Customer Reviews

Howl's Moving Castle

5 star:		(217)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Diana Wynne-Jones has a well-deserved reputation for funny, well-plotted, keep-you-riveted-to-your-chair fantasy stories. Here she provides an unusual sorcerer, an unlikely heroine, and a lot of sly winks at fantasies and fairy tales. Very entertaining.

Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three daughters, which in this fantasyland means that she's the one who doesn't have an astounding "fortune" to seek. Instead she's stuck at the hat shop. One day a plump, very rude woman comes to see the hats, and Sophie uncharacteristically insults her. Unfortunately, this woman is the Witch of the Wastes, and responds by aging Sophie into a crone. Peeved out of being shy and retiring, she tramps off to the "Moving Castle" of the supposedly evil wizard Howl, who reportedly [steals] out the souls of young girls.

After arriving at the castle, she encounters Howl's pleasant apprentice and contracted fire demon Calcifer (who promises to disenchant Sophie if she breaks his contract). Though she annoys the rather self-absorbed Howl and drives Calcifer almost nuts at times, Sophie becomes the cleaning lady at the Moving Castle. She begins searching for the chewed-up hearts of the girls, only to find something a lot more bizarre -- including her own peculiar magic.

If you've ever read a fairy tale -- Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast -- you'll know that the youngest kids are always are the favored ones. They go on to marry princes or princesses, become wealthy and beloved. Jones mocks this and many other fairy-tale cliches, such as the hilarious scene where Sophie lurches around in seven-league boots. There's even a brief homage to J.R.R. Tolkien.

It's certainly an interesting twist to have a not-so-evil evil-wizard, a harried apprentice, and a heroine who appears to be in her nineties. Similarly, the ideas of the "Moving Castle" with its doors to other places (including modern Wales) is very original. That's not even mentioning the attacking scarecrow.

Until she's aged into a crone, Sophie isn't much of a heroine; she's too timid and dull to be of interest. Post-aging, she becomes interesting and delightfully pushy. Howl is not what you think of a "bad" wizard as; his tantrums over things like hair dye are hysterically funny, and he's also immensely attractive to the opposite sex. Michael is a good sidekick, with the common-sense that Howl lacks; Calcifur the fire demon is one of Jones' most memorable characters, especially when Sophie bullies him.

While it isn't quite as spectacular as Jones' Chrestomanci Chronicles, "Howl's Moving Castle" will appeal to those who liked fantasy spoof "Dark Lord of Derkholm" and "Year of the Griffin." A funny, thought-provoking magical ride.

Sophie lives in a small village in the magical land of Ingary. Her village fears the heartless wizard, Howl, whose dark castle insists on circling the village--but it is a wicked witch who suddenly places an aging spell on Sophie, causing her to leave the village and, exhausted, take refuge in Howl's castle.

Filled with finely drawn characters, this is a book accessible for all ages. Perhaps the best part is when the characters visit our world, and we see things through their perspective.

Jones includes bits and pieces of standard fantasy, from fire demons to seven-league boots, but what results is, as always, entirely her own.

Highly recommended. Jones is finally starting to get her due as an author, and this is a good place to start reading her works.

Howl's Moving Castle is, overall, a good book.

That said, I don't think it is even in the same sphere of interest as J. R. R. Tolkien, or J. K. Rowling. The tone is different; DWJ maintains a witty tone, very emotional, but practical as well. She keeps you interested because of the ways her characters act. Sophie is a particularly complex character, and I enjoyed the ways in which she tried to deny her, um, feelings for Howl (especially the weed killer). I found Tolkien to be more detail-oriented, and less character-based. His books weren't as easy (or, in my opinion, interesting) to read. J. K. Rowling? A different story entirely. The three books don't compare, and not because one is better than the other. They're just completely different.

The book and the movie differ as well. At least two people I know, faced with me coaxing them into reading the book after seeing the movie, declined, with the excuse that they didn't think the book would be as good. This is definitely NOT TRUE. Miyazaki couldn't possibly summarize the character's personalities (Sophie's stubbornness and emotionalness; Howl's selfishness, and total escapism, and his courage, bravery, genius and hot! body, haha). He didn't even try. Come on. Even though I love Miyazaki, admire his films, and think he is truly skilled, I don't think this film was at all his best. The characters were saccharine. Sophie was a nice old woman without a lot of personality, and Howl was a seemingly selfish man who turned out to be a flying bird turned war hero turned 'ideal' male lead. And then there was the Witch. She WASN'T GOOD. SHE WAS EVIL. I know I sound pessimistic, and there were parts of the movie that made me love it... but as a movie. I loved this book first, and I was really disappointed with the movie. If you are looking for more Miyazaki, you're out of luck.

