If your a fan of Japanese anime, your probably familiar with the name Hayoa Miyazaki. Who is one of Japans most celebrated film makers. But did you know that Howl's Moving Castle, one of his most famous movies in America was a book before it was a film? If you answered 'no', that's ok because as admirer of Miyazaki and a voracious reader I only recently discover that this amazing movie was a book first. When I mentioned I hadn't read the book yet to another Miyazaki fan, she immediatly lent me her copy, which I devoured almost instantly.
Although I was scared to read the book, for fear it wouldn't compare to the movie because let's face it Miyazaki could make anything into a masterpiece, I read the book and was instantly hooked.
Diana Wynne Jones the author of Howl's moving Castle, paints a picture so descriptive that although at time to others it may seem boring, had me captivated from the very first chapter, not a very easy thing to do by the way.
Synopsis...
For those of you who don't know what the book is about Howl's Moving Castle, is a story about...
Sophie Hatter, a milliners daughter who after her fathers death is apprenticed at his hat shop, her sisters are apprenticed elsewhere and on the way to visit her sister she meets a stranger. And this chance encounter leads to an extrordinary adventure that changes her life and makes us question whether we should live life the way society and tradition dictates or should we take the initiative and carve our own path and make our own good fortune.
After this chance encounter Sophie is put under a curse by the Witch of the Waste,and she then meets the Wizard Howl, his apprentice Michael and the fire-demon Calcifer. Striking a deal with Calcifer, Sophie stays in Howl's household (a moving castle), and becomes his cleaning lady and she's taken on for a wild ride of wizard adventures as she learns to speak her mind and look past outside appearances to what lies deeper inside a person, their heart.
Although I love the book and the movie there are some differences so I'll point out a couple.
Spoilers..
In the move Sophie befriends the scarecrow Turniphead while in the book she is scared of him.
In the movie, Howl turns into a bird on a couple occasions while that never happened in the book.
In the movie, there is a war going on while in the book the war is talked about but it hasn't started yet.
Notable Lines...
"I think we ought to have a happily ever after. - Howl
And you'll exploit me - Sophie
And then you'll cut up my suits and teach me."- Howl
Rating...
Out of 5 stars I would give Howl's Moving Castle 4 stars.
