rr and review later ( )

La vida de la joven Charmain Baker es, esencialmente, respetable. Sus días transcurren con una tranquilidad que sólo se ve alterada por las aventuras de los libros de los que apenas saca la nariz. Y entonces, un día, su tía Sempronia le anuncia que ha de ir a cuidar la casa de su tío (un tal William que, por lo visto, es mago) mientras él está fuera.
Charmain, emocionada por hallarse al fin ante «su propia aventura», parte de inmediato. Pero cuando llega a la casa, se topa con un laberinto de habitaciones extrañas a las que se accede según unas instrucciones mágicas muy precisas. Hay elfos, jardineros de color azul, comidas que se sirven solas, libros de hechizos para aprender a volar y, en resumen, todo lo que puede haber en la casa de un mago. Pero también hay pilas y pilas de platos sucios (y lavarlos no es, esencialmente, respetable), encantamientos que salen mal y un joven aprendiz de carácter despistado que afirma venir en busca del mago William.

This book was good. Once again the best moments were when Howl and Sophie appeared, but I also liked the main character this time. I liked the concept of the magical house and I could relate to the protagonist.
In this book Charmain mentions that no book ever taught her to do house chores so this one sure helps you with that because, among other things, it teaches kids that no one should ever mix red and white clothes! So, it had some boring moments.
Besides Charmain, the other characters didn't seem as fleshed out as they were in the first book of the trilogy and Howl, Sophie and Calcifer always steal every scene they are in because they are so much more complex and interesting than all of the other ones. I wish they were the main characters in the entire trilogy. That is my main complaint about these books.
This trilogy was worth reading because of the moments with Calcifer, Howl, Sophie and Morgan and I am sure I will reread those moments in the two last books again, but only those moments. The first book, "Howl's Moving Castle", however, I am sure I will reread many many times. ( )

4 stars

Wonderful! Magical! Splendid!
I simply adore this book.
It's as good as "Howl's Moving Castle". It has the same feel to it.
A wonder to enjoy.
(Although it does have an unfinished feel to it a bit, I suppose.) ( )

I really enjoyed this one, though it felt like a younger book than Howl's Moving Castle. This felt MG while Howl felt YA. Still, even with the audience change (and that I skipped book 2 accidentally) I really enjoyed this read, and getting to see old friends (especially Calcifer) from a new point of view. ( )