The book starts out with Sophie, the responsible sister of two girls constantly in competition and the daughter of a hatter and his new wife, an ex-assistant of the shop. She doesn't believe that she has much chance of striking it rich and living happily ever after. But soon, for reasons somewhat unknown, the Witch of the Waste decides to invade her shop, and turns her into an old woman! Shocked, Sophie soon begins her journey away from the hat shop to cure herself. She ends up staying as a cleaning lady for the notoriously womanizing wizard Howl. Supposedly, he eats hearts. Her encounter with him is complicated, involving two curses, unknown motivations, and all the supporting characters and sub-plots.

The best thing about the book is Sophie's personality. She is actually an honorable person. In the beginning, she seems overly dutiful, and near the middle she can seem immature; but if you look more at the reasons she acts that way, her actual character becomes clear. I like that she's human, and acts in different ways. So that was what made the book for me.

Give this book a chance! It's better than it might seem.

Before the movie came out on DVD I wanted to read the novel. I know what the movie is about and I heard it was "loosely based" on the novel.

Little did I know that the novel was so delightful! As much as I love Miyazaki films, I don't think he could have wrapped up all the delightful parts for his readers in 2 hours or so. For those who have not seen the movie, I think the two can remain separate (meaning you can partake in one and not the other and be equally satisfied) because from what I read of Miyazaki's interviews, the movie goes along very different focuses and themes.

What I found the most enchanting about the book were the rich characters. I don't think any movie could ever do it justice, Miyazaki or not. Howl seems to be the absolute opposite of what a hero should be, but he does grow on the reader and he's really not quite as clueless and self-absorbed as he leads others to believe. And Sophie is the spunky heroine that I thought she would be, although flawed and imperfect, she is very human and this makes her admirable.

It's an easy 300 some pages to read and I finished it in a day (laughter occupied some time, and I reread the ending 2x). It brings back familiar themes of fairytales from childhood and evokes some nostalgia on the reader's part. There's an evil witch, a hero and heroine, rich people and poor people, the working middle class and royalty. But the author is a riot in the way she says things so simplisticly, matter-of-factly and sarcastically. She's very witty throughout, which makes it such an entertaining read!

In this book there are surprises around the bend, and nothing is as it appears. All in all I think people of all ages can and should read this book, though notably it is in the young reader/independent reader/teen section. My only complaint is that it wasn't long enough to satiate my interest, and the denoument cuts off rather abrutly. But you can be the judge of how much romance you need in your life to be satisfied.

In the land of Ingary, in a small town called Market Chipping, lives a 17 year old young woman named Sophie. Sophie's family owns a hat shop, and between her stepmother Fanny and her Father Sophie has been named the heir apparent. While Sophie learns the business of making and selling hats Sophie's younger sister Lettie (16) and half sister Martha (14 or 15?) go off to apprentice at Cesari's bakery and a watchmaker's named Mrs. Fairfax respectively. Soon all the businesses are booming, what with Sophie's ingenuity and Lettie's good looks the custom just explodes.

One day in Market Square Sophie meets an elegant young man with blond hair who compliments her as she runs off to see Lettie. When she meets with Lettie she is surprised to discover that Lettie is not really Lettie, but in fact she is Martha under an enchantment to look like Lettie. Evidently the girls did not enjoy their assigned positions and switched with each other after administering a magical glamour that altered their appearances. It is Lettie who tells Sophie she must stand up to Fanny by demanding a wage for her efforts at the hat shop, that she is worth more. With these thoughts in her mind Sophie heads off to the hat shop where she encounters a woman who changes her life, the Witch of the Waste, a powerful enchantress whose reputation is legendary. At first the Witch arrives on the pretense that she is hat shopping with her assistant, Gaston, but it quickly becomes obvious that Sophie is going to be compromised for her indifferent attitude towards the Witch. The witch casts a spell on her that makes her age drastically from a girl of seventeen to a woman in her later years.

