If you’ve ever sat down to watch the Hayao Miyazaki classic Howl’s Moving Castle and felt like you were missing a huge chunk of the story, you aren’t crazy. Most people don’t actually realize that Diana Wynne Jones wrote two more books in that universe. The first one, a direct sequel called Castle in the Air, is a total departure from the rain-slicked streets of Upper Fold and the soot-stained shops of Market Chipping. It’s weird. It’s colorful. Honestly, it’s one of the most underrated sequels in fantasy literature because it pulls a complete bait-and-switch on the reader.
Think about it. You finish Howl’s Moving Castle and you want more of Sophie’s dry wit and Howl’s insufferable vanity. You open the Castle in the Air novel expecting a cozy cottage and maybe a few magical mishaps. Instead, Jones drops you into the desert city of Zanzib. You’re following a carpet merchant named Abdullah who spends his days daydreaming about being a kidnapped prince. It feels like a completely different world. But that’s the genius of it. Jones wasn’t just writing a sequel; she was building a multiverse before that was even a "thing" in cinema.
The Problem With the "Aladdin" Comparisons
A lot of critics and casual readers see the Castle in the Air novel and immediately scream "Aladdin!" Sure, there is a magic carpet. There is a genie in a bottle (well, a very grumpy, tall, and purple genie). There’s even a beautiful princess named Flower-in-the-Night. But if you look closer, Jones is actually deconstructing those Arabian Nights tropes with the same surgical precision she used on European fairy tales in the first book.
Abdullah isn't a "diamond in the rough" hero. He’s a middle-class merchant with a very specific, slightly annoying habit of speaking in incredibly florid, over-the-top compliments. He’s a dreamer. When he buys a magic carpet from a shifty stranger, he thinks his life is finally turning into the story he’s been telling himself. Then everything goes wrong. The princess gets snatched by a terrifying djinn, and Abdullah finds himself on a journey that feels more like a chaotic road trip than a grand epic.
The setting of Zanzib is a sharp contrast to the Ingary we know. It’s hot. It’s dusty. It’s filled with Abdullah’s many, many relatives who all have very strong opinions on how he should be running his father’s business. This isn't just window dressing. Jones uses the cultural shift to highlight how magic works differently depending on where you are and what you believe.
Where Are Howl and Sophie?
This is the big question everyone asks about the Castle in the Air novel. If you're reading this just to see what the wizard and the hat-maker are up to, you have to be patient. For about eighty percent of the book, they are nowhere to be found. Or are they?
Diana Wynne Jones loved puzzles. She loved disguises. Without spoiling the entire "aha!" moment for a first-time reader, I'll just say that the magic in this book is incredibly layered. You might meet a suspicious soldier with a strange personality, or perhaps a black cat that seems a bit too intelligent. The fun of the Castle in the Air novel isn't just following Abdullah; it’s playing detective. You’re constantly looking for the familiar threads of Sophie and Howl hidden underneath the new narrative.
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When they finally do appear in their true forms, it’s chaotic. It’s loud. It’s exactly the kind of mess you’d expect when a moody wizard and a stubborn witch get involved in an international kidnapping plot involving dozens of princesses and a flying castle.
The Logic of the Djinn and the Genie
In the world of the Castle in the Air novel, magic isn't just about waving a wand. It’s about contracts. It’s about the specific wording of a wish. The genie Abdullah carries around is one of the most miserable characters in fantasy history. He’s cursed to grant one wish a day, but he does it with the most malicious compliance possible.
If you wish for a way to get over a wall, he might turn you into a bird, but he won't tell you how to turn back. He’s a lesson in "be careful what you wish for."
Then you have the Dijinn, Hasruel and Dalzel. These aren't your friendly blue giants from a Disney movie. They are ancient, powerful, and deeply flawed beings. The way Jones writes them—specifically the dynamic between the "good" brother and the "bad" brother—adds a level of stakes that makes the first book feel small by comparison. The scale of the Castle in the Air novel is massive. We're talking about the fate of entire kingdoms, not just a moving house in the wastes.
