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A review by moth_meg
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A light & whimsical read!
Howl's Moving Castle is a character-driven story with wonderful imagery and a unique depiction of magic.
I adore the Studio Ghibli adaptation of this story, so when I learned that the movie was based on a book, of course, I had to read it.
I had such a fun time comparing and contrasting the events of the books with what played out on screen. It felt like I was unlocking bonus content! I really enjoyed getting a bit more of Sophie's backstory. I found the relationships between Sophie and her stepmom and sisters really interestingand learning about Sophie's affinity for magic through her talking to the hats was such a great touch .
This is one of the rare cases where I can say I do still prefer the movie to the book. Personally, I felt that Sophie's relationship with her confidence through magic was better addressed in the movie,especially with the visual depiction of her old age melting away as she gained faith in herself. In the book, it was much less clearly implied (if at all) that Sophie's own magic was what kept the curse so strong . I also thought that the additional themes of war addressed in the movie added some depth and heightened the stakes beyond those in the book.
Overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit- I'd recommend it to any fans of the Ghibli version, or to anyone looking to unwind with a magical weekend read!
Howl's Moving Castle is a character-driven story with wonderful imagery and a unique depiction of magic.
I adore the Studio Ghibli adaptation of this story, so when I learned that the movie was based on a book, of course, I had to read it.
I had such a fun time comparing and contrasting the events of the books with what played out on screen. It felt like I was unlocking bonus content! I really enjoyed getting a bit more of Sophie's backstory. I found the relationships between Sophie and her stepmom and sisters really interesting
This is one of the rare cases where I can say I do still prefer the movie to the book. Personally, I felt that Sophie's relationship with her confidence through magic was better addressed in the movie,
Overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit- I'd recommend it to any fans of the Ghibli version, or to anyone looking to unwind with a magical weekend read!