Call number
JF JON
Collection
Genres
Series
Publication
GREENWILLOW BOOKS (2001), Edition: Reprint, 298 pages
Description
Having long indulged himself in daydreams more exciting than his mundane life as a carpet merchant, Abdullah unexpectedly purchases a magic carpet and his life changes dramatically as his daydreams come true and dangerous adventures become daily fare.
Subjects
User reviews
LibraryThing member mybookshelf
Carpet merchant Abdullah disappointed his father. He day-dreamed too much, and failed to fulfil a mysterious prophecy made at his birth. In his fantasy, Abdullah is a prince “kidnapped at the age of two by a villainous bandit called Kabul Aqba”, and “betrothed at his birth” to a beautiful
… at least until a “mighty flying djinn” with a penchant for princesses whisks her away from their planned elopement, and Abdullah is blamed for her disappearance. There follows a mighty quest to rescue his beauteous Flower-in-the-Night, beset by dangers and distractions in the forms of Kabul Aqba himself, a ruffian of a soldier, and a small black cat and her kitten!
One of the appealing things about this story is the detailing of the proper manners of Abdullah’s native land of Zanzib. Everybody, from bazaar merchants to unwanted fiancés, the furious Sultan and Abdullah’s surly genie, is addressed with elaborate epithets and much flattery. The construction of these titles is one of many subtle twists of humour woven into the telling of this tale.
Besides this courtesy, Abdullah has an interesting way of relating to others. There are some he likes (such as his beloved Flower-in-the-Night), some whose company he tolerates (such as his neighbour Jamal, or the soldier), and some he detests and cannot wait to be parted from (such as the greedy relatives of his father’s first wife). Ever-polite, there are still marked differences in the way he responds within each group, which contribute towards him eventually gaining the desires of his heart.
A further endearing feature of this book is its descriptive chapter titles. Instead of traditional numbering, or even naming the chapter after a principal noun featuring in that chapter, the chapters in this book are all detailed (if cryptic) synopses of the action of that chapter. My favourites include “CHAPTER FIVE which tells how Flower-in-the-Night’s father wished to raise Abdullah above all others in the land” and “CHAPTER EIGHTEEN which is rather full of princesses”.
This book is the sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, which is also highly recommended, however Castle in the Air has a less complicated plot, which makes it more accessible to a wider audience. The characters from the first book do not enter this tale until the 15th chapter!
This book should be equally appealing for readers of either gender, from the age of 11 up.
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princess. When he buys a “magic carpet” from an unknown seller, and finds himself transported to the night-garden of the Sultan’s beautiful daughter, it appears things are looking up for Abdullah…… at least until a “mighty flying djinn” with a penchant for princesses whisks her away from their planned elopement, and Abdullah is blamed for her disappearance. There follows a mighty quest to rescue his beauteous Flower-in-the-Night, beset by dangers and distractions in the forms of Kabul Aqba himself, a ruffian of a soldier, and a small black cat and her kitten!
One of the appealing things about this story is the detailing of the proper manners of Abdullah’s native land of Zanzib. Everybody, from bazaar merchants to unwanted fiancés, the furious Sultan and Abdullah’s surly genie, is addressed with elaborate epithets and much flattery. The construction of these titles is one of many subtle twists of humour woven into the telling of this tale.
Besides this courtesy, Abdullah has an interesting way of relating to others. There are some he likes (such as his beloved Flower-in-the-Night), some whose company he tolerates (such as his neighbour Jamal, or the soldier), and some he detests and cannot wait to be parted from (such as the greedy relatives of his father’s first wife). Ever-polite, there are still marked differences in the way he responds within each group, which contribute towards him eventually gaining the desires of his heart.
A further endearing feature of this book is its descriptive chapter titles. Instead of traditional numbering, or even naming the chapter after a principal noun featuring in that chapter, the chapters in this book are all detailed (if cryptic) synopses of the action of that chapter. My favourites include “CHAPTER FIVE which tells how Flower-in-the-Night’s father wished to raise Abdullah above all others in the land” and “CHAPTER EIGHTEEN which is rather full of princesses”.
