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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Enjoyed this one immensely, because DWJ’s writing is simply the best, but just not as much as the first. And that’s simply down to Howl and Sophie being sidelined. I’m loyal to a fault and I’ve always inherently hated the “series of interconnected standalones that focus on different couples each time” thing that’s become so popular. I want to follow the couple I fell in love with! Still, a great read.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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:
Complicated
What a delightful, magical, quirky story. The same wit as in Howl’s Moving Castle (even some of the same characters, as it turns out), with an Arabian twist.
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
Not as good as House of Many Ways or Howl's moving castle. There were just too many plotholes and tangential plotpoints. Jones' stories tend to wrap up messily and fast; this book did not have the build up to support that kind of ending.
It's nice seeing Sophie and Howl again. I like how each of the stories set in this universe adds to the world-building and the story of the characters living in it. The orientalism in this book was a bit yikes though.
It's nice seeing Sophie and Howl again. I like how each of the stories set in this universe adds to the world-building and the story of the characters living in it. The orientalism in this book was a bit yikes though.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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:
Complicated
Good, but not great. I don't know if I loved the setting. I understand it was done in an effort to be more multi-cultural, but it fell a little flat for me, especially when considering the rest of the series.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I struggled with this book to start with. It was slow, I wasn't sure about the characters. But as the story progressed, and the cast of characters grew, I found myself invested in the story. It feels separate from Howl's Moving Castle, which was good because I've had quite a break between the two books, but still links enough that I could enjoy the familiar storytelling.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Highly enjoyable and entertaining book which I would thoroughly recommend. We used to listen to this as kids and I loved it then and it still holds up reading it many many moons later. Words alone cannot do justice to the purposeful prose, scintillating plot or magnificent characterisation of this most worthy of novels.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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