A Howling Good Time
Within the past year, I have discovered the magic that is Studio Ghibli. My favorite (right now) of their creations is Howl's Moving Castle, an amazing work of art and storytelling. However, I learned that it was originally a book! Diana Wynne Jones created the story first, and her reputation preceded her. I knew I had to read the book. It did not disappoint! I can confidently say that Howl's Moving Castle is now one of my favorite books.
The plot is surprisingly similar to the movie, just more complex. (The movie obviously had to slim it down a bit.) There are more characters in the book, and a few of them have slightly different personalities. If you haven't seen the movie (you poor deprived thing!), our main character is Sophie. She lives a boring life making hats, but then is cursed by the Witch of the Waste. She ends up becoming a cleaning lady for the Wizard Howl, who has a fearsome reputation. I won't give much more away- it's too good, read it yourself!
I can say that I adored Jones' writing. She made Sophie such a little spitfire that it was hard not to love her. All of the characters were so beautifully written, and their personalities shone off of the pages. You can tell that this book is a bit older by the language used, but I think it adds to the sense that the reader is entering a different world.
All around, Howl's Moving Castle is a masterpiece of literature. It has action, adventure, a teensy bit of romance- all the parts to an excellent story. I can't wait to read it again!
The plot is surprisingly similar to the movie, just more complex. (The movie obviously had to slim it down a bit.) There are more characters in the book, and a few of them have slightly different personalities. If you haven't seen the movie (you poor deprived thing!), our main character is Sophie. She lives a boring life making hats, but then is cursed by the Witch of the Waste. She ends up becoming a cleaning lady for the Wizard Howl, who has a fearsome reputation. I won't give much more away- it's too good, read it yourself!
I can say that I adored Jones' writing. She made Sophie such a little spitfire that it was hard not to love her. All of the characters were so beautifully written, and their personalities shone off of the pages. You can tell that this book is a bit older by the language used, but I think it adds to the sense that the reader is entering a different world.
All around, Howl's Moving Castle is a masterpiece of literature. It has action, adventure, a teensy bit of romance- all the parts to an excellent story. I can't wait to read it again!
(picture courtesy of amazon.com)
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