Latest Review: Howl's Moving Castle

Goodreads Summary:
In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.

The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

My Thoughts:
Loved this book!  This was my first Diana Wynne Jones novel and after this delightful reading experience it will most definitely not be my last!  Such a whimsical and nontraditional fairytale - it blew me away!  I loved Sophie - she was a brazen yet caring character.  I even loved Howl despite his selfishness.  He was such a quirky personality.  Overall, this was a perfect little fable - I adored everything about it: the characters, the plot, and the wonderful conclusion!

Also, I discovered, much to my delight, that Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away) created the Japanime movie version!  It's on my Netflix streaming so I know what flick I'll be watching next!

If you are a fairytale-lover or like cute stories with unorthodox characters I highly recommend this book!
5/5 stars