Review: The Runaway Dragon - Kate Coombs

Synopsis: When Meg's dragon, Laddy, runs - or flies - away from home, she knows she must go on a quest to find him. But she hasn't counted on her parents, the king and queen of Greeve, sending ten guardsmen along. Fortunately, she is also accompanied by her best friends: Dilly, lady-in-waiting and a cool head in any crisis not involving heights; Cam, a gardener's assistant who knows the exact value of a brick shed filled with sausages; Nort, a skinny guardsman who has never given much thought to crows; and Lex, a young wizard with bad taste in horses, magic carpets, and sorceresses. Of course, Meg's quest goes topsy-turvy once she enters the enchanted forest - and her adventure is just beginning. It isn't long 'til she and her companions learn a thing or two about grouchy giants. What's more, meeting up with the dashing bandit Bain again isn't at all what she expected.

Review: I did not consider this installment as good as The Runaway Princess from the beginning. Meg seemed way younger than her age, and there were far too many characters tagging along on the quest. But the extras are dumped in short order, bringing the character count down to a more reasonable number, and just when I decided that there were still too many tag-alongs, the Author splits them up, creating two separate, and equally enjoyable, adventures. The journey(s) pick up from that point, and I could kick back and enjoy the humor I had grown accustomed to in The Runaway Princess.

As in the former, the Author pokes fun at a boatload of fairy-tales, but in this one she pokes at a few lesser-known tales that only a fairy-tale-connoisseur might recognize (she throws in Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk for familiarity, so other Readers don't feel left out).

The Runaway Dragon still isn't as good as The Runaway Princess, but it picks up a lot towards the end, and ultimately does not disappoint.

Overall Rating: JJJ

Others in This Series:

1)The Runaway Princess
2)The Runaway Dragon

Review: Kat, Incorrigible - Stephanie Burgis

Synopsis: In the prim and proper world of nineteenth-century England, twelve-year-old Katherine Ann Stephenson is at a loss: Her sisters, Elissa and Angeline, have recently entered Society and now gossip incessantly in whispers; her foolish brother, Charles, has gambled the family deep into debt; and Stepmama wants nothing to do with them at all. What can Kat do but take matters into her own hands?

Luckily Kat has inherited her mother's magical talents and has the courage to use them - if she can only learn how. But with her sister Elissa's intended fiance, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential, her sister Angeline creating romantic havoc with her own witchcraft, and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the utmost.
Review: From the very start of Kat, Incorrigible, I was absolutely taken with the witty writing style, the characters, and the situation. Kat is a wonderful heroine, whose age makes her attitude not seem like The Attitude, but rather the whims of a very young girl. She's full of spunk, intelligence, and a desire to protect her sisters - even if they are far too prim and proper at times, and always scolding her. Normally I do not like fantasy meddling with historical fiction, but Stephanie Burgis made it work, all the while retaining a Jane Austen-ish flavor to the entire setup.

At first, I expected Elissa and Angeline to be quite aggravating, but I soon found myself as dearly attached to them as I was to Kat, and their respective beaus equally amusing and endearing with their distinctive personalities. The villains are properly alarming, but they are not so scary that they detract from the overall humor of the story. When one has a story like this, which is light-hearted in the way that Jane Austen's works are light-hearted, one cannot have villains which give the Reader nightmares for weeks on end.

I cannot wait for the sequel to Kat, Incorrigible to come out; I am quite anxious to see what occurs when they go on a "relaxing" trip to Bath.

Overall Rating: |||||

Others in The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson Series:

1)Kat, Incorrigible

2)Renegade Magic
3)Stolen Magic

Review: Cyrano - Geraldine McCaughrean

Synopsis: Cyrano. Master swordsman. Brilliant wit. Big nose. This heroic (and homely) man is, of course, doomed to love the fairest lady in town. Resigned to unrequited love, Cyrano suddenly finds himself in the odd position of wooing his beloved Roxane on behalf of another man - a man more handsome than himself. How does he do it? As only Cyrano can. With eloquence. With passion. With panache!

