Books: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986)

I read Howl's Moving Castle because I love Miyazaki's film, and everyone I know who read the book first raved about how much better it was, and how different. I can agree that it is very different, but I won't say that it's better. The movie and the book are almost two different things, each with their strong points, and each with things that I am mad-daffy in love with. So, I can state, without hesitation, that I LOVE Howl's Moving Castle, the book (and the film). Pretty equally because, like the X-Men movie, they are two different things in my head.

This book is so gorgeously magical. It's a sweet, fierce, heroic fairy tale. Sophie is AMAZING and Howl is absolutely charming. I love how they fall in love around the edges of the story, and how in the end it makes perfect sense. I love how crotchety and matter of fact Sophie is (with her walking stick and her magical way of talking things to life) and how vain and outrageous is our Howl. And then there's the dog-man, and Calcifer! I LOVE Calcifer, who I think fell in love with Sophie even before Howl.

And did I mention how much I love Sophie? Cause dude, kick ass!! She's an awesome hero and I love how she becomes more of herself in her self-imposed old age, but how that particular mask starts to wear on her and how angry she gets. I LOVE that she is an adventuress and that this story is all about her. She isn't meek, she's not always nice, she does what needs doing. Sophie is totally the bee's knees!!

ALSO?! I have OFFICIALLY completed the 50 book challenge for the first time ever!!