Why This Book Often Gets Overlooked
It’s the middle child. Everyone loves the original because of the Ghibli movie. People often skip to the third book, House of Many Ways, because it feels a bit more "British" and familiar. But skipping this one is a mistake.
Here’s the thing. The Castle in the Air novel does something that most sequels fail at: it expands the lore without repeating the plot.
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- Subverting Expectations: You think you’re getting a romance? You’re actually getting a comedy of errors.
- World Building: You learn that Ingary isn't the only magical place. There are neighboring lands with their own rules, gods, and monsters.
- Character Growth: We see Sophie and Howl through the eyes of someone else. When we see them in the first book, we’re inside Sophie’s head. In this book, we see them as outsiders see them—as powerful, slightly terrifying, and incredibly eccentric figures.
It’s also surprisingly funny. The banter between the soldier and Abdullah is top-tier. The way the princesses in the flying castle organize themselves into a sort of academic committee to solve their own kidnapping is brilliant. Jones was always great at writing women who didn't wait to be rescued, and Flower-in-the-Night is no exception. She’s incredibly well-read and uses logic to dismantle the "damsel in distress" trope before it even starts.
Reading the Castle in the Air Novel Today
Does it hold up? Absolutely. Especially if you’re tired of the "gritty" fantasy that dominates the shelves now. This is a book that celebrates the joy of storytelling. It’s bright. It’s fast-paced.
If you’re planning on diving in, go into it with an open mind. Don’t look for Sophie on page one. Look for the spirit of the series—the idea that identity is fluid and that your destiny is something you usually stumble into while trying to do something else.
There’s a specific kind of magic in the way Jones handles the ending. It’s a massive collision where every single plot point, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, slams together. The carpet, the cat, the genie, the soldier, the dog—everything matters. It’s a masterclass in narrative payoff.
Practical Steps for New Readers
If you want to get the most out of the Castle in the Air novel, follow this loose "roadmap" to ensure you don't get lost in the sand:
- Re-read the end of Howl’s Moving Castle first. Not the movie. The book. The rules of magic in the books are different from the film. Sophie’s ability to "talk life" into objects is crucial for understanding how she operates in this sequel.
- Pay attention to the names. In a Diana Wynne Jones book, names are rarely just labels. They often hint at a character’s true nature or their hidden past.
- Don’t ignore the side characters. That mangy dog or the weirdly competent soldier? They aren't just there for comic relief. They are the gears that keep the plot moving.
- Listen to the audiobook if you can. The narrator for the modern editions does a fantastic job with Abdullah’s flowery speech patterns, which can sometimes be a bit dense to read on the page.
Basically, the Castle in the Air novel isn't just a sequel. It’s a expansion pack for your imagination. It takes the cozy vibes of the first book and throws them into a whirlwind of desert adventure and high-stakes sorcery. It reminds us that even if you're a humble carpet merchant living in a booth, you might just be the most important person in the world—provided you have a very stubborn carpet and a very grumpy genie.
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The next time you're looking for a fantasy fix that feels familiar yet totally alien, skip the re-watch of the movie and pick this up. It’s a trip worth taking, even if you have to deal with a few desert bandits and a very irritable wizard along the way.
Actionable Insights for Fans
To truly appreciate the depth of the Castle in the Air novel, compare the portrayal of the "Strong-Willed Heroine" between Sophie Hatter and Flower-in-the-Night. While Sophie’s strength comes from her practical, grandmotherly stubbornness, Flower-in-the-Night represents an intellectual rebellion—using education and logic to outwit her captors.
For those interested in the broader literary context, research the influence of the One Thousand and One Nights on 20th-century British children's literature. You'll see how Jones intentionally flips these tropes on their head to provide a more modern, nuanced take on agency and magic.
Finally, if you find the transition between the two books jarring, look for the recurring theme of "unreliable appearances." Just as Sophie hid behind the guise of an old woman, almost every primary character in the Zanzib setting is wearing a metaphorical or literal mask. Recognizing this pattern is the key to unlocking the true narrative of the Howl series.