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A review by chamyl
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
5.0
The third book of the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy is set in the reign of one of the princesses that appear in the second book, Princess Hilda, the elderly princess.
Princess Hilda did not want to marry, and only cares about books. But she has to care about other things too, because the royal treasury is empty, and if they don't find a solution soon, they're going to be forced to sell their library or be destitute.
Charmain Baker applies to help sort out the library, and at the same time is whisked away from her house because Wizard Norland, the official wizard of the King, got sick and needs someone to look after his house while he's being treated by the Elves. Charmain happens to be a distant relative of his, and gets this assignment.
The house has many ways, because a single door can lead to several different rooms, depending if you turn left or right, if you open it with your left hand or your right elbow.
Will Charmain figure out how the house works and how to save the royal family from poverty?
There's a little bit more of Sophie and Howl in this book. And Howl is still one of the most powerful, most original characters I've ever seen.
What I was not expecting was his trick to be way less self-centred than this: I had not realised that doubling the toddlers running around meant doubling the targets. When the enemy targets his son, there's a mix-up and he goes after child-Howl instead.
He was trying to protect his son all along, even at his own expenses.
And, obviously, doing it for shit and giggles too while he was it. Because it's still Howl we're talking about.
(Note to self: week 34 of the 2015 reading challenge: a trilogy - the third)
Princess Hilda did not want to marry, and only cares about books. But she has to care about other things too, because the royal treasury is empty, and if they don't find a solution soon, they're going to be forced to sell their library or be destitute.
Charmain Baker applies to help sort out the library, and at the same time is whisked away from her house because Wizard Norland, the official wizard of the King, got sick and needs someone to look after his house while he's being treated by the Elves. Charmain happens to be a distant relative of his, and gets this assignment.
The house has many ways, because a single door can lead to several different rooms, depending if you turn left or right, if you open it with your left hand or your right elbow.
Will Charmain figure out how the house works and how to save the royal family from poverty?
There's a little bit more of Sophie and Howl in this book. And Howl is still one of the most powerful, most original characters I've ever seen.
Spoiler
In House of Many Ways, he transforms into a child the same age as his own son, Morgan. I was thoroughly convinced he was doing it just to mess with people, and have an advantage while investigating in the royal mansion. Obviously, he made himself disgustingly pretty, and even gave himself a lisp.What I was not expecting was his trick to be way less self-centred than this: I had not realised that doubling the toddlers running around meant doubling the targets. When the enemy targets his son, there's a mix-up and he goes after child-Howl instead.
He was trying to protect his son all along, even at his own expenses.
And, obviously, doing it for shit and giggles too while he was it. Because it's still Howl we're talking about.
(Note to self: week 34 of the 2015 reading challenge: a trilogy - the third)