Cheap Howl's Moving Castle (Book) (Diana Wynne Jones) Price

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Customer Reviews of Howl's Moving Castle

A Must-Read
This book is absolutely fantastic! I read it after feeling depressed about having finished all of the author's Chrestomanci series, and it cheered me up. Sophie Hatter worked in her parents' hat shop in the small town of Market Chipping in a fantasy world. Her whole life revolved around her fears of the notorious Witch of the Waste and Wizard Howl, and her fear of failing because she is the eldest of three sisters. Then, the Witch of the Waste came into the hat shop and turned Sophie from a pretty young woman into an old lady. Feeling she had nothing to lose, Sophie goes to work as a cleaning lady in Howl's moving castle. There she meets Howl's apprentice, Michael, and his fire demon, Calcifer. Calcifer realizes that Sophie is under a spell, and offers to break it if she could break his contract with Howl. Sophie soon discovers that Howl, although vain and selfish, isn't evil, and is actually fighting against the Witch of the Waste. It all rolls together to make a wildly entertaining story. The plot, which basically defies classic fairy tale motif, is one of the most original, fresh stories out there. The characters are intelligent, funny, and uniquely memorable. Anybody who hasn't read this book yet should. It's highly reccomended for the advanced young reader craving a story that's more on their level of thinking and wondering than other books.

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Light and Entertaining
I first read this book in sixth grade, years ago, and I have loved it ever since. For anyone looking for a synopsis/summary, it is about the eldest of three sisters, Sophie, living in a land called Ingary. Sophie thinks that her life will be boring and predictable, but the introduction of a castle, a temperamental wizard named Howl, a fire-demon named Calcifer, and the Witch of the Waste ensure the opposite. Sophie becomes directly entangled in the whole business by a curse put on her by the Witch of the Waste.

I think that I have given away too much already, so I'll only say now that Jones does a fine job of pulling together an intricately and beautifully woven plot. If you read it, you will enjoy it, and I recommend Castle in the Air (title correct?)afterward if you want to see a little more of Sophie and Howl, though Howl's Moving Castle was the better of the two. If you like fantasy with a twist, you'll like this book.

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Um, YEAH!
Well then. Since you are reading this review, I can only assume that you are on the book's page. My advice to you is: Scroll up, add it to you cart, and buy immediately! I got it at the library a couple of days ago, along with Castle in the Air, knowing by now that it's best to get any Diana series all at once or you will be itching for the next one as soon as you're done with the first. I swear to you, I have not laughed so hard or read so avidly over a book in a LONG time. The humour is perfectly placed to make you give a shriek of laughter at just the right moments. My family was looking at me rather strangely by the time I had finished. I liked the atmosphere of Howl's Moving Castle, and the characters just seemed to mesh so well with the surroundings and plot that if it weren't for the regrettable nessecities of meals and sleeping, it's quite probable that any reader would jump into the book headfirst and not come up until it's over. Anyone who liked Charmed Life or any other of the Chrestomanci books will love this and the sequel!