Absolutely hilarious; I was laughing from the very first words of the beginning chapter. Cyrano is the sort of full-of-himself character which somehow manages to be sincere and endearing rather than obnoxious and an absolute blow-gut. He's the sort of friend everyone would like to have for any occasion.

Review: I confess that I have not yet read the play for which this book is based off of, so I can neither commend nor frown at the Author for any particular liberties she might have taken. But from what I do know of the original story, Geraldine McCaughrean did a splendid job in its retelling without changing anything. Cyrano has always been a stage-stealing character, and the Author only brings him more to life, and ending everything tragically without leaving the Reader feeling disappointed.

Two thumbs for Cyrano!

Overall Rating: {{{{

Review: The Wizard in the Tree - Lloyd Alexander

Synopsis: Mallory notices there's something funny about an old oak tree, takes a closer look, and before she knows it, she's broken a magical spell. Arbican the wizard has been trapped in the oak for thousands of years, and his powers are gone. Will he get them back in time to save Mallory's village from greedy Squire Scrupner?

Review: One word: hilarious. And clever. Once again Lloyd Alexander offers Readers a completely likable, strong heroine and a grouchy wizard who manages to be funny rather than simply annoying. He sets it in the perfect time period - no, not at all medieval - and presents a storyline which is quite well thought out, rather than tha slapped-together feeling so many of his endings seem to have. In some ways, the story has a little bit of a Charles Dickens feel to it (probably the names, and the fact that the majority of the people were villains), which of course heightened it in my good opinion.

The Wizard in the Tree has to be one of my absolute favorite Lloyd Alexander books.

Overall Rating: {{{{

Review: The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha - Lloyd Alexander

Synopsis: How did Lukas become King of Abadan? Even Lukas doesn't know. He was in the town square, watching a seedy-looking magician - and suddenly, he was drowning in a far-distant sea. When he came ashore, the first people he met hailed him as King. Being King is fine with Lukas; that is, it would be fine if everyone wasn't trying to murder him.

Review: One of Lloyd Alexander's better stories. As usual, the Author manages to introduce and familiarize the Reader with the main character very quickly, while wasting absolutely no time in delving into the story. Lukas-Kasha is hilarious right off - a likable Aladdin, in many ways - and promises to be one of those cheeky, witty fellows who is surprisingly fun and not just a completely useless lout. And naturally, all of the characters Lukas meets along his adventures all have unquie personalities, utterly likable in their own right, or horrible villains. Sur-Jehan is a strong female character who can be stubborn, isn't afraid of speaking her mind, and knows how to look after herself. However, unlike so many "strong" female characters in modern literature, Sur-Jehan is believable and doesn't have the modern macho-girl image that is so disgusting to me.

Having collected a nice array of people about him, Lukas is thrust into the sort of hilarious and weird adventure that Lloyd Alexander always promises in his books. Unlike his others, however, Lloyd Alexander actually ends it satisfactorily and with an ending that seems to suit the story. As I continued to read and the number of pages dwindled, I was beginning to fear that this book would have the typical slapped-together ending I had come to expect in this Author's stories, but I was pleasantly surprised, and I can shout hurrah!

The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha is an absolute triumph; a complete must-read for those Readers who love silly adventures.

Overall Rating: {{{{

Review: Cloaked in Red - Vivian Vande Velde

Synopsis: So you think you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the girl with the unfortunate name and the inability to tell the difference between her grandmother and a member of a different species? Well, then, try your hand at answering these questions:

- Which character (not including Little Red herself) is the most fashion challenged?

- Who (not including the wolf) is the scariest?

- Who (not including Granny) is the most easily scared?

- Who is the strangest? (Not we're not "not including" anyone, because they're all a little off.)

- Who (no fair saying "the author") has stuffing for brains?

