Howl's Moving Castle

 

Bibliography
Jones, Diana Wynne, 1986. HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780061478789.

Plot Summary
Out of three sisters, Sophie is the eldest and is not surprised when her life is destined to stay at home and be a hat seller. To add on to her misfortune, she has caught the attention of the cruel Witch of the Waste, casting a spell on Sophie, causing her to change into an old, frail woman. Unable to tell anyone of her fate, Sophie seeks refuge at the Wizard Howl's castle, under the guise as a cleaning lady, hoping he can undo the spell. However, Sophie soon realizes this is no ordinary castle, as it has legs and constantly moves, with doors to different dimensions. The castle is not only home for the unpredictable Wizard Howl, but also his apprentice and a fire demon. As they all get to know one another and their faults, they encounter many quests together, eventually breaking the curses set on themselves.

Critical Analysis
In this classic fantasy story, Sophie has always known her place in her family. She is the eldest sister and knows her life will remain at home unless she finds a way out. This traditional thinking of honoring family duties leads one to believe this could be a fairy tale inspired story, as Sophie is putting the needs of her younger sisters first. However, when fear of the womanizing Wizard Howl, the cruel Witch of the Waste, a moving castle, and shapeshifting spells come into play, fantasy characteristics take over. Once Sophie is caught in the Witch of the Waste's spell, a quest begun for her to seek a reversal spell so her remaining years won't be spent as an old lady. She believes the answer to her problem can be solved by the infamous Wizard Howl, that somehow this "evil" wizard can create a spell to cure Sophie. However, the more she gets to know this stubborn, messy, vain wizard, the more she unknowingly becomes fond of him and wins him over. Although this story is considered a high fantasy story, it does not contain gory horror elements. Readers will enjoy how Jones somehow manages to create a fantasy story filled with magical elements, slight unpredictability, and humorous, hysterical characters, and turn it into a fairy tale romance no one  was expecting. This would be a great first read for readers unfamiliar with high fantasy, they will get drawn in to the clever adventure Jones has written and look forward to reading more of the series. 

Review Excerpt(s)
An ALA Notable Book
An ALA Best of the Best in YA
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Jones' exuberant comedy and joy in her characters celebrate all the mixed, multiple, and echoing identities; and though the spells are eventually lifted and Howl and Sophie may live happily ever after, it will not be according to any predictable stereotype." 
Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Sophie is a dauntless heroine; when she regains her youth and wins Howl, the odds are this is the only the beginning of a tempestuous romance. Great fun."
Starred review in PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "A wonderful blend of humor, magic, and romance."

Connections
- Young adult readers will enjoy this classic fantasy story about wizards, witches, and a moving castle with legs. 
- For fans of fantasy stories including humorous, dramatic characters, a medieval type setting, and an unexpected romance. 
- Similar book recommendations:
Dahl, Roald, 1996. JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. ISBN 9780140374247.
Jones, Diana Wynne, 1990. CASTLE IN THE AIR (HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE SERIES #2). ISBN 9780061478772.
Jones, Diana Wynne, 2009. HOUSE OF MANY WAYS (HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE SERIES #3). ISBN 9780061477973.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Koala Lou

Image
  Bibliography Fox, Mem, 1988. KOALA LOU. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780152000769. Plot Summary Young Koala Lou yearns for the days when she was an only child and her mother would tell her how she loved her the most. As the years have passed and more siblings have arrived, Koala Lou thinks about what she can do to earn her mother's attention. With the Bush Olympics right around the corner, she enters the competition (specifically, the gum tree climbing event), dreaming of her victory and her mother telling her how much she loved her. Despite not winning the event, her mother is proud of her and reminds her of how much she loves her. Koala Lou learns that a mother's love is forever and does not have to win her over. Critical Analysis  Mem Fox has captured the sweet, eternal love a mother will always have her child. The main character, Koala Lou, recalls the moments when her mother would tell her she loved her most and how it uplifted her...
Read more

Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation

Image
  Bibliography Tonatiuh, Duncan, 2014. SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL: SYLVIA MENDEZ & HER FAMILY'S FIGHT FOR DESEGREGATION. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781419710544. Plot Summary In 1947, Sylvia Mendez is excited to begin school in the new city her family moved to. When she walks through the door, she is immediately greeted with rudeness and is told to go to the Mexican school instead. Hurt and ashamed, she tells her mother she does not want to go to school anymore. Her mother listens to her sadness and reminds her to hold her head high, the Mendez family fought for the right to attend the Westminster school. She was being unfairly judged for her looks alone, despite being an American who spoke perfect English, all people saw was her dark hair and skin. Sylvia's mother reminds her of how her family fought for the same opportunity for the kids to attend a good school and have equal rights.  Critical Analysis  Duncan Tonatiuh shares the powerful, true ...
Read more

The Night Raven

Image
Bibliography Rundberg, Johan, 2020. THE NIGHT RAVEN. New York, NY: Amazon Crossing Kids. ISBN 9781662509582. Plot Summary It's a dark, cold night in Stockholm and Mika is running through her personal checklist of how to survive during the unbearable, freezing winters in the local orphanage. She suddenly hears a knock at the door and there is a boy holding a newborn child claiming the Dark Angel knows he has taken this child. Without any explanation, the boy takes off running, leaving Mika with many questions and another child to help care for. The Night Raven was a notorious serial killer in Stockholm and was supposed to be dead, now Mika is left wondering if somehow he is involved. With the help of a local detective, Mika will hunt out the truth and solve a murder. With this opportunity, Mika can become someone strong and who matters in this world, not allowing her only identity to be an orphan.  Critical Analysis Rundberg writes a suspenseful mystery, more specifically a murder i...
Read more