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A review by mellowbry
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.5
It's unfair to compare this to the Studio Ghibli adaptation since it takes the story's muscles and bones and heightens its whimsy, romance, and anti-establishment undertones. Compared to the theatrical approach of the adaption, this book feels a lot more like a sitcom following the daily escapades of Howl, Sophie, Calcifer, Michael, and others. But a good sitcom is highly debatable....
Some aspects I will give Jones credit for are the dynamics between the characters. Howl is MUCH more selfish, childish, and overly dramatic than his film counterpart, while Sophie is more blunt, stubborn, and ambitious. This makes for great banter between the two (and character foil), but not exactly romantic banter; more so, close roommate banter, which was greatly disappointing since I love Howl's and Sophie's relationship in the movie. Also, there's no build-up to the romance. They have one heart-to-heart moment in the middle of the book, and then nothing until the end when they hold hands, cementing their sudden feelings for one another. There's also a convoluted love triangle? Love square? Idk I lost track at a certain point since I hate that troupe anyway.
Two more things that I think the book does slightly better than the movie. Emphasize on slightly.
Some aspects I will give Jones credit for are the dynamics between the characters. Howl is MUCH more selfish, childish, and overly dramatic than his film counterpart, while Sophie is more blunt, stubborn, and ambitious. This makes for great banter between the two (and character foil), but not exactly romantic banter; more so, close roommate banter, which was greatly disappointing since I love Howl's and Sophie's relationship in the movie. Also, there's no build-up to the romance. They have one heart-to-heart moment in the middle of the book, and then nothing until the end
Two more things that I think the book does slightly better than the movie. Emphasize on slightly.
- Sophie
can use magic. It's not much and it functions as manipulation/demands but it's a really cool trait that becomes crucial during many plot points and even challenges Sophie's internalized self-consciousness. - The Scarecrow
being a byproduct of Wizard Suliman's abilities rather than some random prince randomly cursed into a scarecrow is plot-wise logically sensible.
Overall, I like the close family, magic, and beauty of the film better than the book. If Howl and Sophie were the main narrative focus of the next book in this series then I would've liked to see where they ended up next. But since they unfortunately aren't, at least there's an awesome movie with a stellar soundtrack to satisfy me instead.