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Howl's Moving Castle #1

Howl's Moving Castle

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1986

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About the author

Diana Wynne Jones

158 books12.4k followers
Diana Wynne Jones was a celebrated British writer best known for her inventive and influential works of fantasy for children and young adults. Her stories often combined magical worlds with science fiction elements, parallel universes, and a sharp sense of humor. Among her most beloved books are Howl's Moving Castle, the Chrestomanci series, The Dalemark Quartet, Dark Lord of Derkholm, and the satirical The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Her work gained renewed attention and readership with the popularity of the Harry Potter series, to which her books have frequently been compared.

Admired by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling, Jones was a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, two Mythopoeic Awards, the Karl Edward Wagner Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2004, Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, further expanding her global audience.

Jones studied at Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. She began writing professionally in the 1960s and remained active until her death in 2011. Her final novel, The Islands of Chaldea, was completed posthumously by her sister Ursula Jones.

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5 stars
234,835 (49%)
4 stars
157,627 (33%)
3 stars
64,048 (13%)
2 stars
12,496 (2%)
1 star
4,635 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for BraisBH.
129 reviews4 followers
March 4, 2026
-Graciosísimo que Miyazaki lese esta historia e decidise empregala para meter as súas neuroses sobre a Segunda Guerra Mundial.

-Howl é o protagonista dun isekai, normal que sexa o peor.
Profile Image for Irene.
258 reviews16 followers
Read
March 10, 2022
Posme unha pistola na cabeza e sigo sen saber que carallo lin
Profile Image for Lara.
460 reviews13 followers
January 24, 2021
Howl Jenkins é o personaxe máis heterosexual™ que lin na miña puta vida.
Profile Image for mari.
77 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2022
Como a película me gustou tanto decidín ler o libro, estaba convencida de darlle as 5 ou 4 estrelas ata que lin o final, esperaba un momento máis romántico e emotivo e sinto que me faltan páxinas. Nese aspecto e mellor a peli, pero noutros gústame máis o libro, a relación de sophie e howl ten moitos máis matices.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews