Reviews

Having heard great things about Studio Ghibli, I began to watch many of their films. One such film was Howl's Moving Castle. As my wife and I were watching that movie, I happened to notice one important bit in the credits, it was based off of a book by Diana Wynne Jones by the same name.

Due to the fact that most books are better than the movies, with only a few exceptions in my mind, I put this on my list of books to eventually check out and here we are. For those of you who have followed the same path that I have, I must warn you the book is very very different than the movie.

Sure there are basic parts that are the same, but much of the general plot is very different. The movie has more of an overarching war narrative that just doesn't really exist in the book. What both do have in common is a large focus on the two main characters Sophie and Howl. Instead of the war background of the movie, the main threat here is represented by the Witch of the Waste who has cursed both Sophie and Howl. Which I feel helps bolster that focus on their character arcs.

I just really enjoyed this story. It's a whimsical tale full of twists and turns and a good dose of humor. An unexpected bonus is that this is part of a series of books that Diana Wynne Jones wrote. While I understand that the series is only loosely connected, I'm still very much looking forward to continuing the series and see what other kinds of magical mayhem and whimsy can be found in those tales.

littlevix's review against another edition

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5.0

This book suited me perfectly. I enjoyed everything about it; the pacing, the characters, the magic... The only thing I can complain about is that it was too short. For the first time in a very long while I dreaded reaching the end of the book. I haven't felt that way since I was a kid! I watched the movie many years ago and I love it very much, but I loved the book even more. I will definitely try the other books in the series too.

mounish441's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

narschlob's review against another edition

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5.0

the ghibli movies was always my favourite. I've seen a few takes about how the movie is seen through sophie's pov and the book explores more of howl. I agree, and i'm happy to have finally gotten around to reading it.

holodrum's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted

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

5.0

stargazer908's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sagsznisforever333's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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