Review: In this thoroughly witty book (written by the twenty-times accomplished author Vivian Vande Velde), we the Readers are presented with eight different - and far more logical - looks at the Grimm brothers' most famous (or at least one of the most) stories Little Red Riding Hood, things being first kicked off with a hilarious Author's Note in the beginning, which must absolutely be read.

We are presented with an intelligent Little Red with an agreeable name, and a not-so-well-intentioned-woodcutter; we get a glimpse at a few rather odd versions that are so different that they are startlingly hilarious; and we also get to see the story from the woodcutter's perspective, Granny's, and yes, even the little red riding hood itself (although it's a full-fledged cloak and not just a riding hood).

Cloaked in Red is every bit as humorous as The Rumplestiltskin Problem, and anyone who is familiar with the Red Riding Hood story will get a kick out of it.
Overall Rating: {{{{

Review: Player's Ruse - Hilari Bell

Synopsis: Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, were just beginning to enjoy the quiet life. They really should have known better. When Lady Rosamund runs away from home to marry a traveling player, former knight errant Michael makes a noble promise to help the object of his unrequited love. The quest takes our would-be heroes to the coastal town of Huckerston, where savage sea pirates called wreckers terrorize the coast. With the help of a reluctant Fisk, Michael plans on catching the wreckers and winning back his lady; but when mysterious murders and dangerous accidents threaten the town and its players, love might be the least of his problems.

Review: These stories just grow better and better with each new installment. The humor is ramped up even further than the last two, though some of them are bawdier than Rogue's Home (however, they aren't excessive), and the mystery all the more intriguing. I thought I had it all figured out, but I quickly turned out to be incorrect about a major part of my theory, much to my delight. I always love it when authors can make one solution seem obvious while planting clues to the true answer that are obvious if the Reader looks hard enough. Hilari Bell also manages to keep a good balance of humor and danger. One moment things are pretty light-hearted, then something happens that sends a chill right down the Reader's spine. Few authors can pull that off without making events seem schizophrenic, but she does it.

I dearly hope that Player's Ruse is not the last Knight & Rogue Novel. I absolutely love this series, and I would hate to see it end only after three books.

Overall Rating: |||||

Others in the Knight & Rogue Series:
1)The Last Knight
2)Rogue's Home
3)Player's Ruse

Review: Rogue's Home - Hilari Bell

Synopsis: Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, can't seem to keep out of hot water. After five long years, Fisk has been called home to Ruesport to investigate who framed his sister Anna's husband, Max, as a blackmailer. Anna figures that Fisk, with his criminal past, is uniquely qualified to find out who set Max up. Of course Michael feels he has to come along to help his friend; but now he wears the tattoos of the unredeemed and fears he might be more hindrance than help.

Review: Like The Last Knight, Rogue's Home is hilarious - more so, in my opinion, than the first. There's fewer tongue-in-cheek type of jokes and the storyline is just more exciting. It picks up right where The Last Knight leaves off, so you definitely have to read them in order, even though this particular mystery isn't really connected to the one in the first book.

I think what I liked most about this one was the Reader gets to see more into Fisk's character and past. But at the same time, it doesn't just focus on him; the Reader also learns a lot about Michael as well.

I don't have anything negative to say about Rogue's Home. It's funny, it has great character and plot development, it's a wonderful mystery, and you definitely cannot put it down. I always doubt books that have little sayings on the back saying "I couldn't put it down!" because that seems to be the coined phrase for bad stories. And I hate to pin such a label on Rogue's Home, but I do mean it quite literally when I say that I could not put Rogue's Home down. I would not go to bed last night until I finished it, it was that good.

Can't wait until Player's Ruse comes in at the library!

