House of Many Ways

By: Diana Wynne Jones

Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin

Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

Recipient of two Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honors, beloved fantasy and children's author Diana Wynne Jones presents this exciting sequel to her novel Howl's Moving Castle, which was transformed into an Academy Award®-nominated motion picture.

A girl named Charmain must inhabit her ailing great-uncle's time-traveling home full of magical belongings. As Charmain begins a journey of amazing discoveries, she comes to the attention of the powerful sorceress Sophie and an elusive wizard named Howl.

©2008 Diana Wynne Jones (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Great Companion Book

A fun young adult novel. Diane Wynne Jones does a nice job of mixing humor and magic. I also really liked the narrator, I think she did a wonderful job.
I don't think I agree with another reviewer who was shocked by the Lubbock being a "rapist". It's a big bug that lays eggs in people by stinging people in the back. A villain, to be sure, but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a "rapist." If you're especially sensitive to that sort of thing you can skip it, but I think most people will enjoy the book.

16 of 16 people found this review helpful

An ageless fantasy series.

I have come very late to discovering Diana Wynne Jones, and I am stunned by the felicities of her imagination. There are not enough of her books in this world.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Outstanding: charming, whimsical, and convincing

Leaving her over-protective home in order to look after her great-uncle's house while he's away, Charmain finds herself coping with more than she ever expected, from magic gone wrong through petty acts of malicious mischief to major villany. (Her toughest lesson is probably learning to wash dishes.) She discovers her own aptitude for magic, makes new friends ranging from a small dog to a king, and works with Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer (from Howl's Moving Castle) to save the kingdom.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed and kept my attention

The book was enjoyable and kept my attention. It has been a busy few weeks and I should have finished this book much more quickly.

The story tells of magical people and the beasts which live within. The author is quiet creative and has a good grasp on linguistics. The author's ability to name and create her fantasy world is borne out of her love of language. An enjoyable few hours to be under the spell of a good author and good narrator.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Howl's Moving Castle trilogy Book # 3

NOTE: Read "Howl's Moving Castle" first (it's book one). Otherwise, you'll ruin it for yourself:)
LOVE IT!!!! If you like magic, wizards, and other like things, you will ADORE this audiobook. Coupled with Narrator Jenny Sterlin (who also narrates "The Hollow Kingdon" by Clare B. Dunkle, which is a similar masterpiece), this book will export you. The author is riotously funny in several places which I love. All star rating!!!!!! How can anyone NOT love it???:) -Adoring Fan

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Enchantingly enjoyable

Would you consider the audio edition of House of Many Ways to be better than the print version?

Yes I would. I love hearing stories instead of reading. I am dyslexic and being able to hear a story is easier for me to process and not get caught up reading a sentence 3 or 4 times and still not understanding what I read (when it's something simple like "he turned left" might come across as eh turned eflt.

What other book might you compare House of Many Ways to and why?

Well I would compare it to Howls moving castle and castle in the air because they are by the same author. They have cross overs from a few characters however the story stays true to new characters in each book. Sophie and Howl make an appearance in castle in the air and house of many ways, however the books are not "about" them. It adds to them, I like knowing they are still around.

Which character – as performed by Jenny Sterlin – was your favorite?

I greatly enjoyed the way she did Great Uncle William's voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A house that goes back and forth in time as well as space.

Any additional comments?

I loved this book, I really hope there might someday be a 4th book. I would love for it to be about Howl and Sophie as the main characters. I would also like to re visit Abdula and Flower in the Night, and also Charmaine and Peter.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

very entertaining

Great imagination, keeps you guessing. The book even has some moral lessons in it. Most enjoyable.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great performance!

Great story! I loved that we stay in the world of Inguary and get a few glimpses of Sophie and Howl. Fans of Howls moving castle would enjoy this book!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A pleasant read, performed by a great reader

House of Many Ways is in some ways a new direction for Diana Wynne Jones, and in many ways reminiscent of her other lighter, funnier works. It's entertaining and has some good bits of character insight/development, and some nice moments of tension, and it is pretty much free from the underlying hatred of adult women which tarnishes so many of Jones's otherwise more engaging works.

What makes this recording a joy to own and hear, however, is Jenny Sterlin's sterling performance. After years of Gerard Doyle's agonizing struggles to get meaningfully from one end of a sentence to another, it is a dazzling relief to finally have a reader who is brilliantly suited to Diana Wynne Jones's works, with range, flexibility, intelligence, and humor.

Here's fervently hoping that others of DWJ's best novels will be given the reader they deserve.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

For fans of children's fantasy tales

This was an excellent story, I think anyone who enjoys books like Harry Potter, Children of the Red King, and the Chronicles of Narnia will like this too.
The narrator's pleasant voice was the cherry on top.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful