I tore through this as it was such a cute and magical read ( )

A classic fairytale-esque fantasy story. Sophie, the eldest of three sisters, crosses the (wicked) Witch of the Waste and finds herself taking on the appearance of a cranky old lady. With her sisters chasing after their dreams of finding love and having ten children and becoming an apprentice witch and making a fortune, Sophie decides to pack up and set out on her own to either find a cure or die trying.

Along the way she meets the Wizard Howl, his apprentice Michael and his fire demon, Calcifer who live in a Moving Castle and are on the run from the Witch of the Waste as well. When Sophie sees the state of their castle, she takes on the position of housekeeper, all the while looking for how she can break the spell.

I really liked Sophie. She was hilarious. She was cranky and fierce and it was perfect. I loved the way she bosses Michael and Howl and Calcifer around. I enjoyed the magical elements of the story, the seven league boots and the idea of a whole moving castle that has one door that opens to many different places. Howl was vain and petty and spoiled but he was also sweet and kind at times and it was hilarious watching him try to outstubborn Sophie. I liked the friendship between them but I can't really say I understood the romance between them. Or the perception of the romance between them by everyone else. It wasn't particularly romantic in my opinion.

I liked Calcifer and how he kept getting bullied into laying down his head so Sophie or Howl could cook over him. And I liked all the other characters Michael and Martha and Lettie.

An enjoyable fantasy story with imaginative world-building and an interesting cast of characters. 4 stars. ( )

I've loved the movie for years, but this is so much better! The characters and plot all make more sense. ( )

The beginning of this story had one of the most interesting first chapters. I loved that it poked fun at other well-known fairytales.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the rest as much. I do believe that many would love it, but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

Tropes: This book consistantly brings in tropes from all sorts of fairytales thoughout the story.

Content: nothing to worry about

3 Stars ( )

Enjoyed by the kids and the adults. ( )