Overall Rating: |||||

Others in the Rogue & Knight Series:
1)The Last Knight
2)Rogue's Home
3)Player's Ruse

Review: The Last Knight - Hilari Bell

Synopsis: Knight errants don't exist anymore; such an occupation became obsolete a long, long time ago. So what is a rogue - a good-for-nothing, a real dastardly little con artist - like Fisk doing serving the world's last and only knight errant - Sir Michael Seven Oaks - in existence? That's what happens when helpful jerks like him rescue you from the noose.

For all of his complaining, though, Fisk certainly cannot disagree about one thing: with Sir Michael, he sees more than enough adventure. And their latest "gallant" escapade has seen the escape of a nefarious murderess, the Lady Ceceil, from a tall tower that only a damsel in distress should occupy, and of course Fisk and Sir Michael are the ones who must recapture her. Personally, Fisk would rather conveniently forget about the whole mess.

But something's very fishy about the circumstances surrounding Lady Ceceil's supposed poisoning of her husband, and Fisk and Michael soon find themselves acting as detectives to discover the truth. And there's lots of people who don't want them to find anything out.

Review: One word: hilarious. I usually hate characters like Fisk - no honor, "dashing" rogue, womanizer, irritating sarcasm (I love sarcasm, but not the type that's usually employed by adolescent males). Fisk is certainly a womanizer (more on that later), but he's hilarious in every other respect. Few books cause me to laugh out loud; this one did.

Michael, too, was not without his sarcasm. Hilari Bell used a very interesting method of first person narration that works very well when done properly: she switches narrators every other chapter, rotating between Fisk and Michael. She does it very well, giving an opportunity to represent both of their opinions, which livens the story up even more.

Unfortunately, sometimes the humor leans towards the immature college type of humor (this is mostly Fisk's doing), involving certain body parts and such things as those. There isn't so much that it makes it unreadable, but the times that it does appear, it's very annoying.

For the most part, though, The Last Knight was good. I look forward the next one.

Overall Rating: |||||

Others in the Rogue & Knight Series:

1)The Last Knight
2)Rogue's Home

3)Player's Ruse

Review: A Tale of Two Castles - Gail Carson Levine

Synopsis: Elodie's parents, simple farm-folk in Lahnt, send her to the magnificent city of Two Castles to apprentice as a weaver. But head-strong, sensible Elodie has other ideas. She wants to become a mansioner - an actress - and she's willing to do whatever it takes to get an apprenticeship.

Despite her obvious skill, Elodie's dreams are quickly crushed when the mansioner master sends her away. But Meenore, Masterness of deduction and induction - and the resident dragon - takes Elodie in as an assistant. Elodie isn't sure what such a life will bring, and she certainly isn't prepared to go disguised as a kitchen maid in Count Jonty Um's (the resident ogre's) castle and solve the mystery of who's threatening his life - and who kidnapped his dog?

Review: A Tale of Two Castles (which, by the way, has no resemblance to Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities) isn't what I expected - and I mean that in a good way. I love Gail Carson Levine's stories. I love how she's inspired by old fairy tales (in this case, Puss in Boots) and how witty and self-reliant her heroines are. And I love how she actually weaves a plot into love stories. I was expecting A Tale of Two Castles to be like all her others.

It isn't; not exactly. Elodie is certainly witty and self-reliant. I like her just as much as Ella (from Ella Enchanted). But this isn't a romantic story; it's a mystery story with a dragon version of Sherlock Holmes. It was quite unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable. Jonty Um is not your typical ogre. He's polite and quiet, appreciates honesty, and not green or particularly ugly. And Menoore is just awesome. He (in Elodie's world, one does not refer to a dragon as he or she, but IT. However, I maintain that Menoore is a he) hit an immediate chord of likableness with me, and being a Sherlockian, I could appreciate his deduction and induction abilities.

A Tale of Two Castles comes highly recommended. I was pleasantly surprised by this new type of story and I'm thoroughly glad that I bought it.

