The bargain says that she will help Calcifer break his contract with Howl (the terms of said contract cannot be disclosed though, which is Another Puzzle that Sophie needs to put together) and in return he will help her become a young lady again. At the Castle, Sophie becomes Howl’s cleaning lady, a position she can only secure after striking a bargain with the Castle’s resident Fire Demon, Calcifer. Owned by the equally infamous and evil (or is he?) Wizard Howl, who terrifies young ladies and steals their hearts, the Castle is this amazing place with a door that opens to 4 different locations (one of them being the Wales of our own world!). She then finds her way to the Moving Castle. Sophie takes that as an opportunity to leave the shop and the town and try her luck in life. Anyways, this one day, the infamous and evil Witch of the Waste shows up at the shop and after a puzzling conversation (it is one of the Mysteries to be solved) turns Sophie into an old lady and part of the curse is that she can’t tell anyone about it. It is a dull life, but that is the lot of Older Sisters, as you know. Her father died a few years ago and Sophie lives with her stepmother and two sisters until, due to their dire economic circumstances, her two sisters are sent away to become apprentices and Sophie stays behind to work at the hat shop. Why do I even mention this? Because Howl’s Moving Castle has this je ne sais quoi, this Quality that I wish I saw more in the YA Fantasy novels I’ve been reading lately: for it has a Quality that speaks of Forever and I believe Howl’s Moving Castle will stand the Test of Time and be read by generations ahead of us.īut back to the basics: Sophie Hatter is the eldest of 3 siblings living in Market Chipping, the obedient daughter of a hat maker. The basics: Howl’s Moving Castle is a YA novel by British writer Diana Wynne Jones and it was first published in what feels like a Long Time Ago, in 1986, way before this whole YA Boom that we are seeing right now. Though now that I read the book, I see that movie is totally different (in case you were wondering) although it retains the Heart of the Story (< << hint). And it’s funny too because I actually watched the Japanese animated movie years ago and loved it like Whoa and Hell Yes Please. Howl’s Moving Castle is one of those books that everybody and their dog kept telling me I should read and I have no idea why I kept postponing it until now when I decided it was About Time. I finished Howl’s Moving Castle and immediately went and bought Fire and Hemlock which I hear, is Made of Awesome (although completely unrelated to How). I am completely head over heels in love with her books, her writing, and you wouldn’t believe how happy I am that she has this looooooong backlist. I only recently discovered Diana Wynne Jones’ books and am already counting them as one of My Favourite Things About 2011 (along with discovering the works of Connie Willis). Why did I read this book: I just recently discovered the works of DWJ and this was recommended by many, many readers.Įxcuse me while I fangirl my way through this review. Stand alone or series: It is a standalone novel that has two companion books: Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl’s castle?ĭiana Wynne Jones’s entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. The Hatter sisters–Sophie, Lettie, and Martha–and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.Īfter fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. Publication date: First edition: 1986 (This edition: 2009)
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