The first time I ever heard of this book was in 2006 when we lived in St. Louis, MO, and a friend of our younger son with whom he played homeschool baseball, gave a report in the in a local homeschool newsletter. A few years later, after we had moved from St. Louis to Salem, IL, we picked Howl’s Moving Castle, made from the book in 2004 by Hayao Miyazaki, for a family video. The film generally follows the book, but as Jackson noted there are some major differences. I read several reviews by people who actually liked the movie better than the book. The main complaints about the novel are that it is has poor character development, flimsy story lines, implausible plot devices, and too many words yet not enough real description. Personally, I found the book well-written and generaly easy to read with a fair amount of excitement, but I did note a few concerns. First, the plot has an almost “absurdist” quality to it. That doesn’t necessarily make it bad, but some people may not care for that sort of story. There are some common euphemisms, such as “drat” and “confound it,” a few curse-like terms (“damnation” and “Hell’s teeth”), and one instance of the word “Lord” used as an exclamation. Howl has as reputation as a womanizer, courting girls until they fall in love with him then dropping them for someone else but nothing sexual is actually implied. References to drinking beer, brandy, and wine occur, and Howl comes home drunk once towards the end. If you prefer not to have your children reading books which contain magic or witchcraft, you would obviously want to avoid this one. I do make a distinction between books which I believe promote an interest in the occult, such as Harry Potter, and those where the magic or witchcraft is simply part of the fictional setting of a story. Howl’s Moving Castle comes about as close to the former as possible, and only the “absurdist” nature of the plot might keep it from falling into that category. Author Diana Wynne Jones, was born in London, England, on August 16, 1934, the daughter of Marjorie (née Jackson) and Richard Aneurin Jones, both of whom were educators. She is a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults, as well as a small amount of non-fiction. Some of her better-known works include the Chrestomanci series. Her books range from a broad, almost slapstick delight in the construction of absurd-yet-logical situations, especially evident in the endings of some of her books, to sharp social observation, to witty parody of literary forms. Foremost amongst the latter are her Tough Guide to Fantasyland, a non-fiction work on clichés in fantasy fiction that has a cult following as a reference among writers and critics, despite being difficult to find due to an erratic printing history, and its fictional companion-pieces Dark Lord of Derkholm (1998) and Year of the Griffin (2000), which provide a merciless, though not unaffectionate, critique of formulaic sword-and-sorcery epics. Charmed Life, the first book in the Chrestomanci series, won the 1977 Guardian Award for Children’s Books. Archer's Goon (1984), a Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Book and World Fantasy Award for Best Novel nominee, was adapted for television in 1992. According to her autobiography, Diana has been an atheist since she was ten. Howl's Moving Castle won a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was named an ALA Notable book for both children and young adults. A sequel, Castle in the Air, was published in 1990. A second sequel, House of Many Ways was released in June 2008. Both are also young adult fantasy novels set in Ingary, though the two works are only loosely related to Howl's Moving Castle.

This book doesn't feel like it's 25 years old! Diana Wynne Jones created characters who were captivating and a book that has a slight air of mystery. I recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

As always, I am a huge fan of Diana Wynne Jones' work, but this is honestly the book that captured my affection and imagination the most of all her books! I recently purchased the entire 'Castle' series, (Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways) so I could lend them out to my friends and find someone else to talk to about these wonderful stories! ALL of the characters are engaging and endearing and the story just gets better the more times I read it!

Howl's Moving Castle is a delightful young adult fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones, that sees the readers enthralled with a mix of fantasy and fairy tales. Our heroine is Sophie Hatter, the eldest of three girls, who is convinced that as the eldest she will never be a success or be able to seek a fortune. Instead she is stuck at the Hat Shop, owned by her family, toiling away, decorating hats. However, one day her life is changed forever when she meets the Witch of the Waste. She is propelled on a journey that involves a scarecrow, a castle that never stops moving, a fire demon called Calcifur and a very vain wizard. This book was such a pleasure to read. Ever since Charmed Life I have been a huge Diana Wynne Jones fan, and I've been slowly making my way through her collection of tales. She has a wonderful knack for writing stories that simply leap off the pages and keep you riveted until the very last sentence. Howl's Moving Castle is another example of her incredible talent. The characters in Howl's Moving Castle are simply wonderful. We have the adorable heroine Sophie, who can't seem to piece together the mystery and restore her life, and the ever-vain Wizard Howl, along with his apprentice Michael. Not since Chrestomanci (in Charmed Life) have I found characters to love and cherish this much. Between pages of adventures, there is so many "laugh out loud" moments as Diana Wynne Jones has spun a tale that is set back and forth from a fantasyland, to modern day Wales. The wonderfully funny fire-demon Calcifur will definitely win a few hearts over, along with Howl. If it wasn't snowing outside, I would be racing right out to grab Castle in the Air, the second book in this series.

Simply Amazing. Diana turned a classic tale of a not-so-pretty hater and a heart-breaking magician into an adventure. Page after page, the fun never seems to end as long as Howl’s around. His magnificent castle, along with a lovable fire demon, an exploited apprentice and a bundle of well-developed characters, will capture your heart in a matter of pages. Why, the only complaint is the story ended too fast!

A book that's even better the second time you read it! Don't feel too sorry for Sophie, she's got a few tricks up her sleeve. Calcifer is still the best.

Intricate and surprising, this fairy-tale-turned-on-its-head is one of Jones' best. Nothing is what is seems at first, everyone hides a secret, and there is great fun in the discovery. Gentle humour and a fast-paced plot makes this a favourite read and a beloved re-read.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves the fantasy genre, if you are just getting into reading or just want a break from the over-large epics like Lord of the rings of the Shannara series. This was one of the first big books that I read. I was 11-12 and just getting into reading for my own enjoyment. I have since read this book around 12 times, which translates to more than once a year. Its a story about magic and mystery, where an evil wizard that eats young girl's hearts (but never really was), sisters that change bodies (but never do), an old lady (who's quite young) and a fire demon (that isn't). With plot twists and turns that leave you wondering what one has to do with the other, until they all fall together in a most, pleasing and enjoyable way. From an author who was schooled by the likes of J.R.R Toilkien and C.S. Lewis, and has be considered The best Childrens fantasy author evil and Better than J.K Rowling This book is an absolute treat for the young and old alike.

This Book is amazing. I first read this book when I was around 11 years old and have read it close to a dozen times since than. It was one of the first big books that I read. Its is a world of magic, with an evil wizard that never was, an old lady who's quite young, sisters who switch bodys (sort of)and a fire demon isn't. This story creativly combines fantasy with humour and plot twists that will keep you gusseing and trying to piece them together untill they all fall together on their own in a way that would never have thought. I recommend this book to fantasy lovers of all ages (although better for the 11-13 group) who want change from Harry potter. Definitely an overlooked classic in children's fantasy.