When Sophie realizes just how extreme the change is she decides to leave Market Chipping. She journeys for a time, encountering first a scarecrow that is no longer standing up. Once she rectifies this she encounters a magnificent sight, a floating castle. Now, the reputation of this castle precedes itself, it belongs to a wizard called Howl, whose dastardly deeds of consuming young women's hearts is legendary. Sophie enters the castle and discovers that it is inhabited by three persons, a young man named Michael (15) who is an apprentice to Howl, a fire demon named Calcifer who is confined to the hearth by curse and an agreement with Howl, and Howl (Howell Jenkins) himself, who turns out to be the very elegant young man whom Sophie encountered in the market. Sophie decides to stay on the pretense that she is the new cleaning lady, but in reality she is staying long enough to break Calcifer's contract with Howl so that he might break the enchantment on her once she does.

While Sophie is there she learns all sorts of information about her hosts. Michael is a stalwart scholar determined to be a good wizard even when he falls in love with one of Sophie's sisters... Calcifer is stubborn but genuine, and Howl... at first Howl seems to be nothing more than an arrogant playboy. Why, he barely ever attends to his official duties as a wizard to the several kingdoms he serves, Michael ends up doing the brunt of his dirty work while he is off chasing women. Even when Howl is asked to find the Prince Justin he shirks this responsibility at every opportunity, too busy chasing first Sophie's sister and then his nephews school mistress to care about the missing Prince. But a curse drawn up by the Witch of the Waste that Michael unearths in the form of a spell proves that Howl's time may soon be up and it is up to Calcifer, Michael, and Sophie to redeem their friend before he falls prey to the Witches evil clutches.

Needless to say I love this book, but let me tell you why. Initially I decided to read it because of the fact that it has been adapted into a film, and a Miyazaki film no less. I adore Miyazaki films with every fiber of my being, so when I saw this book I decided to read it before watching the movie... what a rare and splendid treat this story was. I tell you, it's been some time since a story has sucked me in to this degree. The story and plotline are wonderful, the characters so real they leap off the page at you, and the writing is so sweet, funny and nerve wracking it keeps you reading at breakneck pace. I found myself laughing loudly at Howl's vain efforts to get others to pay attention to him, and yet found it sweet when he would bestow kindness onto his comrades. And Sophie...Sophie is one of those heroines that sticks with you after you close the book, a newfound Dorothy or Alice caught up in her own version of Wonderland... this story is the stuff that classics are made of, and I am not just merely gushing because I loved the book... It's one of those books you compulsively read because you simply can't wait to see what is going on in this world or what magic Jones is creating next. This is a diverting book that grasps at the reader and is a must read for everyone.

This is, quite simply, the best book I have ever read. I read it first when I was about 12 and have loved it ever since. It is the story of Sophie, the eldest of three sisters who believes that she will never do anything with her life. Through a case of mistaken identity she is transformed into an elderly woman and is forced to leave her old life to seek her fortune in the world. She bullies her way into a magical castle owned by the wizard Howl. Sophie makes friends with Howl's assistant Michael and his Fire Demon Calcifer and together they help Howl to beat the wicked Witch of the Waste. The best thing about this book is the writing, which brings it all to life, particularly when Howl takes Sophie and Michael to visit his sister in Wales. The whole book is fantastic and I have now read it so many times I think I will have to buy a new copy as the old one is looking decidedly the worse for wear. I would recommend this book for anyone who has read other stories by the same author or anyone who just wants to read something exciting and entertaining.

This is a fabulous book, I took a look into it when my daughter was reading it and was hooked!
The only reason I'm writing this review though is to beg you to buy the book edition and NOT the Kindle,
I don't know how books are transferred onto Kindle and have had little trouble in the past but the Kindle version reads like it has been proof read by a robot! 'From' is invariably 'form', sometimes names are capitalised sometimes not.'She unlocked the shop door and towed (threw) the wet boots onto the pavement' 'There seemed no reason to sell the sop(shop)" She took roosts (roots)from all the bags'. You get the picture. Does it spoil the read? Yes! Buy the book - a great airplane read.

Fairy tales, by and large, adhere to some very strict and undeniable rules. Amongst these is the rule of three. If a household contains three children and there is a fortune to be made, that fortune will be attained not by the first or second children (who are doomed to fail simply due to their birthdates) but by the third. Fairy tales are filled to overflowing with stories about third children. It doesn't take too much imagination to see how much more interesting it is to read a story about a first child instead. In "Howl's Moving Castle" author Diana Wynne Jones pays tribute to the great folktales of the past by turning them topsy-turvy upside-down. The book is an amusing picaresque mystery tale about a girl's attempts to remedy her newly ancient state.

