Book Review: Howl’s Moving Castle, Your Next Cozy Fantasy Favorite
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is one of those books I’ve been embarrassed I haven’t read yet. I somehow missed reading it as a child. So many people say it’s one of their favorite cozy fantasy reads, and I know it’s gotta be good for Studio Ghibli to create a film of it. Side note: I still need to watch this too! After Fairyloot released a special edition of Howl’s Moving Castle earlier this year, I knew I had to get it. Now, I really try to avoid getting special editions for books I haven’t read yet, but I had such a good feeling about this one. And when I broached the idea of it being our November buddy read for the BAMTP community on Discord, it was a resounding yes. So I’m pleased to say I’ve finally read this delightful little book, and it was so cute! So cute, in fact, that I’ll be continuing the series. Who knew it was a series?! Not me. But there are two follow up novels set in Howl’s world, which is adjacent to our own and sometimes wanders through… It’s incredibly reminiscent of Terry Pratchett and Roald Dahl’s writing, so if you happen to be one of the rare people who have not yet read this adorable story, and you like those authors, I think you’ll also enjoy this one. Save for when you’re in the mood for a feel-good book.
Things to Know:
Cozy Fantasy
Book one in a trilogy
Portal Fantasy
Romantic subplot, but keep in mind this is middle-grade
We first meet Sophie, a Hatter’s daughter, and after her father passes away, she, and her stepmother and stepsisters (don’t worry, it didn’t go the Cinderella route!), have to figure out how to make ends meet. They still have the hat shop, and Sophie spends her days toiling away making all kinds of fancy ladies’ hats. One day, while working alone, the Witch of the Waste (a truly wicked witch) visits the shop, and Sophie finds herself cursed to be an old woman. Hilarity and an adventure ensues.
I did not expect Sophie’s character to be an old woman practically the entire book, but I honestly loved her like this. She’s crotchety, and bold, and wants the best for her sisters and Howl, and honestly everyone around her. Her only hope in breaking her curse is to head to the ever-moving Castle of the Wizard Howl, who supposedly eats young women and is to be greatly feared! Spoiler alert: he’s adorably maddening, and very, very messy. I also loved all the side characters—Calcifer is such a grumpy little guy.
Howl is hilarious, and frustrating, and I love him so much. I was not expecting the portal element, so without spoilers, that was fantastic, and it is also what reminded me so much of Terry Pratchett’s absurdist fantasy style. This book is truly like reading a warm hug. Many of the characters are not as they seem, and I’m sure there’s some lesson there about not judging people upon first acquaintance, but letting their actions tell you who they really are.
I was also routing for the romance, and I was so worried it wasn’t going to work out for a while! Looking forward to reading the next installment. Side note, you know any LOTR mention gets an automatic star from me, and the Rivendell mention made me so happy! Actually there are so many fairytale mentions if you keep an eye out for them.
A note on the narration: I ended up listening to the audiobook while reading my physical copy (literally my fave way to read now), and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. Such a calming voice and completely captured the whimsy of the story. Howl’s Moving Castle now cements even further that so many of my favorite authors come from across the pond.
Fave Quotes (note: final quotes may be altered):
“Doors are very powerful things. Things are different on either side of them.”
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“I think we ought to live happily ever after.”
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“We can’t all be mad hatters.”
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