This book is the sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, which is also highly recommended, however Castle in the Air has a less complicated plot, which makes it more accessible to a wider audience. The characters from the first book do not enter this tale until the 15th chapter!
This book should be equally appealing for readers of either gender, from the age of 11 up.
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LibraryThing member quigui
Castle in the Air is a sequel to companion to book set in the same world as book written by Diana Wynne Jones where Howl also appears. I loved Howl's Moving Castle, so I really was expecting more of the same in this book. And I really shouldn't have because this book is not about Howl, and he is
This book is about Abdullah, a carpet merchant on the distant land of Zanzib. A disappointment to his father, and with a prophecy made at his birth that he knows nothing about, Abdullah is quite happy living in his booth at the edge of the Bazaar and spending his days daydreaming (and occasionally selling carpets). Everything is fine until a merchant sells him a magic carpet. Soon all his daydreams start to come true.
While reading this book, I spent most of the time trying to figure out how it related to Howl's Moving Castle. Every new character that appeared had me thinking “Is this Howl in disguise?”, “Where's Sophie?” and so on. Which, as expected, takes some of the fun out of reading.
Castle in the Air is quite a good story, and stands very well in its own. Yes, Howl and Co. do appear (eventually), but this book is about Abdullah. He is quite a wonderful character, that I can't help but relate to (it must be all those daydreams). And all the other characters that appear throughout the novel are so funny, each very different (and that means something when there about 30 princesses in there).
If I started this book with expectations of a story with the characters from the first book, by the time one of them finally appeared I only wanted to know about these new amazing characters.
Like its predecessor, this book has its fill of funny (and silly) moments, without ever sacrificing the story to humour. But, unlike Howl's Moving Castle, the inspiration for Castle in the Air comes from Arabian folklore and myths, giving it a Arabian Nights (or Aladdin) feel to it.
This is a good book, one that I feel that everyone should read – young and adult readers alike.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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not even important to the story.This book is about Abdullah, a carpet merchant on the distant land of Zanzib. A disappointment to his father, and with a prophecy made at his birth that he knows nothing about, Abdullah is quite happy living in his booth at the edge of the Bazaar and spending his days daydreaming (and occasionally selling carpets). Everything is fine until a merchant sells him a magic carpet. Soon all his daydreams start to come true.
While reading this book, I spent most of the time trying to figure out how it related to Howl's Moving Castle. Every new character that appeared had me thinking “Is this Howl in disguise?”, “Where's Sophie?” and so on. Which, as expected, takes some of the fun out of reading.
Castle in the Air is quite a good story, and stands very well in its own. Yes, Howl and Co. do appear (eventually), but this book is about Abdullah. He is quite a wonderful character, that I can't help but relate to (it must be all those daydreams). And all the other characters that appear throughout the novel are so funny, each very different (and that means something when there about 30 princesses in there).
If I started this book with expectations of a story with the characters from the first book, by the time one of them finally appeared I only wanted to know about these new amazing characters.
Like its predecessor, this book has its fill of funny (and silly) moments, without ever sacrificing the story to humour. But, unlike Howl's Moving Castle, the inspiration for Castle in the Air comes from Arabian folklore and myths, giving it a Arabian Nights (or Aladdin) feel to it.
This is a good book, one that I feel that everyone should read – young and adult readers alike.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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LibraryThing member arouse77
nominally a sequel "Howl's Moving Castle" this book retains some of the same feel of the first novel with a distinctly arabian flavor. the same wit and engaging language are there, but apart from these, this "sequel" has almost nothing else in common with its predecessor.
none of the characters
this sequel stands on its own and doesn't add anything significant to the original story, but is worth the read on its own merits.
none of the characters
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recur to a significant degree, the settings are disparate, and the focus of the quest is different than the original tale. yet its warmth and charm are farmiliar and welcome. when old friends from the first book do finally appear they seem almost incidental but it is a fond reunion nevertheless. this sequel stands on its own and doesn't add anything significant to the original story, but is worth the read on its own merits.