Sophie did not mean to upset the Witch of the Waste. It's just one of those things that happens. After working in her stepmother's hat shop for months on end, Sophie's somewhat remarkable workmanship attracts the unwanted attention of a very nasty sorceress. For what appears to be no reason at all, the Witch enchants Sophie to become the age of ninety, or so. With a newfound sense that she no longer need worry about what people think of her, Sophie blossoms in her new state. Just the same, she'd like to get her old body back, and so it's off to the Wizard Howl (a man reported to eat the hearts out of young girls) for a cure. Hopping a ride on Howl's remarkable moving castle (hence the book's name) she befriends the not-so-evil but undeniably vain sorcerer, his apprentice Michael, and their snarky fire demon, Calcifer. What follows is a race to escape the witch, free Calcifer, and figure out just exactly what Howl does or does not know about his new senior citizen servant.

The book's a remarkable combination of styles. You have your fantasy, your fairy tale, your mystery, and your subdued but nonetheless present romance. Jones has always been a fan of fantasy stories in which the tale will suddenly produce one heckuva twist 80% of the way through. "Howl's Moving Castle" is no different, and the twist (while something anyone other than myself could probably have seen coming a mile away) is a shocker. The best thing about the book though is the easygoing relationships between the characters. Once Sophie settles down and makes the castle her home (while she tries to find a way to get her old body) she develops a wonderful relationship with Howl, Michael, Calcifer, and any other random people who might stop by (like a dog-man or an enchanted scarecrow, perhaps). Like many of Jones' heroes and heroines she's completely unaware of her own remarkable abilities. If there's any continual theme present throughout Jones' works, it's the idea of knowing oneself. Sophie doesn't, and until she discovers the extent of her own remarkable qualities, she's doomed to putter about.

It's a great idea too, making the heroine of a tale sixty or seventy years older than she should be. Howl, for his part, is a great character if a little dodgy at times. He's as vain as a peacock, often appearing as a slightly wittier version of Gilderoy Lockhart from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". His transformation by the book's end was, needless to say, straining the boundaries of credulity. Just the same, you can't help but fall in love with this story. Yes yes, it kinda falls apart near the end with so many subplots, red herrings, and sudden characters cropping up here and there that you either lose track of what's going on or reread every paragraph three times over just to get your bearings. Jones has a tendency to rush her endings, and the ending of "Howl's Moving Castle" works at a breakneck speed. I wish she'd lingered a little longer over the happy ending too. Once the danger of the book has passed, everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow quicker than you can spit. I would've liked a little luxuriating in the characters' newfound happinesses, but you go with what you've got.

All in all, "Howl's Moving Castle" is bound to please both those Diana Wynne Jones newbies out there who've never so much as glanced at a word of hers before, and those tried and true stalwart fans who methodically gobble her books up like so many Pac-Man pellets. I wouldn't name this as my favorite of her stories (hats off to "Archer's Goon" for that honor) but I did have a wonderful time reading it. If you'd like a book that is a joy to read and won't do anything but please you, select this one immediately. It inspires movies, it entrances children... it is a spectacular tale.

Okay, I admit it: I'm a college student. I'm almost 20 years old (my god, that's OLD!) and this is still one of my all-time favorite books. I remember picking up Howl's Moving Castle at the library, many years ago, and Diana Wynne Jones shortly became one of my favorite authors. Her writing is humorous and intelligent, her characters are fascinating and real, and she has an imagination about which words fail me. People may talk about JK Rowling (who is also an amazing writer, not to be missed), but before you rhapsodize about Harry Potter, read about Howl. This book is bewitching; Diana Wynne Jones has charmed me for all time.

For me, Howl's Moving Castle is without doubt one of the best books on earth - by one of the best authors.

Not only does it include one of Diana Wynne Jones' most intriguing and imaginative plots, some of her best hilarious, witty humour, AND a whole new brilliant parallel world, it ALSO has one of history's most attractive males,who can only be likened in terms of desirability to Aragorn or Faramir in "The Lord of the Rings", which is saying something. Howl becomes even more gorgeous everytime I read the book, of which I become more fond on each re-reading. Without giving any plot away, two people in this book I think can only be compared in their enduring popularity to Elizabeth and Darcy!

The action is fast,the supporting charecters are great and strangely familiar, the heroine you can really relate to, and Calcifer a charecter not to be missed.

Anyone with a sense of humour please read this endearing multi-faceted novel.

Please excuse all my gush gush and silly vocabulary, but it really is a great book!