This was awesome. It's delightful, thoughtful, and funny. The language is fantastic, with tons of witty turns of phrase. I liked Sophie's down-to-business attitude and perspective a lot. There are fun crossovers with our world and endlessly refreshing magical mischief. And all the moving pieces come together in one sweeping ending, which, just wow.

I'm also not sure that this book could get published today. It's clearly middle grade but the character ages are all over the place. The main character, who is probably in her late-teens, spends most of the book as an old woman.

Now I want to see the movie. My edition has a funny interview with the author at the end that was a nice way to end the book. Dianna Wynne Jones seems like she was amazing. I'll be reading more of her books soon!

Terminada mi lectura del castillo ambulante, hoy les vengo a contar mi opinión!

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, so decided it was about time I just jump straight in. My deepest heart's desire was that I'd find the female-equivalent to Terry Pratchett, but sadly that is not the case.

It was written so well and Diana has an amazing imagination that makes Neil Gaiman look normal. But sadly the characters were flat and I felt nothing for any of them, though I think Howl was the most wonderfully developed of the lot. They were all a little bit "I'm only here for this one bit then I'll leave", which is often the case with background characters but not the main, plot-fuelling ones. And the plot: I did enjoy it to some extent but I got lost a few times and wasn't really sure why certain things were happening. I think she tried to cram in so many wonderful things that often happen in to fantasy books in to just this one that it slightly ripped at the seams.

The world was a lovely thing to be introduced to, but I can't get over my disappointment in the castle. No spoilers, but I was expecting a lot more than what I felt we were given, particular since the thing is in the title. It was rather clever, but not what I wanted personally. However, the world still felt quite small despite the various places visited. There didn't seem enough given to link all the places together and they invariably ended up becoming just the one place after a while.

Despite not quite enjoying this particular book, I do want to read everything else Diana has written, because you can clearly see her amazing imagination and clever storytelling prowess from this book. I think the fact it was a children's book really let it down.

Primera lectura: Junio 2014
Segunda lectura: Febrero 2016
Tercera lectura: Enero 2018
Cuarta lectura: Enero 2019

Tenía muchísimas ganas de leer este libro desde que vi la maravillosa película de estudios Ghibli. Sabía, por esa regla no escrita, que el libro tenía que ser mejor y la verdad no me decepcionó... ¡Lo adore!

La película es bastante fiel hasta cierto punto, luego de que Sophie va al castillo, la trama se separa completamente. Pero me parece que el libro sigue fiel a su estilo y en los últimos capítulos nos depara muchas sorpresas.

Cada página destila magia, alegría y un toque de cuento de hadas que me sorprendió. Está plagada de variopintos personajes extraños y divertidos cada uno con una sorpresa nueva que le dará un giro a la trama.
La forma de escritura de la autora prescinde de las descripciones de los sentimientos de los personajes y, hay momentos en que ni siquiera estamos seguros de que piensa Sophie, pero eso solo hace que la lectura sea más ágil y rápida.
La autora se mueve en un juego de sombras y escondidas y solo hasta el final entendemos que está pasando finalmente. Cómo el hecho de que Howl sepa casi desde el principio que Sophie tiene un encantamiento y este intentando ayudarla. O que la señorita Angorian sea el demonio de fuego que tanto los persigue. O que Sophie sea una bruja también y qué termine salvado a Calcifer, a Howl y a ella misma.

Una de las partes que más me hizo sonreír fue ver como Howl se preocupa genuinamente por Sophie y cómo ha avanzado su relación. Cómo cuando aparece para salvar todo desalineado. O cuando dice "Eres demasiado buena y yo confiaba en que estuvieras tan celosa...". O cuando despierta luego de que le regresen el corazón, su único y primer pensamiento es rescatar a Sophie Es imposible no enamorarse de Howl... ¡sencillamente imposible!

¡Amé este libro! Desearía haberlo leído antes, pero ahora voy continuar con esta saga y espero reencontrarme con Sophie y Howl y su felices para siempre. Y el de los demás también, como la adorablemente tierna historia entre Michael y Martha. O la confusa relación entre Lettie, el mago Sulliman y el príncipe Justin. Y, por supuesto, ver más a Calcifer… uno nunca puede tener suficiente de Calcifer.
¡Nos vemos en el Castillo en el aire!

2021 Re-Read: I listened to this with the kids I nannied and they absolutely loved it. This will never not be my favorite book.

All of the falling stars in the universe

In the land of Ingary where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of the three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.

I'm the eldest of three *cackles*. This is the third time I've read this this year and I still adore it fiercely. It's magic.

I don't think I can put how much I love this book into words so I'm just going to keep it simple. I absolutely cherish it. I love everything about it.

I love Sophie, and how she fucking OWNS being an old woman instead of crying over her lost youth. I love that it gives her the confidence she needs to be a take-no-shit-bad-bitch. I love that she is extremely noisy (like me) and doesn't care that everyone knows it.

I love Howl and his vanity and ridiculousness. That he goes around blackening his name and slithering out of everything.

