satalasers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
satalasers) wrote2020-05-28 10:09 am
satalasers) wrote2020-05-28 10:09 am
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Diana Wynne Jones - Castle In The Air
The second book in the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy! Diana Wynne Jones does it again. I'm always kind of miss the signs that the first book is riffing on The Wizard Of Oz, but this one being Aladdin, is pretty easy to figure out.
- Love how the characters get imported in this one! They're all in disguise, and it's just fun to figure out who. I mean, it's pretty easy, but always great to know that Calcifer is the carpet who loves being praised, and Howl is the grumpy djinn, and Sophie is Midnight the cat.
- That being said, I really do like Abdullah and Flowers-in-the-Night romance too. They get together pretty quickly, but it's still so charming to see them be new at love throughout the book, since they're separated for most of the middle; and Prince Justin becomes the amnesiac soldier who lies and adores cats. (And also gets his own romance with the princess Bethany, who was his intended bride all along, unbeknownst to either.)
- Also; again, it's super hilarious to see Princess Valeria here again! I feel like she's a year or two older than the first book, and yet again, she's used as a bargaining tool, only for the character to realize, that oh, she's a little girl. Can't marry her. But it was nice that she got more to do, and befriend plenty of princesses.
- I love the fact that there's not one but THREE djinns in this story. And The Good Djinn is a villain, and enjoying being bad. So he can't quite return to the way he used to be, but hey, he can move to a different land, and get his own happily ever after.
- Sophie's rage at the Castle being rearranged is hilarious though. I just like her recognizing rooms and her going 'wait, this is the pantry!'. Like, I knew that the titular castle is the same castle from book 1, but now it's flying, but still!
- I actually really like Abdullah's evolution. I just like that he's flowery in language, as most people of his land are, and then Howl gets mad at him for taking so long to get to the point, so he shortens his vocabulary, partly out of spite, partly from shock, and annoys people. I mean, he's kind, with how he gives Jamal some help, and I like that he puts up with things he doesn't like: namely, cats. And he too gets a happily ever after with Flowers.
- Speaking of Flowers, it's great that she's sharp, but sheltered, and so both learn along the way, and manage to be together.. Both get character development, and it's kind of hilarious how they sort out their issues in a cupboard, trying to forget they are probably being overheard by the others.
- It's probably my least favourite out of the trilogy, but that's because I love the other two so very much, and this book is very DWJ, so I like how she resolves things within a page. It shouldn't work, but from her, it really does feel quite natural.
I know I should probably read the Hunger Games prequel, but I just want to read the third book of this trilogy!
- Love how the characters get imported in this one! They're all in disguise, and it's just fun to figure out who. I mean, it's pretty easy, but always great to know that Calcifer is the carpet who loves being praised, and Howl is the grumpy djinn, and Sophie is Midnight the cat.
- That being said, I really do like Abdullah and Flowers-in-the-Night romance too. They get together pretty quickly, but it's still so charming to see them be new at love throughout the book, since they're separated for most of the middle; and Prince Justin becomes the amnesiac soldier who lies and adores cats. (And also gets his own romance with the princess Bethany, who was his intended bride all along, unbeknownst to either.)
- Also; again, it's super hilarious to see Princess Valeria here again! I feel like she's a year or two older than the first book, and yet again, she's used as a bargaining tool, only for the character to realize, that oh, she's a little girl. Can't marry her. But it was nice that she got more to do, and befriend plenty of princesses.
- I love the fact that there's not one but THREE djinns in this story. And The Good Djinn is a villain, and enjoying being bad. So he can't quite return to the way he used to be, but hey, he can move to a different land, and get his own happily ever after.
- Sophie's rage at the Castle being rearranged is hilarious though. I just like her recognizing rooms and her going 'wait, this is the pantry!'. Like, I knew that the titular castle is the same castle from book 1, but now it's flying, but still!
- I actually really like Abdullah's evolution. I just like that he's flowery in language, as most people of his land are, and then Howl gets mad at him for taking so long to get to the point, so he shortens his vocabulary, partly out of spite, partly from shock, and annoys people. I mean, he's kind, with how he gives Jamal some help, and I like that he puts up with things he doesn't like: namely, cats. And he too gets a happily ever after with Flowers.
- Speaking of Flowers, it's great that she's sharp, but sheltered, and so both learn along the way, and manage to be together.. Both get character development, and it's kind of hilarious how they sort out their issues in a cupboard, trying to forget they are probably being overheard by the others.
- It's probably my least favourite out of the trilogy, but that's because I love the other two so very much, and this book is very DWJ, so I like how she resolves things within a page. It shouldn't work, but from her, it really does feel quite natural.
I know I should probably read the Hunger Games prequel, but I just want to read the third book of this trilogy!