Genre: children's, fantasy
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones follows Sophie, a teenager trying to break a spell which turned her into a 60-year-old woman, who lives with the eccentric and unreliable wizard Howl. Miyazaki's movie is based on this book.
What I like ✅ the prose is beautiful and lyrical, capturing the fairytale elements of the world — fantastical and lighthearted ✅ the characters are simply charming and their humour is delightful; special mentions go to Calcifer and Howl ✅ the world is engaging, creative and fun to read about ✅ great messages and themes around kindness, hard work, and family ✅ while the book is for children, the plot is surprisingly complex and has many twists and turns; it explains the plotholes left in Miyazaki's movie
What I didn't like ✖ the plot dragged slightly in the second act and rushed through the third (final) act Rating 4.5/5 🌟 Verdict
RECCOMENDED ✅ QOTD: Which do you prefer, wizards and witches, or fae and fairies?