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–Synopsis–

There are good and bad djinns, a genie in a bottle, wizards, witches, cats and dogs (but are they cats and dogs?), and a mysterious floating castle filled with kidnapped princesses, as well as two puzzling prophecies. The story speeds along with tantalizing twists and turns until the prophecies are fulfilled, true identities are revealed, and all is resolved in a totally satisfying, breathtaking, surprise-filled ending.

Abdullah was a young and not very prosperous carpet dealer. His father, who had been disappointed in him, had left him only enough money to open a modest booth in the Bazaar. When he was not selling carpets, Abdullah spent his time daydreaming. In his dreams he was not the son of his father but the long-lost son of a prince. There was also a princess who had been betrothed to him at birth. He was content with his life and his daydreams until, one day, a stranger sold him a magic carpet.

–Review–

The anticipated sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle was a whimsical tale of magic, luck, witty characters and sheer chaos. It is set in the same world as the first one, starting in a new kingdom, Zanzib. Howl, Sophie, Calcifer, and some of the other secondary characters make short appearances, so that was fun to see. I will say, the first part of the story up until Abdullah finds the genie felt really slow. It was honestly hard to get through the beginning, but I am glad I kept with it.

As with the last one, the world felt alive and expansive. If the world of Ingary felt massive in the first one, this world is twice as huge. The endless deserts with shifting sand dunes and secret oasis, felt fresh and ceaseless. As a reader, you can feel Abdullah’s increased exhaustion take over him as he traverses the sea of sand. Throughout this whole book, the journeys the characters undertake do feel never ending. From Abdullah’s quest to find the soldier who supposedly could assist with finding Flowers-in-the-Night, to their combined travels to Ingary for the climax, each section of the adventure felt like tales could be written just for each of them.

The magic system in this book takes on a different personification. Instead of mainly focusing on runes or spoken words, it takes on the visage of a magic carpet and a genie in a bottle. There is also some transfiguration like in the first book that makes for some interesting plot twists. Abdullah and the soldier rely entirely on their own wit and physical prowess to accomplish their goals which is hilarious to witness at times.

Abdullah is the carpet seller in the bazaar in Zanzib. As a seller of merchandise, he has developed a unique speech in which he is constantly embellishing and flattering those around him to not only get them to agree to something, but to also get himself and others out of sticky situations. As mentioned previously, his speechcraft ability is used throughout the book and is very hilarious to read. There were multiple instances where I snickered at some of his dialogue. He begins as somebody who is stuck in the clouds, metaphorically. His passes the time daydreaming about some conspiracy involving him being a long-lost prince engaged to a beautiful princess. This made-up tale causes some interesting plot development in of itself, ending up having some real-life implications. As the story goes on, he becomes more of a doer and literally gets himself stuck in the clouds. His wit ends up being one of the main advantages he holds over the main antagonists of the story, ultimately leading to exactly what he is looking for.

Flowers-in-the-Night is the name of the princess Abdullah stumbles upon, coincidentally with the magic carpet. She has clearly been sheltered by her royal father, as she is completely oblivious to the world around her. That being said, she is quite witty herself and socially aware enough to get herself out of sticky situations as well. Abdullah, being convinced his fairytale is coming true, falls in love with her and they plan to marry. She ends up being one of the princesses kidnapped, interrupting their plans. This is when Abdullah sets off to rescue her. She is all parts brave, resourceful and beautiful throughout the story.

The Soldier is a gruff, physically tough individual with a seedy past. He is first found by Abdullah seemingly passed out from drunkenness outside of a tavern closer to Ingary. Abdullah ends up assisting him during a dramatic event, beginning their journey together. He ends up loving animals, which was a comfort to see that trait cut through his militaristic take-charge attitude. He ends up being a trustworthy individual and a useful ally throughout the journey. He at times butts heads with Abdullah which causes some humorous moments as well but ultimately, he is there when he is needed.

They are all met with angry kings, angry soldiers, angry djinns, somewhat angry princesses and all the wacky circumstances that one could ask for.

While I found the pacing to be incredibly slow at times, I feel like if you enjoyed the first one and love the universe of Howl’s Castle, you should for sure read this one. The lore has expanded, and I am still planning on finishing out the series with the third installment to see how much further we get to experience this amazing world.

-About the Author-

In a career spanning four decades, award-winning author Diana Wynne Jones wrote more than forty books of fantasy for young readers. Characterized by magic, multiple universes, witches and wizards—and a charismatic nine-lived enchanter—her books were filled with unlimited imagination, dazzling plots, and an effervescent sense of humor that earned her legendary status in the world of fantasy. From the very beginning, Diana Wynne Jones’s books garnered literary accolades: her novel Dogsbody was a runner-up for the 1975 Carnegie Medal, and Charmed Life won the esteemed Guardian children’s fiction prize in 1977. Since then, in addition to being translated into more than twenty languages, her books have earned a wide array of honors—including two Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honors—and appeared on countless best-of-the-year lists. Her work also found commercial success: in 1992 the BBC adapted her novel Archer’s Goon into a six-part miniseries, and her best-selling Howl’s Moving Castle was made into an animated film by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki in 2004. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2006, and became one of the most financially successful Japanese films in history. The author herself has also been honored with many prestigious awards for the body of her work. She was given the British Fantasy Society’s Karl Edward Wagner Award in 1999 for having made a significant impact on fantasy, received a D.Lit from Bristol University in 2006, and won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fantasy Convention in 2007.