In fairy tales, it’s always the youngest who saves the kingdom, wins the fortune, or outsmarts the dragon. The heroine of Howl’s Moving Castle knows this because she lives in the land of Ingary, where not only is there such a thing as a Royal wizard, but where there are things like boots that let you take twenty-one mile steps. Alas, Sophie is the eldest. She resigns herself to a boring life.
No part of Sophie’s life, or this book, is boring though. She has many adventures as she grows into her own gifts and abilities. Sophie’s own brand of magic involves talking things into life, but it takes her most of the book before she realizes this.
In the early chapters, she accidentally offends a witch who ages her from nineteen to ninety. She finds herself seeking shelter in the moving castle of the Wizard Howl. Howl is rumored to eat the souls of young girls, but since Sophie is old now that doesn’t concern her. She befriends a fire demon who occupies the fireplace in the castle. The demon asks her to break the contract he has with the wizard, but he’s not allowed to tell her details.
The castle really does move. The front door can open to four different places, depending on how the knob by the door is positioned. The windows look out onto different places, too.
The book moves quickly, and for most of the book the reader isn’t sure who is really good or bad, and what the character’s ulterior motives may be. Sophie’s sisters have put themselves under a spell and are pretending to be each other. It gets confusing as to which Lettie is which. Howl is alternately charming, conceited, and caring. There are several innocent romantic threads running through the book.
The writing is quite humorous. Fairy tale lovers will love all the references to other myths and legends. The book is quite different from the anime movie. I very much enjoyed both of them.
Recommended for ages nine and up.
Also See:
The Wizard’s Apprentice – Jackie French Koller
The Jade Dragon – Carolyn Marsden and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh