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Howl's Moving Castle
- By Diana Wynne Jones
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Young girl turned old lives with a wizard.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's not much to concern parents here.
What's the story?
Sophie is trapped in her life as the responsible eldest daughter who runs the family hat business and has nothing to look forward to. Everything changes when the evil Witch of the Waste bursts into her shop and, for mysterious reasons, turns her into an old woman. Wandering away from town she finds herself alone in the wilderness at night, and stumbles across the titular castle, owned by a wizard rumored to take the souls of young girls.
Once there she makes a deal with a captive fire demon -- if she breaks the contract between the demon and Howl, the demon will lift the spell on Sophie. There's only one problem -- no one can tell her what the contract is, or how to break it.
Is it any good?
Diana Wynne Jones writes the old-fashioned kind of fantasy: fascinating and original, but slow and meandering. Once Sophie settles in at the castle, it's hard to say what the story is about for the next couple of hundred pages. That's not to say it's boring -- far from it. But, much like the castle that wanders around in the wilderness, it doesn't seem to go much of anywhere, or to have a definite purpose.
Eventually there's a nice climactic showdown; though much of it happens offstage, so to speak, a few secrets and surprises are revealed, and it's wrapped up satisfyingly. Die-hard fantasy lovers adore this and other Wynne Jones books, but those who need action, adventure, or a clear plotline may find it too murky.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what it would be like suddenly to be old, to have a child's mind in an elderly body. There's a lot about adulthood and old age that children don't know or understand, and they may be interested to try to imagine Sophie's predicament.
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AGE
THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN!!!!!
I don't know WHAT you people are talking about. This is the BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I've read it 4 times! It's the first book in the Castle series and by far my favourite! The book was hilarious, well written, the characters were well developed, and the story line was perfect! The movie was good but they over did the romance a LOT. The fighting between Howl and Sophie was absolutely hilarious! I swear there is not a better book out there. You have just come across the BEST book of all time!
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AGE
Wonderful!
I read this book when I was 15. It's great.
Wonderful story, very uplifting!
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AGE
GREAT book!
This is my all-time favorite book! The only downfall to it is that neither of the main characters are really anyone a parent would want their kid to act like, so that's why I chose seven and above for the rating.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 18, 2010
AGE
It was O.K.
It's an O.K. book, but it's waay too short and by the by, there's too many fighting between Sophie & Howl. I recommend the movie than the book. It has a little education and some good role models.
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AGE
i laughed and cry becaise of this book
this is really an amazing book and it's really fun to read it so i hope you guys enjoy it too because my family and i enjoyed it
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AGE
great book and a must read
sophie hatter is the eldest so she takes care of the hat shop when her father dies. one day the witch of the waste comes and is not pleased so turns sophie into a old lady.sophie ends up in a fantasy so unreal she almost doesnt belive what she got herself into.
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AGE
Classic? Perhaps.
This book is great, and while it may be slow-paced at times, the patient reader will be rewarded. The film is also good.
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| Author: | Diana Wynne Jones |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | June 14, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 336 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.95 |
| Paperback price: | $6.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
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