Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Title: Howl's Moving Castle

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 304

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewed by: Sabrina

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.The Hatter sisters–Sophie, Lettie, and Martha–and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl’s castle?

My Thoughts

Howl's Moving Castle is a parody of typical fantasy clichés. It constantly makes fun of fairy tale romances. The story starts when Sophie angers the Witch of the Waste and becomes, well, old. She travels to Howl's Moving Castle in hopes that he could reverse the curse. It turns out that Howl has a curse of his own and has a hard time getting rid of it. And so, this starts off a whole new set of events Sophie never expects.

Howl's Moving Castle was a wonderful read and to think that I would probably never read this if my friend had never gave me the book in the first place. Howl's Moving Castle is one of those books that's rare to find. It's unique and strange, but in a good way. Howl and Sophie are currently on my top favorite couples list. They are one of the few couples that still argue even after they get together.

To sum it all up, Howl's Moving Castle is, like I said, a spectacular read that will have you laughing out loud. You'll find yourself falling in love with the characters. You'll be reading this over and over until the book becomes worn out and tattered.