Diana Wynne Jones
HarperCollins (2008)
ISBN 9780061478789
Reviewed by Avni Gupta (age 15) for Reader Views (7/08)
When I got the book “Howl’s MovingCastle” in the mail, I was elated. I had been going through a dry spell where I did not have any books that I had not already read. As soon as I got it, I sat down and started reading. A few hours later, I was finished with that masterpiece of a book. Of course, it being written by Diana Wynne Jones is another reason that it is a masterpiece.
This book is about Sophie, the oldest of three sisters. In her day and age, the oldest child is usually the most unsuccessful. This being known to her, Sophie decides to live with her fate. Fate, however, does not want her to bend to this rule and has a different outcome in its eyes for Sophie which involves the mysterious wizard Howl who lives in the floating castle near her town. This plan that fate has is all put into place when the wicked Witch of the Waste comes into Sophie’s mother’s hat shop when Sophie is the only one in there. Sophie angers the witch, and in her angered state, the witch turns Sophie into an old woman. Sophie has no idea how to break the curse, but she thinks that wizard Howl might. So, Sophie walks up to the castle. There she continues the plan set in place by fate with help from her new house (well castle really) mates, Michael, the apprentice, Calcifer, the fire demon, and wizard Howl himself, who is a lot more than meets the eye.
I thought that this book was amazing! It was a perfect balance of wit and magic all with a touch of mystery. I feel that this book is a book that all fantasy readers will enjoy. The humanness of Calcifer, the fire demon, ties the story all together. Without him, I know that the story would not have gone anywhere, nor would it have made any sense at all.
Of all of the fantasy books that I have read, “Howl’s MovingCastle” by Diana Wynne Jones is the one that I have found to be the most plausible. I also think that people who generally do not read fantasy will like this book as well. And the best part is that this book has been made into a movie, so you can read the book and then watch the movie or watch the movie and then read the book!
One response
Great review. It is a wonderful book. It is because of this book I became a fan of Diana Wynne Jones and fell in love with the fantasy genre, which is what I love to write.