the short end of the stick in this one, poor girl. I liked Charmaine as a protagonist better than I like Abdullah in Book 2, even though she was far more flawed,...more

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Jul 31, 2012 the never-ending library added it · review of another edition

Charmain Baker is a bookworm (something I can definitely relate to!); she has her nose in a book all day and aspires to work in the King’s library. So you can imagine how annoyed she is when she has to look after Great Uncle William’s tiny cottage while he’s ill. It seems a simple task until you realise that Great Uncle William is a Royal Wizard and everything in his house is magical: the fireplace, the food, even the stray dog and Charmain hasn’t been trained in magic at all! To make matters wo...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Jamila rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers

Shelves: fantasy

First, I have to note I read this book out of order - but the story was separate enough that it did not matter all that much.

Now that I've read more than one of Jones' books, I have to say that her fantasy is a very different fantasy/sci-fi than I'm used to reading and in some ways it is a refreshing break. Her stories are calm, well crafted tales that grow on your slowly, weaving tales around you and sucking you in. They are lighter stories - unlike the revolutionary, world-ending chaos I usual...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Lamepun rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summary: Charmain is a bookworm who's greatest ambition is to have free-reign of the king's library. Unfortunately for Charmain, just as she gets a job as the king's librarian aide, her mother tells her she's got to pack it off to her great uncle's house to housesit while her uncle goes away to recover from a horrible illness. There she meets a slew of strange characters: her uncle's glutinous dog, Waif, the klutzy magician's apprentice, Peter, and Kobalds, who like blue and nothing else. Then,...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Ange rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Charmaine: My mother brought me up to be respectable. She never let me near the scullery, or the kitchen either.
Peter: I don't believe this! Why is it respectable not to know how to do things? Is it respectable to light a fire with a bar of soap?

I quite like this book, but I'm slashing a star for its magic/sorcery element.

The story is much lighter than the first one, but expect many twists and turns that you'd never imagine were interconnected. The author is really talented in hiding many elemen...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Mackenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the third book of the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy and my least favorite, though still mostly enjoyable. Sophie, Howl (aka Twinkle, due to his need to be in disguise), Morgan and Calcifer are back with much more immediately noticable rolls than in book 2, though the main character of this story is a slightly spoiled and very sheltered girl named Charmain.
Charmain is to house sit (magic-house sit) for her great-uncle, who is a wizard, while he is away for his health. However, she is so...more This is the third book of the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy and my least favorite, though still mostly enjoyable. Sophie, Howl (aka Twinkle, due to his need to be in disguise), Morgan and Calcifer are back with much more immediately noticable rolls than in book 2, though the main character of this story is a slightly spoiled and very sheltered girl named Charmain.
Charmain is to house sit (magic-house sit) for her great-uncle, who is a wizard, while he is away for his health. However, she is so sheltered (and spoiled) and knows nothing of magic (despite a natural aptitude) that she struggles with even simple tasks (like making tea or even going from room to room because the magic house has many hidden dimensions, much like Howl's castle). Luckily (sort of) for her, his new apprentice Peter arrives and though he isn't very good at magic, he knows more than her and is also better at keeping house.
As the story antagonists, Ludovic and the Lubbock, try to take over the kingdom where Charmain lives, Charmain, Peter, a magical dog named Waif, Sophie, "Twinkle" and Calcifer search for the "elf-gift", which is supposed to save King Adolphus and Princess Hilda's kingdom (one of the kidnapped princesses from book 2). Unfortunately, the elf-gift is so vaguely defined that no one knows what it is.
Like the previous two books, this book saves a lot of action, twists, and revelations for the end. While I did enjoy reading it, I didn't find it nearly as satisfying as the first two. I think in large part this is due to the character of Charmain. She starts out spoiled and lazy with little patience that often results in rudeness toward Peter and a handful of other characters. She improves throughout the story but, unfortunately, never fully redeems herself. I suppose the author might have meant for her attitude to come off as spirited but it didn't sit well with me. Thankfully, I was able to mostly put my feelings about Charmain aside and enjoy the story anyway.(less)

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Dec 29, 2011 Yang Safia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://amateuryang.blogspot.com/2011/...
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(Check out my full review!)

Back in Malaysia I have read Howl's Moving Castle and to be honest, I find it quite a difficult read for a YA book. Maybe because it was written in the style of a different era but the story got a bit complicated for me at the end. To this day, I am still trying to understand what HMC is really about. The whole Calcifer, Howl and Sophie thing just confuses me.

Just to pick up where I left off from HMC, I tried looking for Castl...more

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

Shelves: books-to-buy, fantasy, comedy

This, apparently, is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. I didn't read Howl's Moving Castle first (though now I certainly intend to), and it seems that House of Many Ways can act as a good stand-alone book. That said, time to move on to my review.

First point: it's funny. I would venture to say that there is even a bit of an early-Victorian flair in its style and humor. Especially with Charmain's Aunt Sempronia and the various tea parties that Charmain inadvertently disrupts. Diana Wynne Jones al...more This, apparently, is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. I didn't read Howl's Moving Castle first (though now I certainly intend to), and it seems that House of Many Ways can act as a good stand-alone book. That said, time to move on to my review.

First point: it's funny. I would venture to say that there is even a bit of an early-Victorian flair in its style and humor. Especially with Charmain's Aunt Sempronia and the various tea parties that Charmain inadvertently disrupts. Diana Wynne Jones also throws in various humorous spins on famous myths - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, dirty laundry breeds (which is a fact that my mom will testify to), etc. The chaotic scenes are not slapstick chaotic - they are very funny and rather ordered in their chaoticness.

Second point: the characters. Charmain can grate upon the Reader's nerves - thankfully, this book in not written in first person, so her irritatingly-quick temper does not get overly annoying. To her credit, Charmain does attempt to be kinder to people, and she cannot entirely help the fact that she doesn't know how to do any household chores - that would be her mother's fault. But in short order, you get used to Charmain and don't mind her too much. Peter is more annoying that her, because he thinks he knows how to do everything, but really doesn't. He bungles his spells all the time, causing more problems. But there's something endearing about him in his know-it-allness. But my favorite character (aside from Waif the dog and The Boke of Palimpsest; it's always a good sign when a story can make a book a funny character!) was Calcifer. There was something about the fire demon - who is nothing more than a blue flame with red eyes who sleeps in fireplaces - that I really liked. Howl was not in the story enough as himself for me to fully enjoy him, but what short time he was, I liked him as well. Still, Calcifer stands out as my favorite.

The one complaint I have is a very small one - that being the author constantly inserted the utterance of "Er" in dialogue. To me, that's a sign of weak dialogue writing and it gets on my nerves. But my overall enjoyment of the comical story and likable characters overshadowed this minor annoyance. I'm not a fan of fantasy, but comical fantasy like this - fantasy that pokes fun at itself - I like. The slight Victorian flavor made it even more enjoyable. I'm going to read Howl's Moving Castle as soon as I can and I'll probably end up buying at least House of Many Ways.

If you're looking for a relaxing, amusing read, House of Many Ways is definitely a good pick.
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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)

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

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

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“All she heard next of the strange conversation behind the sofa was Mrs. Pendragon saying something about sending Twinkle (or was his name Howl?) to bed without supper and Twinkle daring her to 'jutht TRY it.” — 63 people liked it

“Sophie said a bad word. In the dim light she had stubbed her toe on one of the many dusty bricks piled around the place.
Naughty-naughty" Twinkle said.
Oh shut up!" Sophie said , standing on one leg to hold her toe. "Why don't you grow up?” — 46 people liked it

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

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