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LibraryThing member andreablythe
Abdullah, a young carpet seller, lives in his small stall in the bazaar of Zhanzib. A disappointment to his deceased father, he daydreams himself another life, in which he is really a lost prince from a distant land destined to marry a princess. He is content with his simple life and these
In his sleep, the carpet carried Abdullah off to the gardens of a beautiful woman. He falls in love with the girl, but she is carried off in the night by a giant djinn, thus beginning the carpet seller's adventures. He is a kind and clever adventurer, who uses his wits and exceedingly polite manners, rather than physical strength, to escape a number of scrapes.
Castle in the Air is an amusing fairy tale full of the kind of interesting characters on Diana Wynne Jones could write, including a charming criminal, an grumpy yet lovable cook, good and bad djinns, a wicked genie, evil family relations, wizards, witches, shape shifting cats, and a multitude of intelligent and strong minded princesses. I especially like the princesses, who are not idling away in their tower, but actively making plans to enact their own escape. It's an excellent companion to Howl's Moving Castle.
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daydreams, when a stranger sells him a flying carpet. In his sleep, the carpet carried Abdullah off to the gardens of a beautiful woman. He falls in love with the girl, but she is carried off in the night by a giant djinn, thus beginning the carpet seller's adventures. He is a kind and clever adventurer, who uses his wits and exceedingly polite manners, rather than physical strength, to escape a number of scrapes.
Castle in the Air is an amusing fairy tale full of the kind of interesting characters on Diana Wynne Jones could write, including a charming criminal, an grumpy yet lovable cook, good and bad djinns, a wicked genie, evil family relations, wizards, witches, shape shifting cats, and a multitude of intelligent and strong minded princesses. I especially like the princesses, who are not idling away in their tower, but actively making plans to enact their own escape. It's an excellent companion to Howl's Moving Castle.
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LibraryThing member humouress
Several days to the south of the fairy-tale land of Ingary, as the carpet flies, lies the fabled land of Zanzib, where Abdullah the carpet seller ekes out a living at the edge of the bazaar, and dreams of being a long-lost prince. One day, he buys a rather thread-bare magic carpet, and then his
I was initially surprised to find that this sequel to Howl's Moving Castle didn't start where that book ended - but don't worry; all the beloved characters do feature in this book. As with the first book, the twists at the end caught me by surprise, and turned a good ending into an even happier ending. As ever, the story is well written, engaging and amusing, and clips along at a good pace. I'm glad I succumbed to all the LT recommendations!
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daydreams start coming true! Between the quirky carpet, an unreliable genie in a bottle, a djinn, who might or might not be wicked, not to mention a magical cloud castle in the air, Abdullah has to rescue his beautiful princess and save the world.I was initially surprised to find that this sequel to Howl's Moving Castle didn't start where that book ended - but don't worry; all the beloved characters do feature in this book. As with the first book, the twists at the end caught me by surprise, and turned a good ending into an even happier ending. As ever, the story is well written, engaging and amusing, and clips along at a good pace. I'm glad I succumbed to all the LT recommendations!
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LibraryThing member LeslitGS
Having lived alone in his carpet shop for years, Adbullah is startled to find himself sold a magic carpet that transports him to a garden where a beautiful princess lives. After several visits the two decide that they shall wed, but before they can escape together, a djinn steals Abdullah's
I must start by saying that I feel moderately silly about this book, seeing as I didn't know it really existed until I gave a friend Howl's and she read it aloud to her baby, fell in love with the book and promptly ordered the "sequels." Now, if you've read and remember from a while ago here, I read what I laughed at being called a "sequel" to Howl's called The House of Many Ways. Now I'm the one being laughed at since House of Many Ways is actually the third book in the series with this, Castle in the Air being the second and making some of the connections from one through to three. [Like Howl and Sophie having a little one.]
But no matter. Back to this book.
Abdullah is, quite honestly, a standalone in this series since he is the main character and he's quite different an entirely obvious way--he's a dude. Not that this makes him any less believable or sympathetic, but he's actually already a man who has an established adult life in a completely different world--kingdom at least--from Sophie and Charmain who live in rather comparable lands. I have to admit, also, my imaginings of his home are almost entirely sourced from Disney's Aladdin, coupled with whatever other Arabic influences have made their way into my limited scope. Also, my mental Abdullah was shamelessly modeled after Rafi Gavron as Farid from Inkheart.