Overall Rating: |||||

The Inside Story Review (Michael Buckley)

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have studied hundreds of fairy tales as part of their family business, but they never thought they'd actually be in one. And yet that's exactly what happens when they follow the diabolical Master of the Scarlet Hand into the Book of Everafter - a mysterious tome in which copies of the world's fairy tales live out their stories over and over again. The Grimms must track down the Master while avoiding the Book's tyrannical Editor, who is devoted to keeping the stories on track, and his army of story-gobbling revisers. In the Book of Everafter, stories can be rewritten and destinies changed, which is why Sabrina and Daphne must find the Master before he can alter his fate - and the fate of the whole world.

I've found this series funny and one of the cleverest "retellings" I've read in a long time. Most of the characters are annoying, especially Sabrina, but if you are a fan of fairy tales and like to read comedies based on them, then you can ignore these annoyances. Daphne is awesome, and Sabrina does get a little better after . . . five or six books. And the series definitely keeps you guessing once the main plot is introduced (which doesn't take long). That said, let us turn our attention to Book Eight.

I didn't hold too much hope for this one. Eight books is a lot, and authors can make fun of fairy tales for only so long. After reading Book Seven - The Everafter War - I was a little tired of them and dearly wishing Michael Buckley would stop, even though I was greatly impressed with Book Seven's twisty and unexpected ending. Who would have ever guessed that he would turn out to be the Master? I'm glad it took Mr. Buckley a year to write The Inside Story, otherwise I might have found this one tedious. But the rest did my perspective good, and even so there is no denying that this one was entertaining.

As an author, I view characters in a much different manner than your day-to-day bookworm. They can be, and usually are, as real to me as any friend. They have their personalities, desires, bad days, and undying loyalty (or clever evilness, depending on what sort of character they are). An author may think they control their characters' fates, but meddle with their wishes too much and the characters may rebel. It is because of this that I found the situations involving the Editor and the characters in the Book of Everafter so hilarious and rather relate-able (in a sense). The Editor thought he controlled the characters; he revised and revised as much as he wanted in order to keep the stories on track, but in the end some of the characters rebel and he has a hard time keeping them from killing him. In reality, rebellious characters won't kill you (not usually), but they will leave your service, giving you nothing but an empty shell with their name. And trust me - readers notice when this happens.

Over all, this was a fun adventure - following Sabrina and Daphne through various familiar fairy tales and seeing how they messed them up. A safe "what-if" scenario. I particularly liked what Michael Buckley did with the Snow White story. He introduces a concept that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs wasn't always like it is now; that it was once a very dark, depressing, and dramatic story that was too dangerous to be kept that way, and it had to be revised. But the dangerous element could not simply be wiped away - it is still out there, desiring to be free.

Fans of the The Sisters Grimm won't be disappointed. Especially with the hilarious situation between Puck and Sabrina, and the surprising end (though not nearly as surprising as The Everafter War). My only hope is that Michael Buckley will not drag this series out to a point where people just get sick to the teeth of it and quit. Buckley can get by with at least one more installment - possibly two more, but it will be stretching it. Any more and he will be hitting the dangerous zone.
 

Star Rating: 3/5 (liked it)

Others in The Sisters Grimm Series:
1)The Fairy-Tale Detectives
2)The Unusual Suspects
3)The Problem Child
4)Once Upon a Crime
5)Magic and Other Misdemeanors
6)Tales from the Hood
7)The Everafter War
8)The Inside Story
9)The Council of Mirrors

Castle in the Air Review (Diana Wynne Jones)

Synopsis: Young merchant Abdullah leads a humble life. Or he did until a stranger sold him a threadbare - and disagreeable - magic carpet. Now Abdullah is caught in the middle of his grand daydreams. Walking one night in a luxurious garden, he meets and falls instantly in love with the beautiful and clever Flower-in-the-Night. But a wicked djinn sweeps the princess away right before Abdullah's eyes, leaving the young man no choice but to follow. This is no ordinary quest, however, for Flower-in-the-Night isn't all the djinn had stolen. Abdullah will have the so-called help of the cantankerous carpet, a cranky genie in a bottle, a dishonest soldier, and a very opinionated black cat. Will this motley crew be able to find the djinn's mysterious dwelling and rescue a castle full of princesses?

