Reviews
I've only just finished it but I've already decided that I would enjoy it more after a reread
Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing, classic fantasy novel is filled with surprises at every turn. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.
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?
Originally dnf this book in 2024 since I couldn't get into it, I picked it up again this year and it flew by- I did listen to it as an audiobook more than actually reading it, but it was really good :)
Oh I just loved it. I was a fan of the movie, not realising it was a book. The book is charming and odd and the characters are lovely.
Thanks to booktok, I found out that the Chrestomanci series appears to have been some inspiration for HP <spoiler>(a wizard who cannot be named or he is summoned, wicked witches and wizards, a magical government, something similar to a horcrux etc)</spoiler> so had to read Charmed Life. It's a lovely book, I loved Howls Moving Castle so was a fan of the writer already.
The worldbuilding is clever and playful, especially the moving castle itself and the twisty, fairy-tale logic that governs everything. The dialogue has a light, sharp humor that keeps the story from ever feeling too heavy.That said, the plot can feel a little scattered. Events sometimes happen abruptly, and the magic system isn’t always explained clearly, which made parts of the story confusing rather than mysterious. Some character arcs feel rushed toward the end, everything is suddenly tied together very quickly.
S: July 25th, 2021 | C: Aug 1st, 2021 | 5 ⭐ ⚠️ WARNING! This review may contain spoilers, read at your own risk. I also cuss a lot. I am not a professional reviewer. I just read books and tell my thoughts about them, whatever they may be. Let me start by saying that this is one of my FAVORITE movies and I didn't know until recently that it even had a book version. Inwas quite excited but also quite worried knowing the track record with book versus movie. Now, it has been a LONG time since I watched the movie and my memory is quite trash so I don't remember much of what happened but, after finishing the book, I feel as if the stories are quite different yet still the same - like alternate universes. Both are equally amazing, in my opinion, and I don't believe one is better or worse than the other. I do have a strong desire to rewatch the movie though haha Sophie is a very likeable character and I fell more in love with her after reading the book. Howl doesn't seem quite as charming to me in the book, but Calcifer is still amazing and easily my favorite character
Un libro muy mágico y muy bien narrado, si te gusta la película, te gustará el libro.
RECENSIONE COMPLETA SUL BLOG: https://butterflyandbokeffect.blogspot.com/2024/05/recensione-il-castello-errante-di-howl.htmlSecondo me se si è visto solo il film e se si è apprezzato il libro va letto per avere un quadro più preciso, ci sono avvenimenti scritti e narrati che nel film non ci sono o avvengono in modo molto diverso.Non posso dirvi quali sono perché il libro va letto e apprezzato. Solitamente se prima non leggevo un libro dopo il film oppure ero sempre pronta a criticare l’adattamento cinematografico questa volta posso ritenermi abbastanza soddisfatta mi piacerebbe sapere il perché abbiano scelto di fare alcune scene “semi inventate” piuttosto che farle fedeli al romanzo, ma credo che non avrò mai una risposta. Il romanzo è promosso a pieni voti anche se sono stra convinta che riguardare il film d’ora in avanti non sarà più la stessa cosa.
AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!aside from the ending seeming a bit rushed i really enjoyed this book.
Cute and funny but the plot made so little sense it was annoying
A story about two kids being brought in by a magician. The girl is a powerful magician while her brother isn't. It was kind of annoying how little was explained until the end. It wasn't a mystery thing, just wasn't explained. Also, a lot of things are done without reprocessing. but cut,e easy rea,d and is supposed to be more for children, so some things are to be expected
I've watched the movie and that's how i got to know about this book. This is indeed a great book, alternative to the movie.