Wow now I am really excited to read HMC. It is on my booklist for fantasy lit this semester, and I was already excited because I enjoyed the movie. It looks like it will be a good read and have some interesting 'sequels'.
Thanks for getting my interest up!
SECOND PAGE!! That's our first OBC second page!! [act]hi-fives everyone[/act]
I agree Fey Gypsy, I've become totally addicted to DWJ now having never read any of hers before. I've got another two waiting for me at the library!
I remember this book with fondness. It was years ago when I read it. We'd just moved and my bed was a foamie spread out on the floor of the office while we painted the basement. I remember stitting hunched under the covers, reading by flashlight because the foamie kept the door from closing and I was supposed to be asleep. I remember leaving teeth marks in my knuckles when I had to stiffle my laughter.
But that's all besides the story.
I loved this book, and Castles in the Air, too. I didn't know there was a second sequel. I will have to track that down.
I love the character dynamics: the relationships are all a bit convoluted, not all happy-go-lucky we're-all-friends-here, like they are in a lot of books. And nothing turns out to be quite what it seems --- the bad guys (Howl) are actually flawed good guys and the actual bad guys seem like good guys who were wronged by Howl. At least, that's how I remember it being...
I think I may need to re-read the book, because now I think about it, I don't even remember who the bad guys were.... hmm. I think I'll go to the library tomorrow. They might have a copy at my branch.
I did get a chance to see the movie just a few months ago, but I found it fairly forgettable. That's not really my genre of movie. I only saw it 'cause it was such a good book. I remember being annoyed at what they did to poor Michael (does book Michael remind anybody else of Obernewtyn's Matthew, or is it just me and my forgetfulness playing tricks on me?).
*Will read the book again now*
So I don't really know if I should be admitting this but I tried DWJ when I was really young and kinda didn't get into it - should I be giving it another go at this late stage or is it something you only really enjoy because of the association the books have with your childhood reading?
I never read DWJ as a kid, and I've read 7 or 8 of her books this year since discovering Howl's Moving Castle (and I just turned 20 to give some perspective). I've found before the books I really didn't get when I was a kid, often because I tried to read them at the wrong time, I like a lot more now, although sometimes it's hard to get over the prejudice. Maybe try reading a different book to the one you started when you were a kid.
That said, not all her books are fantastic. I didn't like Witch Week, but HMC and Charmed Life were great. I reckon give it a go!
14 years ago
Mon Sep 28 2009, 03:52pm
Thanks Cat-Eyes! That helps - It actually was Witch Week that I started and just couldn't be bothered to finish when I was about 9 or 10...
Yeah I should've probably mentione that I am 20 too just to give some context...lol, so its hardly "at this late stage" really... ::)
Wanderer Ward
14 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
Well, I just finished the book (yes, it is a few months late, but sshhhh, they'll never notice |:|) and I really enjoyed it. It was the first book by Diana Wynne Jones that I've read. I saw the movie sometime last year, but hardly remember any of the details, which I though would be good when reading it.
I loved the relationship between Sophie, Lettie and Martha, and I thought that Sophie and Martha's different perspectives on Fanny were interesting. In some respects I agreed with Martha about Fanny deliberately overworking Sophie, but then I felt bad when Sophie and Fanny met again in the castle. I'm still unsure about Fanny's character though, but perhaps I'm reading too much into it and am approaching the story with a suspicious adult mind rather than that of an accepting child.
I loved Michael, and I was so glad that him and Martha were together. I don't remember him at all from the movie. Was he not in it or is my memory more faulty than I thought? When he was explaining Howl's reputation to Sophie, I thought his descriptions of angry mothers and aunties threatening Howl were hilarious!
I adore Calcifer. He was definately my favourite character in the movie, and he was even better in the book. I love how he can be so cunning and sly, yet caring as well. And I love his complaining and muttering - perhaps I wouldn't find this quite so endearing if I had to live with him.
Sophie's antics when living in Howl's castle made me laugh. She was a cleaning hurricane! Her refusal to tend to Howl when he was mortally ill (with a cold...) made me laugh.
On the plot, I did not see Mrs Angorian as the Witch of the Waste's fire demon coming at all. Is that different in the movie too? I think I might buy the movie tomorrow and do some comparisons. And is the idea of Howl coming from Wales explored at all?
And the dog-man? I seem to remember some Basset hound looking thing from the movie, well I hope it's from this Ghibli movie, but that's about it.
