Last word first: An intriguing story with a slightly fairy-tale-esque feel to it. (4/5)Would Joe like this book? Yes.
Description: In the Land of Ingary stands a moving castle. Inside its smoke-darkened walls is the Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls. The workings of destiny and magic begin when Sophie Hatter falls under a spell and enters the castle. First she faces Calcifer, the fire demon. He will help Sophie if she will break his contract with Howl. But the Witch of the Waste, dormant for fifty years, is ready to do her worst... – from the book cover.
My thoughts: This story had me at hello. I read the first paragraph and I knew I would like it.
“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 three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes. Sophie Hatter was the eldest of three sisters.”And that’s pretty much how it goes on. Tongue in cheek, self-deprecating humor all around. This isn’t a laugh out loud funny book, nor is it a fairy tale retold, but it has elements of both.
With characters like Howl and Sophie around, it’s hard not to laugh. When the Witch transforms Sophie into an old woman, Sophie finds herself strangely freed. No longer her dormouse-quiet self, she tells everyone exactly what she thinks of them. She also sticks her big feet and long nose into absolutely everything, so despite her good intentions, she never quite seems to get anything right. Howl, on the other hand, is a bit of a scoundrel. He’s a coward, he’s vain, and he’s selfish. And yet he has moments of kindness and bravery that make it hard to totally dislike him. And with his brilliance, he rarely puts a foot wrong. Toss these two together, add a few good supporting characters, and you’ve got a great mix.
Storywise, even those of you who have seen the movie will find a few surprises here, because the plots are fairly different. The book focuses very much on Sophie’s attempts to save herself and, by extension, Howl, from the curses of the Witch, which was actually a small portion of the movie. The story is well-written, though there were a few annoying typos, and I found the style very enjoyable to read.
Recommended for lovers of fairy-tale type stories, as well as those who like fantasy.
Check out my book vs. movie comparison.
About Diana Wynne Jones: "I think I write the kind of books I do because the world suddenly went mad when I was five years old. In late August 1939, on a blistering hot day, my father loaded me and my three-year-old sister, Isobel, into a friend’s car and drove to my grandparents’ manse in Wales. "There’s going to be a war," he explained." - from the bio on her website
My question to you: What kind of curse would you want to put on someone who was annoying you?
5 comments:
Ooo I have to check this out. I remember really digging the movie.
:)
LOVE LOVE LOVE this book and this author! I have yet to see the movie, though...need to check that out.
Have you read the sequel? Not quite as good as HMC, but still neat.
I love this book, although sadly it's one of the few I've read by the author. I read it after I saw the movie, so the different plot (an additional sister) made it seem like I was reading a completely different story
The quote at the bottom of the post is fantastic!
I just recently read this book and really enjoyed it. Glad you did, too!
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