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A review by emmelinemontgomery
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
As much as I was enchanted with Howls Moving Castle I was disappointed by this book. World building-wise it’s just as delightful as the other two books in this series and honestly it’s a “this book walked so Harry Potter could run” situation. WHICH, just like Ursula Le Guin, DWJ has said as much in interviews. JK of course denies this which is bonkers and yet another 🚩Anyways!! -
The story revolves around Charmain who’s highly unlikable which is fine at first but she never really matures or changes which got old halfway through. The story is also incredibly slow and the plot is all sort into the end of the book. Howl has not matured at all over the years. Which is highly upsetting because he’s a father now and was helpless when taking care of his child… this is briefly explained away as “men being men and therefore incompetent with childcare” but also Howl doesn’t trust Sophie to be able to handle the problem she’s been tasked with on her own so he disguises himself to sneak in and help her against her wishes. All of this I very much did not enjoy.
I do enjoy DWJ’s writing style and how lived in and magical her settings are- it’s clear why this series is a beloved children’s classic. But this book was a miss for me.
The story revolves around Charmain who’s highly unlikable which is fine at first but she never really matures or changes which got old halfway through. The story is also incredibly slow and the plot is all sort into the end of the book. Howl has not matured at all over the years. Which is highly upsetting because he’s a father now and was helpless when taking care of his child… this is briefly explained away as “men being men and therefore incompetent with childcare” but also Howl doesn’t trust Sophie to be able to handle the problem she’s been tasked with on her own so he disguises himself to sneak in and help her against her wishes. All of this I very much did not enjoy.
I do enjoy DWJ’s writing style and how lived in and magical her settings are- it’s clear why this series is a beloved children’s classic. But this book was a miss for me.