Like in the other two companion novels, Jones manages to create a sort of staged chaos for the story, where so much is going on that, if a less-experienced author was trying it, the novel might have devolved to unreadable silliness. Abdullah's quest for Flower-in-the-Night is only the beginning of his adventure, and his step into a larger world than his own. On his way he meets a disused soldier of a defeated world, a magical cat and her kitten, an attitudinal magic carpet and a sulky genie. The best part for the reader is that, once again, nothing is at it seems! Of course the magical cat and kitten are--oops--can't say. But things start getting familiar when he makes it to Ingary and becomes part of an effort to save, not only his princess, but all of the princesses captured by the djinn.
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with this book. It's fun and engaging, but just not as good as Howl's. You don't need to read any of these books to enjoy another, but there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that you shouldn't read all three.
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bride-to-be away. He and the carpet fly make their way to the far land of Ingary to search for a way of rescuing her, and to avoid being caught and executed by any number of guards and bandits on the way.I must start by saying that I feel moderately silly about this book, seeing as I didn't know it really existed until I gave a friend Howl's and she read it aloud to her baby, fell in love with the book and promptly ordered the "sequels." Now, if you've read and remember from a while ago here, I read what I laughed at being called a "sequel" to Howl's called The House of Many Ways. Now I'm the one being laughed at since House of Many Ways is actually the third book in the series with this, Castle in the Air being the second and making some of the connections from one through to three. [Like Howl and Sophie having a little one.]
But no matter. Back to this book.
Abdullah is, quite honestly, a standalone in this series since he is the main character and he's quite different an entirely obvious way--he's a dude. Not that this makes him any less believable or sympathetic, but he's actually already a man who has an established adult life in a completely different world--kingdom at least--from Sophie and Charmain who live in rather comparable lands. I have to admit, also, my imaginings of his home are almost entirely sourced from Disney's Aladdin, coupled with whatever other Arabic influences have made their way into my limited scope. Also, my mental Abdullah was shamelessly modeled after Rafi Gavron as Farid from Inkheart.
Like in the other two companion novels, Jones manages to create a sort of staged chaos for the story, where so much is going on that, if a less-experienced author was trying it, the novel might have devolved to unreadable silliness. Abdullah's quest for Flower-in-the-Night is only the beginning of his adventure, and his step into a larger world than his own. On his way he meets a disused soldier of a defeated world, a magical cat and her kitten, an attitudinal magic carpet and a sulky genie. The best part for the reader is that, once again, nothing is at it seems! Of course the magical cat and kitten are--oops--can't say. But things start getting familiar when he makes it to Ingary and becomes part of an effort to save, not only his princess, but all of the princesses captured by the djinn.
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with this book. It's fun and engaging, but just not as good as Howl's. You don't need to read any of these books to enjoy another, but there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that you shouldn't read all three.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
This is a sequel to Howls Moving Castle but is pretty much standalone (there are bits near the end that make more sense if you've read the previous story but a lot of it's inferred.
Abdullah is a carpet merchant and dreamer and one day a carpet allows him to visit the princess Flower-in-the-Night
It's fun, enjoyable and light.
Abdullah is a carpet merchant and dreamer and one day a carpet allows him to visit the princess Flower-in-the-Night
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and they fall in love. While Abdullah makes plans for their elopment the princess is stolen by a Genie starting Abdullah on the adventure of a lifetime.It's fun, enjoyable and light.
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LibraryThing member greeniezona
After how charmed I was by Howl’s Moving Castle, I was surprised how disappointing I found this. This was another family bedtime story read-aloud, and the kids (10 & 14) seemed entertained enough, but I found the tropes tired, the female characters depressingly passive, and I didn't care much
There were moments here and there that I enjoyed, and there's some real skill in how things come together in the end, but this volume has aged poorly.
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about our main character, Abdullah, one way or another. Not to mention the two "fat ugly girls" Abdullah is nearly forced to marry -- I had to stop reading the book and deliver a small lecture on fat phobia in there somewhere.There were moments here and there that I enjoyed, and there's some real skill in how things come together in the end, but this volume has aged poorly.
