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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
relaxing
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Cute little children's story! I love reading the inspiration books for Ghibli movies, though this one is clearly targeting a younger audience than Howl's (though not by a ton!) and I expect "How Do You Live" to aim a little higher.
A few classic movie moments as well as a ton of new anecdotes! It's the little backstory things that get me. Ultimately not in the target demographic, but glad I gave the short audiobook a listen!
A few classic movie moments as well as a ton of new anecdotes! It's the little backstory things that get me. Ultimately not in the target demographic, but glad I gave the short audiobook a listen!
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
'Kiki's Delivery Service' is a gentle and cute little children's book about a young witch, who has to make herself a living in a large town, while having only one witch power: the ability of flying.
Kadono's world building is impressive: with only a few sentences she creates a whole new world in which witchcraft is heretic, and witches leave their parents on the tender age of thirteen to live one year on their own. My rather low rating is caused by three aspects of Kadono's book: first, Kiki's world is a very friendly world, and conflict is absent; even inner conflict is hardly touched. Second, the book is very episodic of nature, and there's practically no story arc, despite Kiki's subtle growth in character. And third, there are several story ideas hinted at, but not worked out. Most conspicuous of these is Kiki's slow and bewildered awareness of the concept of love. It's a pity Kadono left this topic at an embryonic stage.
Like many I've read this book because of the Studio Ghibli film of the same name. The book deviates significantly from the film it inspired, and stands on it own. Moreover, Joe Todd-Stanton's illustrations are delightful enough to forget the Ghibli images.
Kadono's world building is impressive: with only a few sentences she creates a whole new world in which witchcraft is heretic, and witches leave their parents on the tender age of thirteen to live one year on their own. My rather low rating is caused by three aspects of Kadono's book: first, Kiki's world is a very friendly world, and conflict is absent; even inner conflict is hardly touched. Second, the book is very episodic of nature, and there's practically no story arc, despite Kiki's subtle growth in character. And third, there are several story ideas hinted at, but not worked out. Most conspicuous of these is Kiki's slow and bewildered awareness of the concept of love. It's a pity Kadono left this topic at an embryonic stage.
Like many I've read this book because of the Studio Ghibli film of the same name. The book deviates significantly from the film it inspired, and stands on it own. Moreover, Joe Todd-Stanton's illustrations are delightful enough to forget the Ghibli images.
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Although this novel is obviously aimed at an audience younger than myself, I still found it to be very relatable (after all, I have been 12/13 years old too!)
A loveable cast of characters and a whole host of cozy moments and world building makes this such an easy and fun read.
“I’ve come to believe that everyone has some type of magic inside them. If a person can find their magic and lovingly cultivate it, they’ll truly feel alive every day.” (- Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri) is a sentiment that will stick with me long after the specifics of being a young teen will fade and all that remains are the overarching wisps of feelings felt fondly.
A loveable cast of characters and a whole host of cozy moments and world building makes this such an easy and fun read.
A lovely read! It is very different from the movie, but that doen't mean it's not good. This is more slice-of-life while the film focuses more on loss of innocence/coming of age. This is an enjoyable read, and sometimes you need a light read for the heart. I enjoyed this Kiki a little more only because she's a little more sassy and is great at problem solving.
adventurous
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Audiobook listen.
So cute. So magical. So comforting. I listened to this in one sitting while I was at work and it’s just a perfect background story to listen to.
So cute. So magical. So comforting. I listened to this in one sitting while I was at work and it’s just a perfect background story to listen to.
I read this at bedtime for the little ones a couple chapters at a time - it was good for what it was! I am well aware that I am not the target audience but, we all enjoyed it and I can see us reading it at bedtime again some day. (My FL edition is absolutely stunning so, that's always a bonus.)