Howl's Moving Castle

It's mysterious in that way “the classics” are. They say things like they are but many things are still left up in the air. Sophie's always going on about how being the eldest would prevent her from attaining any happiness, but where did such a nonsensical idea come from and why should anyone take that as fact? Miss Angorian was a fire demon but why was she able to go about all willy nilly, hiding herself in guitars and even owning her own house? The Witch of the Waste killed Mrs. Pentstemmon? Then why isn't the Witch getting executed or put on trial or anything? A great many things seemed to be taken in stride all too easily. I myself find it a bit charming since not everything to do with a book related to magic need be sensical but I figured I should point it out.

And another thing...ALL THE JUICE ALWAYS RUNS DRY BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO START FLOWING. At some point, I was wondering whether this story was going to be a romance at all. It was, in fact, a wonderful romance for the page or so that it was explicitly acknowledged. This book really adds to my appreciation for Howl and Sophie's romance more than the movie had time to. Howl was, in fact, a piece of trash, which the film adaptation glossed over (for the sake of time and fragile hearts, mine included). And yet he and Sophie grew a connection through all the arguments and difficulties of living with another human being. IF THAT AIN'T TRUE LOVE, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. To accept each other's flaws and see past appearances to appreciate the other's endearing, if annoying, personality traits...To know both the good and bad of a person...SOMEONE GET THE JUSTICE OF PEACE IN HERE, STAT.

All that being said, it was great. I still think Sophie's stepmom is a lying, lazy, exploitative wench. But I adored how much depth this book went into in my favorite movie's characters.