I didn't read any of the other posts before writing this in the hope that I wouldn't get distracted, so I'll read some now and see if I have anything else to say!
Everyone is always more than welcome to revive conversation in any of the OBC threads *plugplugplug*
Yeah, in the movie Michael was replaced by Markl who was a little kid and not nearly as awesome. I love Michael! Especially with the seven-league boots and he gets so worried about Sophie, poor thing!
I too didn't see Mrs Angorian as the fire demon. I thought something might be up with her, but not that! I don't remember that being in the movie (which I saw after I'd read the book).
The scarecrow and dog were a bit different in the movie I think, and Howl being from Wales also wasn't really explored. Even though it's a short book, it's still a lot to fit into a movie!
I completely agree about Calcifer, he completely makes the book and the movie. He's so adorable in the movie, I just want to hug him!
Wanderer Ward
14 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I want to hug him too, but I think doing so would put me in danger of burns. I think instead I'll just get an adorable pet of some sort and call it Calcifer. I love naming things after book characters. If it was a job, it'd certainly be mine! :P
I'm excited about watching the movie now. Hopefully I can get into town to buy it [act]crosses fingers[/act]
Wanderer Ward
14 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
[act]gives the *dpm* a sparkler to play with[/act]
DPM: Oooooohh!! [act]runs off to show its mother[/act]
So I finally bought Howl's Moving Castle, and finally had time to watch it. It took me long enough :P I'd forgotten how much I absolutely adore it! And all Studio Ghibli! Although I found it rather different from the novel. Similar in the way people say the HP books and the HP movies should be viewed separate from each other, I think that's this is how I view the HMC book and film. Markl is just so cute! :-} He's a lot younger than I imagined him in the book. I'm glad that even though I'd seen the movie before, I'd pretty much forgotten all of it when I read the book. I think seeing the movie makes me like the book more too, and I'm definately going to hunt down the sequels in the near future! I think it was disappointing that the whole Wales aspect wasn't included in the movie, but I think the war idea was a good substitute. And anyway, perhaps the Wales thing wouldn't have worked well in movie form. Oh! They were also a lot more technological than I imagined, excluding Howl's castle of course. :P But that's Studio Ghibli for you!
I haven't read the book, but I have seen the movie adaptation and I really enjoyed that. I didn't know there was a book version. I must find it.
Ashling Guildmistress
14 years ago
Ashling Guildmistress
Mage
Jaella, yes it's by Dianna Wynne Jones, but fair warning that the movie only loosely follows the book, there are quite a number of characters in the book who do not appear in the movie. I guess, the movie actually draws upon certain elements and then pretty much takes a different storyline.
Kaede - yay to Calcifer! I agree, he was definitely one of the more interesting characters. I loved the subtle ways he would drop hints about his contract with Howl in the most random places (that all make sense when you reread). I also love the idea that Sophie was the only who could 'tame' Calcifer because Sophie was the one who was really the desire of Howl's heart :)
Markl was a lot younger in the movie than the book (if I recall correctly, he was probably in his early teens, or around 15, in any case near Martha's age) - but he's so cute in the movie :)
Sophie is probably my next favourite character to Calcifer, I probably mentioned this earlier, but seeing Sophie have more confidence when she is aged is a thought that I often consider, and wonder if we 'younguns' care too much about what people might think of us when we voice opinions...
On a Studio Ghibli related note, I bought the artbook for Ponyo yesterday - and now I really want to see the movie! Apparently, it's an adaption to the Little Mermaid, which I think is interesting, I love seeing Myazaki's adaptions - he does them so well!
Markl in the book was called Michael, too. And yes, he was a teenager, and pretty awesome. Markl was very cute in the movie, but I think I prefer Michael.
Ashling Guildmistress
14 years ago
Ashling Guildmistress
Mage
I loved Michael almost having to take care of Howl at times :P
On a side note: I watched Ponyo the other day - absolutely gorgeous! It's kiddy-ish but sooooo cute I'd recommend it regardless! :P
Man, getting a craving to reread this book now!
Ashling Guildmistress
14 years ago
Ashling Guildmistress
Mage
I think you should :p DWJ rocks ;)
After the praises that the Melb Obernetters were giving to this book and the sequels, I have to get my hands on this book! But will have to wait till I have a bit more cash... and then I would also be breaking my resolution because I already have so many new books that I have to read... hnmmm :P