Review: One should definitely read Howl's Moving Castle before you read this one. I admit, I was disappointed that Howl, Calcifer, and Sophie were not much in this book. But the genie easily replaces Howl in every respect, as does the black cat Sophie. And while the carpet never speaks, its attitude is strikingly like Calcifer's - sulky if it doesn't receive praise (rather reminds me of the old copier at the library, which I had to constantly wheedle before it printed). These, along with a few new characters, make Castle in the Air as fun and entertaining as Howl's Moving Castle and House of Many Ways. Abdullah can be slightly annoying, but overall he's likable and I always felt sorry when something bad happened to him. The soldier is likable also.

Diana Wynne Jones's talent for good characters also extends with the djinns - Hasruel is the type of character that I absolutely love putting in my own stories: overall he's good, but he will often stand in the background to observe the occurring events with great interest and not very interested in preventing anything. They always add a little extra to stories. Dalzel I felt sorry for.

I wish there was another book with these characters - I've fallen in love with Diana Wynne Jones's characters more than I thought I would. I'm no fan of fantasy, but the particular fantasy in these books pokes fun of itself. It's very funny. And as soon as I can find hardcover copies of Castle in the Air, Howl's Moving Castle, and House of Many Ways I'm going to add them to my collection.

Overall Rating: {{{{

Others in This Trilogy:
1)Howl's Moving Castle
2)Castle in the Air
3)House of Many Ways

Howl's Moving Castle Review (Diana Wynne Jones)

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl - and herself - than first meets the eye.

In many ways, I'm glad I read House of Many Ways before I read Howl's Moving Castle. It gave me an opportunity to decide which characters I really wanted to get to know in this one. Who wins? Well, Calcifer is still my favorite. He's even more adorable (as adorable as a fire demon can be, and he really is quite an adorable one) and hilarious than in House of Many Ways. Yes, Calcifer will always be my favorite.


But I love the other characters almost as much as he. Howl is one of the funniest "cowards" I've ever known in the Literary World. I'm not one for dashing, roguish characters - it is my sound opinion that they ought to have a firm grandmother always watching their every action. Apparently, Sophie shared my exact opinion, and it made me bear Howl better because he spent more time being pathetic (the episode with the cold had me laughing very hard) than roguish and dashing due to the fact that Sophie wouldn't put up with it. And Howl really isn't all that roguish and dashing - he's brave and honorable, even if he denies it.

Sophie is a wonderful character! Never have I been so fond of a main female character. She spends none of her time bemoaning her fate, or really even complaining. She gets down to business and won't hear any lip from anyone else about it. Even her nosiness - which usually irritates me in a character because it brings them into stupid situations - didn't bother me. When her curiosity does bring her into a bad situation, she admits that it was her fault and deals with it. Sophie is a very practical person; I rather wish I could be like her, save for, maybe, the temper.

Which brings me to another point: normally the whole scenario of two people arguing who really love each other, but argue and pick because they don't want to admit that they love each other, really, really irritates me. It's not funny; it's just annoying, and makes both characters pretty irksome. Even unlikeable. But Sophie and Howl's bickerings were somehow different. Maybe because the whole "I-love-you-but-won't-admit-it" theme was pretty much missing. No surprise, Sophie and Howl do end up marrying, but their bickerings are part of their character - not something that started happening just because they were denying their own feelings. And also, both handle the other's bad tempers pretty well! Sophie chides Howl or ignores him (the latter mostly) when he starts pouting, and Howl just gently teases Sophie or leaves her alone when she is angry. Howl is also a "slitherer-outer" - as Sophie calls him, - so he doesn't seem to pursue an argument for very long.