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LibraryThing member ed.pendragon
This, the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, begins in an Arabian Nights fashion, which seems light years away from the European land of Ingary. Genies in bottles and flying carpets have nothing to do with a Welsh wizard and a fire demon powering the moving castle, surely? And many of the other
But appearances are deceiving in this parallel world where magic can and does happen. The impecunious young carpet-seller Abdullah, so much given to flowery flattery that it becomes irritating, sets his heart on the almost unobtainable Flower-in-the-Night, thereby seemingly setting in motion a series of events that changes his life forever. Unbeknown to him (and to us, as readers) those events have already been kickstarted before the story opens, meaning that the commonplaces of Eastern romances are interwoven with Jones' verbal comedy and confused identities to create a fabric whose intricate overall pattern is only revealed at the end when we can stand back and admire the whole.
Not as famous and well-loved as the first of the series, I was won over by the clever plotting which expertly tied up all the loose ends in the final pages. Unlike some of Jones' more 'difficult' novels where the storyline is obscure and the ending seems fudged, Castle in the Air draws you along like a needle pulling thread to its final satisfying conclusion. This must have been as much fun to write as it is to read, while Tim Stevens' accomplished line drawings heading each chapter clarified and complemented the author's text perfectly.
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distinctive characters in that famous first installment must be unrelated to the eastern city of Zanzib in the Sultanates of Rashpuht, mustn't they?But appearances are deceiving in this parallel world where magic can and does happen. The impecunious young carpet-seller Abdullah, so much given to flowery flattery that it becomes irritating, sets his heart on the almost unobtainable Flower-in-the-Night, thereby seemingly setting in motion a series of events that changes his life forever. Unbeknown to him (and to us, as readers) those events have already been kickstarted before the story opens, meaning that the commonplaces of Eastern romances are interwoven with Jones' verbal comedy and confused identities to create a fabric whose intricate overall pattern is only revealed at the end when we can stand back and admire the whole.
Not as famous and well-loved as the first of the series, I was won over by the clever plotting which expertly tied up all the loose ends in the final pages. Unlike some of Jones' more 'difficult' novels where the storyline is obscure and the ending seems fudged, Castle in the Air draws you along like a needle pulling thread to its final satisfying conclusion. This must have been as much fun to write as it is to read, while Tim Stevens' accomplished line drawings heading each chapter clarified and complemented the author's text perfectly.
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LibraryThing member Rosenstern
Howl is one sly bastard. Yup, I love the guy. Jones' magical world starts to expand and en...shape..en in this book, part of the moving castle trilogy. We follow Abdullah in his quest to save a princess. The ending made the book. Just get to the end, and then we'll all sit around grinning like
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fools. Show Less
LibraryThing member Steph78
Borrowed from my sister, this is the a book of magic set in a different world and sequel to Howls Moving Castle, which I read as a teenager and loved completely. As is often the case, I didn't really think the sequel matched the original. The new setting and characters had promise, but I found the
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pace a bit uneven and the character development fairly scare, particularly when the old characters made an appearance. All in all I think it would have been a more interesting read if it hadn't been tied into the previous novel at all. However, that said, it was a good fun, light read, and I'll probably try a couple more of her books at a later date. Show Less
LibraryThing member fengshoe
I loved Howl's Moving Castle and had hoped its sequel was just as good if not better. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. Castle in the Air is a fun read as well, but is lacking in an interesting main character. You can relate to Sophie and love Howl despite his flaws but Abdullah is flat
If you are looking for a continuation of Sophie and Howl's story, you won't find it. They make appearances yes, but again this story centers on Abdullah and his love for Flower-in-the-Night, who in spite of her silly name is far more interesting then him. Which is shame really since she isn't in the novel nearly as much.
In spite of this however, the book is just as funny and entertaining as the first, if not a slower read. What little you do get of Sophie and Howl and other characters from the first book is wonderful and certainly makes the reader wish the book did center on them. I would encourage readers of the first book to read this one because of the cameos which almost makes up for Abdullah.
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and annoying compared with the first novel's main characters. If you are looking for a continuation of Sophie and Howl's story, you won't find it. They make appearances yes, but again this story centers on Abdullah and his love for Flower-in-the-Night, who in spite of her silly name is far more interesting then him. Which is shame really since she isn't in the novel nearly as much.
