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lakinglaze's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was easier to follow the plot in this book than in Howl’s Moving Castle and I rather enjoyed it overall, but I didn’t really like Abdullah unfortunately. On to the last book in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Classism, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, and Body shaming
fishfish's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Fatphobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse and Racism
lecute_reads's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Fatphobia, and Racism
fauxlibrarian's review against another edition
Very disappointingly racist. Product of its time I guess but still felt unfinishable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism
spaghettibooplesnoot's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Sexism, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
probably one of the most racist books I've ever read. the descriptions of all the "bad" people is that they have big hooked noses. the accents in the audiobook are like something out of an old film. i listened to it while really ill and was too tired to downloada another book but needed to listen to something and i feel dirty for listening to it.dokushoka's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Classism and Sexism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
emilymia's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Fatphobia
nonnayurbiz's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
Minor: Confinement
pocketspoon's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
The author clearly had fun turning arabian-nights-like tales on their heads a bit, and it is definitely fun and clever in some ways. However, there is a lot here that is really problematic, not least of all the general and persistent misogyny of the main character. I'm afraid that learning to love one smart, capable woman doesn't make him not sexist. In the very last pages he is giving away his (previously extensively fat-shamed) relatives as chattel to the villain. But it's okay, because he's handsome and actually wants them because they're not uncooperative like the kidnapped princesses, so they're into it?!
I also find it annoying that the Howl's Moving Castle characters all have babies in this book, as if that's the only possible progression of a young woman's life/story. You could explain some of this away as "satire, not endorsement" but this is a kids' book, and kids don't get sattire; they're going to see women being constantly compared to each other (and generally criticized and found wanting) by the male protagonist, who is pretty unlikeable and shitty, but is still somehow the hero of the story. He rides in and attaches himself to the escape plan the princesses were already working on, and then one of them has to agree to marry a slimeball just so he won't eat them out, and the men get all the credit for the rescue. And a bunch of other toxic stuff.
I also find it annoying that the Howl's Moving Castle characters all have babies in this book, as if that's the only possible progression of a young woman's life/story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Confinement, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and War
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-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? Yes
4.0
I wasn’t impressed with this book as a teen who just wanted more adventures with Howl and Sophie, but I enjoyed this reread. It was so fun waiting for my husband to discover the connection with Howl and Sophie, and I was not disappointed by his reaction! I also liked how this started out as an Aladin retelling, but then went off on its own adventure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexism, and Confinement
Minor: Classism and Murder
Toxic family