Books Read in 2010: Howl's Moving Castle (!!)

So I was at my friends house and I discovered that he just casually happened to have a copy of the book Howl's Moving Castle. WHAT!!!??? I was made to wonder if he had ever truly been my friend at all, having that book and never telling me about it, when he told me that his sister was borrowing it from one of her friends. He also said that her sister was soon going to give it back to her friend. I didn't have to say much, I just stared hungrily at the book, when he went to ask his sister if he could read it before she gave it back. She said yes and he handed me the book and I sped off on my bike cackling like a madman (that last part might have been all in my head).

Needless to say, I was on a deadline and couldn't read this book as well as the six other books I'm reading simultaneously, so I ate it all in a few days time and only just finished. So on with the show then.

Howl's Moving Castle

I was afraid that after reading this book I would no longer be able to watch the movie. This always happens after I read a book. The movies that are based off of them try their very best to get as much of the book in as accurately as possible and they always fail (in my opinion). Not so with Howl's Moving Castle.

The movie basically takes most of the characters, and a few of the plot points (Sophie becoming a hag for one) and creates an entirely new story. At first this wasn't very apparent, and so I kept expecting things to happen because I've watched that movie so many times. I soon realized my error and found that I was reading a very different story than the movie portrayed. At first this was somewhat annoying, but then I was excited, because I hate spoilers anyway and now I didn't really have any.

A bit more on the differences between the book and movie. In the movie, the setting is very Steam Punk, the book is more pure fantasy (but with a surprise in the middle that got me excited). In the movie, the Suliman is an old woman, but in the book, he's a dude. They have the same role though (Royal Magician). In the movie, Howl's Apprentice's name is Markl. In the book is Micheal. I found this interesting. I think it is because Micheal transliterated to Markl when the book was translated to Japanese. Perhaps.

Okay, enough of that, more on the book. The glorious, glorious book. In the land Ingary, being born the eldest of three is considered a great misfortune. It is said that the eldest of three will fail at finding their fortune. Sophie has taken this to be a fact of her life, and so she never even tries. She pretty much runs her Father's hat shop, and never tries to do anything for herself, while her two younger sisters sneakily chase their dreams. Sophie is compelled to seek her fortune when the Witch of the Waste shows up and curses her to become an old woman. Sophie doesn't wish for her family to see her as an old woman and so she leaves and ends up and the back door of the dreaded Wizard Howl who lives in an enchanted moving castle. Lots of magic and adventure and tantrums ensue.

This is one of those books where after I finished it, I had to run and tell (rant to) someone about it. The only problem was that it was midnight when I finished. So I came here to tell the internet. Oh my goodness I loved this book. You have to read it carefully, elsewise you might miss key details. It seemed to me as I read it that most little details are important, and they were. You may have to go back and find a certain paragraph or two and reread it to fully understand something that just happened. I was okay with this, and I found the book was worth it.

Guess what? There are two more! There are two more books about Howl and perhaps his castle. They are called Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways. I fully intend to seek them out and devour them. The fact that I don't just have them at the ready is making me furious! I shall have to visit the library tomorrow...er- today, since its past midnight now.

List:
The Demon's Lexicon
Fablehaven
The Third Sign
Throne of Jade
The Lighting Thief
Howl's Moving Castle

If those next two books are at the library, you can expect them to be added the the list shortly.