House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Summary

Charmain Baker has led a respectable, sheltered life. She has spent her days with her nose in a book, never learning how to do even the smallest household chores. When she suddenly ends up looking after the tiny cottage of her ill Great Uncle William she seems happy for the adventure, but the easy task of house-sitting is complicated by the fact that Great-Uncle William is also the Royal Wizard Norland and his magical house bends space and time.

Though she is supposed to clean up the mess Great-Uncle William has left the house in, Charmain knows next to nothing about magic, and yet she seems to work it in the most unexpected way. The house's single door can lead to almost any place - from other rooms like the kitchen, to faraway places, and even other time periods. In her first days in the magical house, she ends up looking after a magical stray dog named Waif, had an encounter with a horrible lubbock, a confused young apprentice wizard named Peter shows up, a box of the King's most treasured documents, and a clan of small blue creatures called Kobolds.

When Charmain is caught up in an intense royal search to remedy the kingdom's troubles, she encounters Sophie Pendragon, her son Morgan, a beautiful child named Twinkle (who is really Howlin disguise), and their fire demon Calcifer.

She is soon involved in curing the kingdom of its ills and restoring the long-lost Elfgift.

My Review:

          I was interested with the book beacause of Wizard Howl, predictably. When I first found out that the main character is another girl, I was disappointed. That shows just how silly I am.

In the midst of my head-aching studying, I thought I needed some light reading, so I choosed this book. I didn't thought it would be great!

          Charmain remind me of myself, well, just the lazy portion, a bit, and the fact that we both turn to books when anything happens. I wasn't 'respectable' enough to not know how to clean, wash and cook though.

Charmain character is well potrayed, in my opinion.

     I wanted to praise her more, but my mind is on Howl so let's just skip to that and you could go and read the story yourself to know more about this Charmain dear humorous and adventurous tale.

          I love how Howl disguise as Twinkle. It's just so funny^^. And Calcifer is such a dear. I wish I could say more about Sophie but I didn't read the first book. And it seems that the anime by Ghibli Studio is quite different from the novel. Whatever the case, I love the book-version of Sophie. She's fierce and sweet.

Oh, and I love this part:

"...And Wizard Howl at last handed Waif back to Charmain. He did it with such a dazzlingly apologetic smile that Charmain felt quite flustered.

             I like him better as a grown-up man, she thought. No wonder Sophie was so annoyed with Twinkle!..."

I wish Charmain know how my heart goes pitter patter all over Howl. Hoho. But either way, all of us Howl-fangirls lost to Sophie anyway... T^T so better go back to studying chemistry....

Ja!