Quickie Review: Howl's Moving Castle (book)
More of a response than a review, as I'm not really suited to review a book in a genre I fundamentally dislike (young adult fantasy).
However, that fact may give weight to my assertion that the book is mostly very good. While it's appropriate reading for a ten year old, it's perfectly enjoyable for me as a (rather exacting) adult. Its strengths are its light-hearted subversion of traditional fairytale tropes and its quirky, imperfect, very realistic characters.
Its weakness, in my view, is its classically kitschy ending. It earns a happy ending, but this overshoots "happy" and heads straight into contrived.
It's better than the movie. The strengths are stronger and the weaknesses less weak. The characters are sharper and more enjoyable. Extra points for the Welshness.
However, that fact may give weight to my assertion that the book is mostly very good. While it's appropriate reading for a ten year old, it's perfectly enjoyable for me as a (rather exacting) adult. Its strengths are its light-hearted subversion of traditional fairytale tropes and its quirky, imperfect, very realistic characters.
Its weakness, in my view, is its classically kitschy ending. It earns a happy ending, but this overshoots "happy" and heads straight into contrived.
It's better than the movie. The strengths are stronger and the weaknesses less weak. The characters are sharper and more enjoyable. Extra points for the Welshness.