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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I loved this story, such a fun and adventurous ride it was!
In the book we follow Abdullah who goes on a quest to save the girl he loves. The adventure is heavily inspired by the Arabian nights story, and so it also reminded me of Aladin. This book takes you on a magic carpet ride, with a snarky genie at your side.
I did not expect the cross-over with the characters of the previous book, but I loved it so much. It made the book infinitely better than it already was. How could I have missed that this would happen!
I’m now hoping the next book will have some cross-overs too.
In the book we follow Abdullah who goes on a quest to save the girl he loves. The adventure is heavily inspired by the Arabian nights story, and so it also reminded me of Aladin. This book takes you on a magic carpet ride, with a snarky genie at your side.
I’m now hoping the next book will have some cross-overs too.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
A tad fatphobic at times but a cute sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle oozing with personality
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I only read it because Miyazaki made it into a movie. I liked the movie better.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love this world, and these characters, and I’m so sad to see them go. Reading this one AFTER the third book was very interesting! It’s like when a prequel fills in all those little questions you had… but what were little questions were just references to the previous book in HOMW. I gave this a 3.5 instead of a four for some minor things for some, but for me took me out of the book. The complaints of orientalism from other folks are completely valid. Zanzib would have been a lot better of a fictional city if it hadn’t been so characterized as primitive and poor compared to Ingary. It definitely felt like a British woman looking at the Middle East of Arabian Nights and thinking that’s exactly what goes on everywhere in the region now, as well as seeing the base culture itself as backwards. I’m happy to see some fantasy ME/North African representation at all, and Abdullah was a great POV character to experience this tale from, but I couldn’t shake some of those moments where it felt like his culture was seen as lesser. As someone who loves djinn I was a bit miffed at her representation of their lore as well. Having a castle in the air for air based creatures is so fun! However, they ended up just being garden variety fantasy creatures. Djinn are so interesting, and deeply important to Islamic folk tradition. It was almost another slight towards the region in my eyes. I could be overreacting… but I still felt the need to say it. DWJ still never fails to make me laugh. Howl, Calcifer, and Sophie’s world I think will always bring me comfort. I only wish she lived longer to give us more from their home (and for her to have read a few more djinni tales before writing this one).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
As mentioned in my review, this book could be seen as orientalist in its view of Middle Eastern/vaguely Arab life and culture.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This wasn't as good as Howl's Moving Castle, but I enjoyed it regardless. Diana Wynne Jones' whimsical style is alive and well in the story. Some of the aspects of the story didn't age all that well (there is some pretty ugly fatphobia, and someone more knowledgeable than me can tell how to feel about the fantasy-version of Middle East. Clearly it's based on fairy tales of Middle East rather than actual Middle East in the same way Ingary isn't actual Europe, but I'm still not sure how to view it.) Also, the romance is far less compelling than in the first book, despite being more prominent. Regardless, I mainly had a lot of fun while reading this book.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated