A few days ago I reached that level of boredom you get when you just can't seem to find anything you want to watch. So I did what any sane person would do and spent the next three hours looking for something to watch.
In the end, I gave up trying to find something interesting and decided to watch something that I knew I already liked. Howl's Moving Castle directed by Hayao Miyazaki is a cinematic and thematic masterpiece. As any Studio Ghibli film, it's beautiful and incredibly calming to watch. All the characters are likeable, even the antagonists! This is because Studio Ghibli shows humanity how it honestly is - beautifully average and optimistic.
For those who don't know, Howl's Moving Castle follows the story of Sophie Hatter, an average girl with an average life who is cursed by the Witch of the Waste to live as a ninety-year-old woman. Due to this, she ends up living with the Wizard Howl as his cleaning lady in his moving castle, along with Michael, Howl's apprentice and Calcifer, the fire demon that controls the castle. There is also a moving scarecrow who pops in and out the story as the plot progresses.
Unlike most fantasy stories, Howl's Moving Castle spends its time depicting how the three characters learn to live with each other and bond as a weird kooky family. There is a war looming overhead in the background, and while we get some focus on that too later on, the heart of its story is Sophie and her curse. I won't go on to spoil the film. Rather I wanted to talk about the book the film is actually based on.
Spoilers for the book and film ahead.
Of the same name, written by Diana Wynne Jones, as most books often do, we get to see a deeper and longer look at our main characters.
Firstly: THE WORLD-BUILDING
What I liked most about the book was, like most books, we had more time to really delve into the world. The reader gets a stronger introspective look into the lore of Sophie's world. We see more of her town, its culture, superstitions and the way in which these things cause people to interact with one another.
The first few lines itself: "it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes." Sophie's entire character arc is influenced by the belief that the circumstances of her birth has automatically doomed her. Every decision and thought is based on this - her younger sisters, Lettie and Marthas' lives are also dictated by this belief. Sophie inherits the hat shop because she's the eldest while the youngest, Martha is set off to become a witch's apprentice. You ultimately get to see how much belief is ingrained in these characters' lives - and how much the story is shaped by it.
Next: CHARACTERS
There are so many more colourful characters in the book that the film chose to omit. Such as Howl's family in Wales, Sophie's other younger sister Martha, Martha's mentor and etc. Sophie's sisters and step-mother are given larger roles and are more involved in Sophie's life - which is so wonderful seeing.
Howl is a fantastically selfish playboy, Sophie is meaner and bossier, Michael is actually a sweet fifteen-year-old in love with Martha and Calcifer is the only one who's really stayed true. He just has a slightly more chilling look than his cute movie counterpart. Reading the book after watching the film is a treat - it's revisiting the characters we love and getting to learn new things about them, things that make them more humane.
This ensemble of characters in the book add to a bigger, kookier found family than the film has. By the end, Sophie's family become integrated in her and Howl's simple life in the castle - its poignant and beautiful.
What is especially interesting is Howl's real family. This storyline is entirely removed from the film. The fact that Howl's home world is actually our mundane world opens up an entire realm of crazy possibilities. How did he find this second world? How did he learn magic? Why did he do it? For what possible reason did he leave his world behind? I mean, if I had the chance to learn magic and leave all my problems behind, I'd jump at the chance. But we actually get to witness those dynamics with Howl and the family that he has left behind. There's tension, hurt and anger simmering beneath their interactions, and it's so masterful.
FINALLY
What I really loved about this book was not what was actually written, it was actually what was unwritten. Everything that was so special is in-between the lines. The best kind of story is the kind that leaves a lot up to the reader's imagination; and Howl's Moving Castle is full of gaps which always makes you wonder where the story is going to go next. I highly, 10/10, 1000% recommend both the film and book for Howl's Moving Castle, both are masterful stories that have enough differences to feel fresh, and enough similarities that really keep to the core of the story.
But of course, if you asked me I'd prefer the book. ;)
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