I really did enjoy this book. Like House of Many Ways, it has a lot of the same Victorian-ish humor; poking fun at itself and taking cliche myths and housewife sayings and turning them real, making for very hilarious situations. As I said in my review for House of Many Ways, any story that can make an inanimate object a lovable character (in this case, a skull and a scarecrow) is definitely worth reading.
There's apparently a third book - Castle in the Air - and I'm going to read it. But like House of Many Ways, Howl's Moving Castle can also work as a stand-alone book. But I guarantee you that after reading it, you'll want to read the others.
 

Star Rating: 4/5 (really liked it)

Others in This Trilogy:
1)Howl's Moving Castle
2)Castle in the Air
3)House of Many Ways

House of Many Ways Review (Diana Wynne Jones)

Charmain Baker is in over her head. Looking after Great-Uncle William's tiny cottage while he's ill should have been easy. But Great-Uncle William is better known as the Royal Wizard of Norland, and his house bends space and time. Its single door leads to any number of places - the bedrooms, the kitchen, the caves under the mountains, the past, and the Royal Mansion, to name just a few. By opening that door, Charmain has become responsible for not only the house, but for an extremely magical stray dog, a muddled young apprentice wizard, and a box of the king's most treasured documents. She has encountered a terrifying beast called a lubbock, irritated a clan of small blue creatures, and wound up smack in the middle of an urgent search. The king and his daughter are desperate to find the lost, fabled Elfgift - so desperate that they've even called in an intimidating sorceress named Sophie to help. And where Sophie is, can the Wizard Howl and fire demon Calcifer be far behind? Of course, with that magical family involved, there's bound to be chaos - and unexpected revelations. No one will be more surprised than Charmain by what Howl and Sophie discover.

This, apparently, is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. I didn't read Howl's Moving Castle first (though now I certainly intend to), and it seems that House of Many Ways can act as a good stand-alone book. That said, time to move on to my review.

First point: it's funny. I would venture to say that there is even a bit of an early-Victorian flair in its style and humor. Especially with Charmain's Aunt Sempronia and the various tea parties that Charmain inadvertently disrupts. Diana Wynne Jones also throws in various humorous spins on famous myths - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, dirty laundry breeds (which is a fact that my mom will testify to), etc. The chaotic scenes are not slapstick chaotic - they are very funny and rather ordered in their chaoticness.

Second point: the characters. Charmain can grate upon the Reader's nerves - thankfully, this book in not written in first person, so her irritatingly-quick temper does not get overly annoying. To her credit, Charmain does attempt to be kinder to people, and she cannot entirely help the fact that she doesn't know how to do any household chores - that would be her mother's fault. But in short order, you get used to Charmain and don't mind her too much. Peter is more annoying that her, because he thinks he knows how to do everything, but really doesn't. He bungles his spells all the time, causing more problems. But there's something endearing about him in his know-it-allness. But my favorite character (aside from Waif the dog and The Boke of Palimpsest; it's always a good sign when a story can make a book a funny character!) was Calcifer. There was something about the fire demon - who is nothing more than a blue flame with red eyes who sleeps in fireplaces - that I really liked. Howl was not in the story enough as himself for me to fully enjoy him, but what short time he was, I liked him as well. Still, Calcifer stands out as my favorite.

The one complaint I have is a very small one - that being the Author constantly inserted the utterance of "Er" in dialogue. To me, that's a sign of weak dialogue writing and it gets on my nerves. But my overall enjoyment of the comical story and likable characters overshadowed this minor annoyance. I'm not a fan of fantasy, but comical fantasy like this - fantasy that pokes fun at itself - I like. The slight Victorian flavor made it even more enjoyable. I'm going to read Howl's Moving Castle as soon as I can and I'll probably end up buying at least House of Many Ways.

If you're looking for a relaxing, amusing read, House of Many Ways is definitely a good pick.

 

Star Rating: 4/5 (really liked it)

Others in This Trilogy:
1)Howl's Moving Castle
2)Castle in the Air
3)House of Many Ways