In spite of this however, the book is just as funny and entertaining as the first, if not a slower read. What little you do get of Sophie and Howl and other characters from the first book is wonderful and certainly makes the reader wish the book did center on them. I would encourage readers of the first book to read this one because of the cameos which almost makes up for Abdullah.
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LibraryThing member booksearcher
Picked this one up to see the how Sofie and Howl turned out and but I must say that while not as engaging as the first book this one was still a good book. More like Arabian nights with fantasy added in but still a great read.
LibraryThing member jrjohnson1
This book is a sequal. I think i like the last one better. THis book would be good for 2-4 graders.
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
I grew up on the Arabian Nights (yes, the real, unabridged thing. Where _did_ those go?). The beginning of this story is a somewhat awkward evocation of that style of story - it's not bad, but I feel as if the author is trying a little too hard. It gets - not exactly better, but less strained, when
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the character is pulled out of the Arabian Nights and into standard fairy-tale background. I like the soldier (as a character - as a person he's not very likeable). And the whole thing with the cat is seriously weird. Everything gets explained in not-quite-the-end - just in time for the real crisis, which is solved very neatly. And the princess (the hero's princess...out of all that crowd!) demonstrates a good deal more sense and intelligence than she did - than she was allowed to - in the Arabian Nights setting. And then the last loose ends get neatly wrapped up. Maybe a little too neatly? I don't know. It's a good story but not a great one. Show Less
LibraryThing member rj_anderson
This should really be 3.5 stars. I liked the premise and I liked Abdullah a great deal, but these muddled, meandering plots where everything resolves with improbable neatness at the end are beginning to wear thin. To me it read less like a complex story with a satisfyingly tight resolution than as
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though DWJ made it all up as she went along and only at the end decided to assign old identities to the new characters we'd met along the way. (I'm not saying that's what she actually did, only that's how it felt to me.)Still, a fun story overall, with the usual cast of engaging characters and action-packed adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
It was amusing. Not my favorite DWJ, but I still liked it quite a bit.
LibraryThing member Aerrin99
I know many found this disappointing after Howl's Moving Castle, but I actually preferred this standalone 'sequel' - I thought the characters interesting, the plot well-paced, and the world just enough familiar/strange to make it really fun. I like the Arabianesqueness of the setting and found it a
Although I don't think I'd call any of the Wynne Jones I've read YA - she reads much younger to me, much like Roald Dahl. I have to be in that mindset to enjoy it.
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fun, if short, read. Although I don't think I'd call any of the Wynne Jones I've read YA - she reads much younger to me, much like Roald Dahl. I have to be in that mindset to enjoy it.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
Castle in the Air is the sequel-of-sorts to Howl's Moving Castle. It is about Abdullah, a young carpet merchant who lives in a Bazaar, and his adventures (and misadventures, as the case happens to be) following the purchase of a magic carpet. It involves meddling relatives, an angry genie, a
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culture of flowery flattery, an uncooperative carpet, a shifty soldier, an evil plot or two and a lot of princesses. (There are some great girl-power moments!) It’s not quite as brilliant as the first one, but it’s still humorous and clever. And there is much fun when familiar characters start appearing. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrideoftheFox
A follow-up to Howl's Moving Castle and I was just as impressed with it! Again I loved all the character and their parts in the story. This one was really fun to watch unfold.
