Howl’s Moving Castle

By: Diana Wynne Jones

Narrated by: Kristin Atherton

‘One of the greatest ever writers for children’ – Garth Nix

‘A true original’ – Katherine Rundell

‘Truly magical … Guaranteed to leave you gasping’ The Bookseller

‘She is the best writer of magical fantasy for children’ Evening Standard

In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and invisibility cloaks exist, young Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell . . .

Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls…

There Sophie meets Michael, Howl’s apprentice, and Calcifer the fire demon, with whom she agrees a pact. Her entanglements with Calcifer, Howl and Michael and her quest to break her curse come alive with Diana Wynne Jones’s unique combination of magic, humour and imagination.

©1986 Diana Wynne Jones (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

“Imaginative and terribly funny.” (Michael Morpurgo)

Favourite

One of my all time favourite books. The narration didn't really do it for me.

Me encantó

Una narración que trae a la vida los personajes y una historia poco convencional, hermosa y un poquito oscura.

Funny and entertaining

Excellent narrator!, first time I hear Kristin. loved Calcifer because of her. I do think it is way better than the movie, as it takes the story in a different path. I would have like d to know a bit how magic work in this world but I had a lot of fun.
Score 3.8/5
I think it is an entertaining story but I do feel that the world building is missing something. There are tons of explanations that went missing, although maybe getting to the next books will clear this out

Really nice revisit to a classic

Kristin Atherton has a great voice, which can make action scenes crack and bring out nuanced, layered characters. I am extremely glad she read a favourite book of my childhood - it was lovely to revisit it, and she does it justice.

I hope she will work on other DWJ books, because this one was brilliant.

Love the narrator!

Such a wonderful book and excellent narrator. Loved the tempo, the voices and everything.