Scan barcode
ceri124's review against another edition
4.0
4*
This was a super quick and entertaining read, I would say overall the trilogy has been good! I loved Waif, one of my fave characters in the series and I’m happy that I’ve finally finished this series :)
This was a super quick and entertaining read, I would say overall the trilogy has been good! I loved Waif, one of my fave characters in the series and I’m happy that I’ve finally finished this series :)
bholt99's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.0
sabbygemme's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
joulesburn's review against another edition
4.0
I can't decide if I'm a firm 4 on this or rounding up from a 3.5. I think the latter.
Like the second book, it feels like you're in a much more typical fantasy story until Howl and Sophie show back up. They just have too much outrageous charm to not enjoy focusing on. Howl is more ridiculous than ever here.
The main character has an arc, for sure, but she's young and a bit appropriately, but not the most enjoyably, the first half is spent mostly being a brat about things. Lots of happenings and whining, which is fine for most, but for DWJ I just kept waiting for the zing to set in.
My favorite parts, which seem part and partial to the series, are the magic system and the dog. I'm glad I read it, but I now know for sure that the last two books in this series aren't going to be ones that live on my shelves.
Like the second book, it feels like you're in a much more typical fantasy story until Howl and Sophie show back up. They just have too much outrageous charm to not enjoy focusing on. Howl is more ridiculous than ever here.
The main character has an arc, for sure, but she's young and a bit appropriately, but not the most enjoyably, the first half is spent mostly being a brat about things. Lots of happenings and whining, which is fine for most, but for DWJ I just kept waiting for the zing to set in.
My favorite parts, which seem part and partial to the series, are the magic system and the dog. I'm glad I read it, but I now know for sure that the last two books in this series aren't going to be ones that live on my shelves.
robotnik's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
House of Many Ways finishes off the trilogy that started with Howl's Moving Castle and I think it finishes off the series in a satisfying, though unexpected way. Much like the second book, Castle in the Air, it follows a different protagonist than the original though members of the original cast are important and show up frequently. If you read Howl's Moving Castle and was expecting more adventures with just Sophie and Howl and the castle, then this book might be a disappointment.
While I liked Charmain as a main character far better than I liked Abdullah in Castle in the Air, I found this to be the weakest book overall. For the majority of the book, there's no real sense of adventure or any need for questing. It's a very much domestic fantasy in that much of the magic in this one has to do with the magical house Charmain is looking after and the odd things it does while she's essentially trying to get chores done. It doesn't go very much beyond that until far later into the narrative. At times, I found this downplayed form of magic boring at times and not quite as enchanting as the magic presented in previous books.
There's still a whimsical and kind of fairy tale feeling to the book. It's just not as lovely as it was previously in the series. Still, it's a strong addition to the world of Ingary, though, and is well worth the read.
While I liked Charmain as a main character far better than I liked Abdullah in Castle in the Air, I found this to be the weakest book overall. For the majority of the book, there's no real sense of adventure or any need for questing. It's a very much domestic fantasy in that much of the magic in this one has to do with the magical house Charmain is looking after and the odd things it does while she's essentially trying to get chores done. It doesn't go very much beyond that until far later into the narrative. At times, I found this downplayed form of magic boring at times and not quite as enchanting as the magic presented in previous books.
There's still a whimsical and kind of fairy tale feeling to the book. It's just not as lovely as it was previously in the series. Still, it's a strong addition to the world of Ingary, though, and is well worth the read.
marirene's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Not as good as the first in this series but miles better than the second one in my opinion.
marianarss's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
shmadsie's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great improvement over book two but doesn't quite reach the greatness of Howl's Moving Castle. I love how readily our protagonists' flaws are disclosed and even highlighted, no one's perfect but that doesn't mean they can't improve, and Sophie and Howl's inclusion worked better for me this time around. It felt way more in line with the vibe of the first book, which was great.