The Howl Book Trilogy

Hello 

An nyoung 

Konnichiwa 

Ni hao 

I thought I'd change up Manga Madness for today as there is no manga and instead I'm telling/reviewing about Diana Wynne Jones' Howl Book Trilogy. The first ever Studio Ghibli film I watched was Howl's Moving Castle when it was recommended to me by a friend a few years ago and to this day remains my favourite Studio Ghibli film, I believe it was last year that I decided to read the books mainly because I didn't want Howl & Sophie's journey to end and I can't fault Diana Wynne Jones' work I really enjoyed it to the point that I would love to read some more of her work.

As always a set of books should be read from the very beginning and reading Howl's Moving Castle I couldn't get over how much I loved and preferred the book there's just something odd if you don't choose the book over the movie. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down, I love all genre of books and always willing to give anything a try buy my heart always sets on a fantasy story. I loved the fact that in the book you get to meet Howl's family something that isn't mentioned in the film and what happens with Sophie's family how it seems one of Howl's persona's seems to be trying to woo one of Sophie's sister's. The book definitely has more detail in the book and I just love how the book ends with Sophie and Howl, I prefer the books ending to the films it's just more action packed. I think any girl could relate to Sophie in the fact that she never thinks she's good enough and why would someone like Howl come to love her over other women that are as she thinks prettier, skillfull and more worthy of him, it's always made me wonder if Howl can see through the spell that has been placed on Sophie to hide her true self.

"How about making a bargain with me?" Said the demon. "I'll break your spell if you agree to break this contract I'm under"

In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist. Sophie Hatter attracts the the unwelcome Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help - the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls...

Castle In The Air took me a bit longer to get into but not because I didn't like the book on the contrary I loved the story it just took me a while to get used to the new characters as I loved reading about Sophie and Howl, they do appear in this book but not until further into it and not surprisingly they are both under a spell, Sophie featured quite a lot in the story but you just don't know it's her your reading about. I love that in this book the message is pretty much rich or poor, royalty or salesman you can fall in love with whoever you choose to, Love has no boundaries. Like Howl there's plenty of gripping moments where your hoping for a happy ending and there's plenty of action. It follows carpet merchant Abdullah to rescue the princess Flower-in-the-Night whom he has feelings of love towards.

"I never said my wishes were supposed to do any good." Said the genie. "In fact, I swore that they would always do as much harm as possible."

By day Abdullah is a humble carpet merchant, yet in his dreams he is a prince. But his dreams start to come true when he meets the lovely Flower-in-the-Night.

When a hideous djinn carries flower off into the sky, Abdullah is determined to rescue her - if he can find her, and if he can avoid all the ferocious villains who seem to be after him. But how can he possibly succeed, with or a bad-tempered genie and an unreliable magic carpet to help him?

I've not yet read House Of Many Ways but can only say that I would guess it follows the same way as Castle In The Air and introduces new characters and follows their journey before introducing both Howl and Sophie and continuing the stories plot.

"You are rather lost, my dear. Turn round once, clockwise. Then, still turning, open the door with your left hand only. Go through and let the door shut behind you. Then take two long steps sideways to your left. This will bring you back beside the bathroom."

Chairman Baker is in over her head. Looking after Great Uncle Williams tiny cottage should have been easy, but he is the Royal Wizard Norland whose house bends space and time. It's single door leads to any number of places: the bedrooms, the kitchen, the caves under the mountains - even the past! 

In no time at all, Chairman becomes involved with a magical stray dog, a muddled apprentice wizard and a box of the Kings most treasured documents, as well as as irritating a clan of small blue creatures.

Caught up in an intense royal search, she meets a sorceress named Sophie.

Can Wizard Howl and Calcifer be far behind?

Have you read the Howl trilogy? What were your thoughts and can you recommend any more of Diana Wynne Jones' books to me to get my teeth into next.

See you soon! 

An nyoung 

Sayonara 

Zai Jian 

Bye