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Howl’s Moving Castle

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Howl’s Moving Castle

By: Diana Wynne Jones
Narrated by: John Sessions
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About this listen

‘One of the greatest ever writers for children’ – Garth Nix

‘A true original’ – Katherine Rundell

‘Truly magical … Guaranteed to leave you gasping’ The Bookseller

‘She is the best writer of magical fantasy for children’ Evening Standard

Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls…

There Sophie meets Michael, Howl’s apprentice, and Calcifer the fire demon, with whom she agrees a pact. Her entanglements with Calcifer, Howl and Michael and her quest to break her curse come alive with Diana Wynne Jones’s unique combination of magic, humour and imagination.

©1986 Diana Wynne Jones Classics Fantasy Fiction Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Humorous Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Comedy Magic Magic Users Funny Wizardry Witchcraft

Critic reviews

"One of the greatest ever writers for children" – Garth Nix

"A true original" – Katherine Rundell

“Imaginative and terribly funny” – Michael Morpurgo

THE TELEGRAPH – 100 Best Books a Child Should Read

“Wit and humor glint from the pages" – THE HORN BOOK

Praise for Diana Wynne Jones

“…Her hallmarks include laugh-aloud humour, plenty of magic and imaginative array of alternate worlds. Yet, at the same time, a great seriousness is present in all of her novels, a sense of urgency that links Jones’s most outrageous plots to her readers’ hopes and fears…” – Publishers Weekly

“Diana Wynne Jones ought to be crowned with coloured garlands because she is the best writer of magical fantasy for children in this country ” – Evening Standard

“Diana Wynne Jones could teach Stephen King and JK Rowling a thing or two … [she] has a skill for inserting just the right amount of detail in her written words, leaving you satiated but not stuffed.” – SFX
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Most relevant
Howl's Moving Castle is by far one of my favourite books, that's why for me the fact it is abridged was very noticeable. I have read the book about 5 times and know it well, as well as having a few favourite lines. Some of which were missing.

As for the performance, I think John Sessions was pretty good. I felt he had the right voice as the narrator. As for the characters, I wasn't too sure. It was ok, but when you read the book or of you have watched the Studio Ghibli adaptation, you have certain expectations. Overall, however, I think it was well done.

As this is my favourite book, I am pretty certain I will be listening to this again. It's nice to listen instead of read when your a bit tired or travelling (as reading when travelling makes me feel ill). The book, I would rate as 5/5 and this adaptation I would rate as 4/5.

Sad that it's abridged ...

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Where does Howl's Moving Castle rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

My children love this audiobook, both the story and performance it is one of their favourite bedtime stories

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sophie, who starts off as a mouse of a girl to become a cool heroine

Have you listened to any of John Sessions’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Great children's fiction

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It’s a great story and suitable for all ages but it’s a shame it’s the abridged version.

Shame it’s abridged

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this was such an unexpectedly good book it got recommended to me on an April Readathon.. I didn't really go into it with any expectations other than I wanted to complete the months readathon... but I was pleasantly surprised I love the music brakes as well

loved it

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I have been trying to obtain a audio copy of this book for a couple of years so was very happy to find it on Audible.

Diana Wynne Jones never ceases to please amaze entrance with her story weaving of magicians‘, mystery & magical mayhem.

The only disappointment for us was that this is an abridged version of Howl's Moving Castle so it was over far too quickly.

Fantastical Fantasy World

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