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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
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
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Castle in the Air was to me a let-down compared to the brilliant previous book, Howl's Moving Castle. It started off as basically Aladdin. While Abdullah's dialogues were humorous, the story was only mildly entertaining. At some point, the story transports to the country of Ingary and some well-known characters are introduced. There are babies, because that's what we expect after people marry - so yay? From here onwards, the story did get more enjoyable. I enjoyed the grand reveal, although it it all felt a bit sudden. Things get wrapped up pretty quickly, but not before some poor girls are sent off to marry the villain on some distant island (they are characterized as being fat and stupid, and have been used by a relative, and that somehow makes it okay), and the protagonists getting their princesses in the end. It is very much a children's book with the expected happy ending. I missed Jones' witty ability to turn around stereotypes and expectations in this one. To me, the exchanges between Abdullah and his carpet were the most enjoyable parts of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Kidnapping
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, War
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Still incredibly fun and light to read, but I found the elements that were essentially just a retelling of Aladdin to be a bit less fun as I could kinda see what was coming after.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I had a hard time getting into this book, I honestly skipped it all together and moved on to the next in the series at first. It started a bit slow and I couldn’t figure out how it was connected to the world of Howl. I’m really glad I picked it back up, the way everything ties together at the end is heartwarming and lovely.
I have to check and re-check that I was actually reading the sequel to "Howl's Moving Castle," since it is not at all apparent that this book is even related until the halfway point. This is definitely more of a companion piece than a sequel. Naturally, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed that so much of this novel is eaten up by new characters who aren't nearly as charming as the original cast.
Fortunately, Howl and Sophie do show up midway through the book (though perhaps not in the form you might expect!) so it was nice getting to check in on what the characters have been up to since the ending of the original book. In some ways, "Castle in the Air" is like a fusion of "Aladdin" and "Howl's Moving Castle," which made for an interesting combination.
Ultimately though, not as satisfying as I had hoped. There are also a few instances where this book is somewhat problematic and starts to show its age. So big yikes to that. In short, it's a whimsical story, but not nearly to the level of its predecessor. 3.5 stars!
Fortunately, Howl and Sophie do show up midway through the book (though perhaps not in the form you might expect!) so it was nice getting to check in on what the characters have been up to since the ending of the original book. In some ways, "Castle in the Air" is like a fusion of "Aladdin" and "Howl's Moving Castle," which made for an interesting combination.
Ultimately though, not as satisfying as I had hoped. There are also a few instances where this book is somewhat problematic and starts to show its age. So big yikes to that. In short, it's a whimsical story, but not nearly to the level of its predecessor. 3.5 stars!