Review: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLISHER:

Harper Collins

 

I really love blogging events. They often introduce me to whole new worlds of reading and of course to new book obsessed buddies :)

 

 

I was first exposed to Howl through the amazing movie by Studio Ghilbi:

 

 

I fell in love with this movie despite some elements I didn't really understand. A few months ago I saw a blogger had reviewed the entire series by Diana and it inspired me to buy  the first book at a great price where it then proceeded to sit in my nook, and sit, and sit :) so thanks to the TBR challenge and the read-a-long I've completed it.

 

THE GOOD:

I was immediately intrigued by Diana’s narrative. The story begins like many traditional fairy tales, there are three lovely daughters who do to their fathers death have to make their way in the world. While one sister is apprenticed to a a baker and another to a good witch it is Sophie’s path that the reader follows.

Sophie helps her stepmother run their small hat shop and the hats she makes tend to have spectacular, some would say magical effects on their buyers. The shop creates quite a stir in Sophie's village and brings her to the attention of the Witch of the waste who curses Sophie by turning her into an old woman costing her years of her life. Our Sophie however is not one to despair. She immediately sets out for the wizard Howl’s moving castle figuring that one magician may be able to fix what another has wrought.

 

Howl

As Sophie finds a way to fit into Howl’s world she finds that he is very different from the rumors that spread about him. There is something equally attractive and repelling about Howl. He is horribly vain, yet insecure. He seeks to win ladies hearts but without knowing his own heart he cannot be enthralled for long. Then there is his moodiness. The phrase “stuck in a feeling” means more than mere words for Howl. Yet as the book continues the reader begins to warm to Howl. Sophie takes none of his nonsense yet she isn’t fully immune to his charms. It’s a good thing that her true form is hidden and that Howl has no idea of her true form, or does he?

 

Howl’s courts the reader. It dazzles you with an immediate connection and slowly twines itself into you heart, so much so that you cant imagine that you have lived so long without these wonderful characters and are anxious to meet them once again.