Howl & Sophie 💜

A heart’s a heavy burden- Sophie Hatter

For once in my entire life (so far) I like a movie based off a book more than I like the actual book. This has never happened to me IN MY ENTIRE LIFE until now. I have always enjoyed the movies based off of books I’ve read, who doesn’t? But I have never enjoyed them more than the books. Might it be because I watched the movie before the book? Possibly. I shall never know though. Here is how I found my love for Howl and Sophie.

*SPOILER’S AHEAD*

I remember some friends had suggested the book to me once upon a time when I was looking for something to read. I looked it up, but decided against reading it. It had looked a little young for me and didn’t really seem like the kind of book I was currently into. Long after I had forgotten about the book I found out that my mom had gotten the book (Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones) for my 10 year old brother. I remembered slightly that I had seen it before but I thought nothing else about it. Till I found out that there was a movie for it.

It was still awhile before we even got the chance to watch it. To be honest I didn’t even really want to, I was dreading having to watch some movie that my little brother actually really liked. I had nothing to fear though, as soon as Howl walked in and said “Calcifer, your being so obedient.” I was a goner.

Since I had loved the movie so much I decided to read the book. To be honest, I was actually kind of disappointed. I just love movie Howl so much better that over the top dramatic book Howl. Not that I’m saying movie Howl wasn’t a drama king, but he just wasn’t as over the top dramatic. He also seemed to have a soft side even though he tried to hide it from the whole world. He kind of reminds me of the another fiction character I know, Will Herondale. He’s from this book series The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare that I am currently reading. Howl Is definitely better than Will though. He (Howl) almost made is to the top of my amazing fictional guys list, but he just couldn’t beat Gilbert Blythe (from Anne Of Green Gables).

Sophie is just AMAZING. She’s so sweet, calm, and barely freaked out at all when the wicked old witch of the waist turned her into an old lady. She kept telling her self to stay clam and did a remarkably good job at it. The way she treats Howl also is just awesome, and he totally deserves it. She treats him like a little kid who throws tantrums all the time, which is basically how he acts.

One of his biggest fits is definitely that time when he came running out of the bathroom crying in despair because Sophie had touched his potions, making what ever he used for his hair turn mentioned hair to some other color than he did not want. How his anger starts to fade and turns into vain self pity. He cries out saying “Now I’m repulsive, I can’t live like this.” Then he breaks down into tears, and when Sophie tries to comfort him he replies, “I give up. I see not point in living if I can’t be beautiful.” He’s so dramatic it’s hilarious, my brothers and I couldn’t hide our smiles and laughter at this scene.

Then in the book there is that time when he comes down with a cold and acts like he’s dying. Did I mention he’s such a drama king? 😜

As the movie goes on his dramatic acts start to go down. I feel like that is how you can tell he is falling in love, and then how he tells Sophie he finally has courage and something to protect because of her. That is basically Howl saying “I love you”.

I just love them both so much. I might love Howl, but as I will tell anyone who will listen “I would never split up a perfect fictional couple, not matter how much I like the guy. I’m just not that kind of person.

I’d love to know what you guys thought of Howl and Sophie! Did you prefer the book or the movie? Who is you favorite character? Did you read the book first or watch the movie an then read the book like me? I’d love to hear your guys opinions on the movie and book! And if you haven’t read or watched it I totally recommend doing so. That’s all I have for now.

-Mae Everdeen

Check out Howls Moving Castle Book Review by Lydia!