Reviews

This was so much fun.
I was confused in the beginning about what it had to do with Howl's moving castle, given that it starts in a different land and with different characters and their stories. But in the end, everything made sense—well, as much sense as a Howl book can make.
I was enjoying the story of Abdullah, princess Flower-in-the-night, the magic carpet and the djinn. Loved all the main and side characters, the whimsical, fairy-tale-like writing, and the humor.
It started like a straight forward 1001-night story, and then it expanded and got wild.
The ending was as twisty and chaotic as in the first book. Which is not my favorite way to end a book, but for consistency's sake, I was happy with it.
I am sad about some fat phobic scenes and remarks, though. They feel so out of place in the year 2024.

sarajesus95's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.5

rosekk's review against another edition

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5.0

Both the books in this series have proved to be brilliant kids books, in that I have enjoyed them even though my first reads have been in my twenties. I was already familiar with the story of Howl's Moving Castle (due to Studio Ghibli), but this one was unfamiliar to me and I still really loved it. The manner of Abdullah's politeness brought a peculiar joy to the book. The way it all related to the characters of Howl's Moving Castle was well done as well. I love that the books feature mysterious characters falling into play with no clear reason, but by the end it makes perfect sense.

oilbobble's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

annaluckylark's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

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