Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Image source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15863391-howl-s-moving-castle

This is my personal recommendation and probably my favourite book of all time. If you've seen the Studio Ghibli adaptation, I still recommend reading the book. The feeling of romance and magic is very similar, but the plot is quite different; there are plenty of surprises you won't be expecting.

Howl's Moving Castle tells the story of Sophie Hatter. As the eldest of three sisters she has resigned herself to a dull life with little fortune - until she is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and made into a ninety year old woman. Her unexpected quest to break the curse takes her to the moving castle of the Wizard Howl which wanders the hills surrounding her hometown.

While working as Howl's cleaning lady, she finds herself faced with a number of mysteries - the pact between Howl and the fire demon Calcipher, a curious spell given by Howl to his apprentice, the unknown fate of a prince and his loyal wizard - all while investigating her own curse and managing Howl's eccentric mood swings. But to break the curse she will have to first discover and accept her true feelings and abilities.

Howl's Moving Castle is a hilarious and beautiful story of self acceptance, love and confidence. It subtly examines issues of self esteem and resignation, while providing a strong and unique female protagonist. The characters are emotional (or overly emotional as is the case of a certain melodramatic wizard),witty and the individual conflicts between characters are intensely amusing.

Howl's Moving Castle is aimed at young adults, but it is a great read for any age. If you enjoy books like Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, and A Wrinkle in Time, this is an incredibly fun and quick read that will keep you smiling and guessing what will come next.

There are also two sequels to the book. Each features different protagonists, and though I still recommend them, I personally don't find these titles as entertaining as the first. They are Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways.

2 days until Christmas!