Cynthia F. (frazerc) reviewed on 11/19/2009 + 672 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

A good read but not a great one. A sequel to Howl's Moving Castle [great book, on my keeper shelf] it is a good read - but not a keeper. It had some of the trademark wit and occasional flashes of charm, but not enough. I think the problem is the heroine is very hard to like [the best thing in her favor is she loves books and reading] and brings being self-centered to the level of art. She does suffer [usually literally] spurts of character development. The best part of this book was the reappearance of Calcifer, Howl and Sophie and the introduction of their 'terrible twos' young son, Morgan which only highlights the lack of interesting new characters. Peter, a secondary hero, plays a bumbling sidekick rather well. A few characters slide in from Castle in the Air [another supposed sequel which I didn't find really much of a sequel], namely Jamal and Princess Hilda, but frankly they lack interest and mostly have walk-on parts. The 'House of Many Ways' was the most interesting thing in the book. Consisting of 'folded space' you can find your way through turns and switches to arrive at many different locations.

If you haven't read Howl's Moving Castle - read it. It's frequently found with teen books but appeals to adults as well.

Howl's Castle
1. Howl's Moving Castle (1986)
2. Castle in the Air (1990)
3. House of Many Ways (2008)

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