Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you are familiar with the movie that came out, I must say, this is COMPLETELY different. Yes...its mostly the same in the beginning but other than that, much of the plot is different as well as the ending. I really loved this book and love Howl's character. Its a "feel good" book that gets you hooked right away. Summary: A young girl gets vexed by an evil witched to lives as a 90 year old woman. She travels out to meet with her sister and stumbles upon Howl's castle and decides to take refuge from the bitter cold within. She then meets a fire demon who offers to break the spell on her, as long as she can break the spell that is on him. There were a couple things in the movie that I didnt like and that didn't make sense to me until I read the book....If you don't like spoilers then dont read below because here is a minor spoiler that explains part of the movie: In the movie, at times when Sophie would be sleeping or felt happyness, you would see her appearance transform into a young girl again. Then she'd suddenly change back to an old woman again. Why is that???? Well in the book, you find out that Sophie has always felt like a 90 year old woman because of her bland clothes and life. Sophie has magical capabilities that she doesn't realize until the very end. When you see her as a youthful girl, it is because she feels young at heart. She often tells herself that being an old woman suites her and this is what her appearance becomes as a result if her own will. There. Now the animation makes sense. I liked the book more that the movie and will purchase other novels by Diane Wynne Jones.