I love Calcifer and his wicked cackles and sass.

I love Michael and his sweetness and young love.

I love the world, I love the moving castle, I love the writing, I love the magic. I love their banter and adventures. I love how they made a family of runaways and orphans, and lots of magic.

It's so beautiful and whimsical and I love it all immensely. I could read (listen to) this a hundred, thousand times and it would be just as magical as the first. It makes my heart so happy.

A U D I O B O O K

Magic.

M O V I E

Surprise, Howl's Moving Castle is also one of my favorite Miyazaki movies. Even if you have seen the movie I would highly recommend you read the book. While there are similarities they are also extremely different. For example, in the book Michael is 15 and in love instead of being an adorable little babe.

Rereading this book was just as wonderful as experiencing it for the first time, if not even more so. While I’ve loved the Miyazaki movie for well over a decade, I only first read this book in 2017, though I dearly wish I had read it sooner. Wynne Jones is an absolute treasure, as I should have known from Neil Gaiman recommending her every chance he gets. Below is the review I wrote in 2017, and I stand by everything I wrote then.

I adore middle grade fantasy fiction. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first book that ever made me cry, and I still get emotional when I reread it. The Phantom Tollbooth remains one of the funniest, cleverest books I’ve ever read, though I didn’t read it until I was in my twenties. A Wrinkle in Time changed my view of the world and helped me embrace myself for who I was and still am. The Little Prince gave me a lot of deep, philosophical fodder for discussion with my family. And Harry Potter remains one of my favorite series, and shall forever be. Always. Now I have a new book to add to my long list of middle grade favorites. Howl’s Moving Castle is utterly delightful in every way, and I wish I had read it sooner.

Sophie Hatter is the oldest of three sisters, which means that she’s not going to amount to much. Striving to be content with her lot in life, Sophie encourages her sisters to find their fortunes and sets out to be the best hatter she can be. But when her hats become too popular, the Witch of the Waste barges into her store and turns poor Sophie’s life completely upside down. But, by the end of the story, Sophie wouldn’t have traded her altered life for anything.

The characters in this tiny book are so well developed that they now feel like old friends. Calcifer is the cutest demon in the history of ever, and I couldn’t help but hear Billy Crystal’s voice whenever he spoke. He was grouchy and sarcastic and a much bigger softie than he let on. Michael, the Wizard Howl’s assistant, is a scatterbrained sweetheart. Howl himself is vain and lazy and self-absorbed and more honorable than he wants to be. He is also one of the biggest drama queens I’ve ever come across in any fictional setting. And then there’s Sophie. Sophie, who was dealt a bad hand and managed to win the game anyway. It wasn’t until she was cursed that Sophie grew into the person she always wanted to be, and proved herself to be invaluable to everyone in her life.

I just want to say, middle grade books do a much better job with love stories than YA books, in my opinion. The love story here was a slow burn, and both involved parties fought their feelings tooth and nail. But when those feelings were finally admitted and embraced, I melted. Seriously, the feels are real. I will go down with this ship.

*end fangirling*

The book and movie differed on multiple plot points, which surprised me. However, I now love the book just as much as I love the Miyazaki movie. If you love the book and have never seen the movie, I highly recommend it. If you love the movie, you should read the book. You’ll be in for a treat if you do.

The movie was better.

Audio narration: 4 stars

This was so fun and entertaining. I loved every second of it. definitely adding it to my comfort book list

Howl's lingers with me because of the humor, because of the perfectly executed twisting plot, because of the snapping dialog. Diana is possibly the best writer of her generation but because she wrote mainly YA in a time before HP she was disregarded. You want to know what I think a book should be like? Read this one.

A melodramatic blond man has a mobile home and adopts strays, including but not limited to orphans and bewitched crabby young women. There’s a lot of hobbling and wailing and throwing oneself onto a settee in despair, but Howl’s gonna Howl. Reading this was not unlike settling into an overstuffed chair with a warm bowl of your favorite soup, comfort-wise, and all the shouting really starts to feel more boisterous than angry pretty quickly. Foppish heroes, exasperated heroines, and an overworked fire demon - this club has it all.

wholesome crackheadery :)

Well, I liked it. It could have used the opposite of editing which is something I rarely say. Things weren't there that should have been. Also the romance couldshould have been handled better. It kinda went something like:

Howl: Hello, old lady.

Sophie: Hello, famous wizard.
*accusingly* You like young ladies, do you not?

Howl: Why yes, they are quite nice. You, however, are quite old. Clean my magical moving castle for me?

Sophie: Why not. You need to change me back into a young lady again anyways

*Adventures ensure*

Sophie: *falls in love with arrogant Howl*

Howl: *in love with his gorgeous hair*

Howl: *hissy fit* You ruined my hair! I'll never forgive you, old woman! *sobs and runs off to cry in his sock drawer*

Sophie: Why you no love me?

*end of book*

Howl: You're not old?!

Sophie: Yay!

*live happily ever after*

I lovingly stole the above idea from Sarah Rees Brennan. Thanks so much!