Howl’s Moving Castle

Story

In the magical land of Ingary, the eldest of three sisters is doomed to fail miserably should she ever seek her fortunes. However, Sophie Hatter is forced to flee her hometown when the wicked Witch of the Waste transforms her into an old woman. Sophie soon stumbles across the wandering castle of the dreaded Wizard Howl. Hoping to break the witch’s curse, she strikes a deal with the wizard’s fire demon.

Why we chose it

Diana Wynne Jones wrote over 40 books for children creating satisfying and exciting magical worlds and memorable and much loved characters. Howl’s Moving Castle is one of her best-loved stories. In it she plays with fantasy and fairy tale themes and devices with a combination of humour, adventure and magic.

Where it came from

British writer and poet, Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011), was inspired to write a book about a moving castle after a suggestion from a boy she met on a school visit. John Donne’s poem, Go and Catch a Falling Star, is central to the story and Jones references numerous classics throughout the novel, including The Legends of King Arthur, Alice in Wonderland and Hamlet.

Where it went next

As well as winning several awards, the book was adapted as an animated film in 2004, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film broke Japanese box office records, and has been extremely successful across the globe.

Associated stories

Howl’s Moving Castle is the first in the Howl Series. It is followed by Castle in the Air (1990) and House of Many Ways (2008). Other books by Jones include Dogsbody (1975) and the Chrestomanci Series (notably Charmed Life (1977)).