LibraryThing member shelbel100
[Castle in the Air] is the third in the Howl series, taking place between the first two books. I am still as in love with Diana Wynne Jones' writing style as I was when I first read Howl's Moving Castle. The story starts "Far to the south of the land of Ingary, in the Sultanates of Rashpuht (a
I would recommend this story and the other two to young and old alike. D
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middle eastern type country)... in the city of Zanzib. Where there are djinn and genies instead of wizards. Abdullah runs a carpet shop on the fringes of the bazaar and has big dreams of someday marrying a princess. He buys a magic carpet and begins the adventure of a lifetime. I would recommend this story and the other two to young and old alike. D
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LibraryThing member lithicbee
This sequel to Howl's Moving Castle was, to my taste, not nearly as fantastical or exciting. Instead, it was a bit of a mash-up of familiar stories from One Thousand and One Nights (well, I never read that, so let's say, Looney Tunes and Craig Shaw Gardner's Sinbad trilogy) and the characters from
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Howl's. It was kind of cute, and a bit fun to see the old crew again, but not on par with the previous book. Show Less
LibraryThing member egelantier
i'm quite convinced that dwj of 'howl's walking castle' and dwj of pretty much everything else are two different authors, because i can't explain why howl delights me and all other books leave in various states of meh otherwise. this said, this one was reasonably fun and easy to read, and didn't
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sent me into throes of irrational, teeth-grinding irritation like that one with griffons did. abdullah was nice, flattering speeches were funny, plot was reasonably twisty, if leaning on Sudden Revelations too heavily. i could live without subplot of abdullah being set up to marry two distant relative ladies of his and being repulsed by how, gasp, fat they were (detailed, horrified description) and then him marrying them to malevolent jinn and sending them to live with said jinn into magical exile without so much as stopping to consider their consent or the overall creepiness of this idea. i mean, what? what? Show Less
LibraryThing member Jitsusama
I absolutely loved this book! I will say first off, that when I first started to read it I had my reservations as the writing style is quite different from Howl's Moving Castle (which I also adored.) But this turned out to be a good thing!
I think what is hanging most people up on this book is the
While this book isn't some amazing piece of modern literature, it is a very entertaining read, but must be entered into without expectations of calling it a sequel as much as a completely separate work.
I think what is hanging most people up on this book is the
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fact that Howl's Moving Castle was told much in the style of a typical European Fairy Tale, while Castle in the Air closely follows the flow and style of an Arabian Fairy Tale. I loved this because I'm a fan of both writing styles and I'm quite impressed at how much Diana Jones is in tune with these writing styles and is able to employ them both with equal ease.While this book isn't some amazing piece of modern literature, it is a very entertaining read, but must be entered into without expectations of calling it a sequel as much as a completely separate work.
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LibraryThing member _Zoe_
This is the "sequel" to Howl's Moving Castle, though the characters from the first book don't appear until pretty close to the end (there is a third book that's apparently a sequel in the more traditional sense).
I'd heard from a lot of people that Castle in the Air wasn't as good as Howl's Moving
Castle in the Air is reminiscent of Aladdin, which is a good thing in my eyes. Abdullah starts out as a carpet merchant in a crowded bazaar and goes through plenty of adventures with a wish-granting genie in a bottle and a magic carpet, all in pursuit of the Sultan's daughter. There are bandits in the desert and evil djinns and all that good Arabian Nights stuff. The best part, though, is that the author doesn't take these themes (or herself) too seriously; she sometimes plays up the familiar concepts to the point of the ridiculous, and I found myself laughing on more than one occasion. If you like the Arabian Nights or DWJ's other work, I would definitely recommend this one.
I'd heard from a lot of people that Castle in the Air wasn't as good as Howl's Moving
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Castle, but I actually enjoyed it more. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this book renewed my faith in Diana Wynne Jones. She was one of my favourite authors as a child, but recent attempts to read her books had left me a bit disappointed. Conrad's Fate, The Game, and even the popular Howl's Moving Castle left me feeling that something was somehow missing, and even a reread of my old favourite The Lives of Christopher Chant couldn't recapture the magic. I'm not sure what changed here--possibly just the fact that I read it in pieces on the subway rather than going straight through--but I came away very satisfied.Castle in the Air is reminiscent of Aladdin, which is a good thing in my eyes. Abdullah starts out as a carpet merchant in a crowded bazaar and goes through plenty of adventures with a wish-granting genie in a bottle and a magic carpet, all in pursuit of the Sultan's daughter. There are bandits in the desert and evil djinns and all that good Arabian Nights stuff. The best part, though, is that the author doesn't take these themes (or herself) too seriously; she sometimes plays up the familiar concepts to the point of the ridiculous, and I found myself laughing on more than one occasion. If you like the Arabian Nights or DWJ's other work, I would definitely recommend this one.
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Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 1992)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1992)
CCBC Choices (1991)
Pages
298
ISBN
0064473457 / 9780064473453