In the land of Ingary, Sophie Hatter is destined to settle in life. Unlike her younger sisters, who can follow their dreams of becoming witches and bakers, Sophie, as the eldest daughter, is expected to apprentice at her family’s hat shop and eventually take over the business. But when she unknowingly draws the attention of the Witch of the Waste, a curse is placed on Sophie, transforming her into an old lady. The only hope she has of lifting the enchantment rests with Howl, a flamboyant wizard with a moving castle who’s rumored to eat the hearts of beautiful women. Not deterred, Sophie is determined to break her curse—even if that means making a deal with a fire demon, becoming Howl’s cleaning lady, and inevitably confronting the Witch of the Waste.
I had to start this guide with Howl’s Moving Castle, which is, without a doubt, one of my top five favorite books of all time. It’s become a tradition for me to read it every summer, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! No matter if you’ve watched the beloved Studio Ghibli adaptation or just want a funny, heartwarming book to raise your spirits, this story is perfect for fantasy lovers of all ages. As the book that got me into Jones’ work, I can’t recommend it enough!
While college student Polly Whittaker muses about her schooling and the beloved childhood photograph on her wall—a picture of fire and hemlock—she comes to an astounding realization: she has two sets of memories. Underneath the mundane memory of her past lies a different memory, one that started nine years ago when she accidentally wandered into a funeral neighboring her grandmother’s house. There, she remembers meeting Tom Lynn, an odd, magical cellist. But as the memories come flooding back, she realizes not only that someone had made her forget, but that Tom himself is in danger. To save his soul from hell, she’ll have to find out what’s really going on—or lose him forever.
If you know the Scottish ballads “Thomas the Rhymer” and “Tam Lin,” this modern retelling puts a refreshing spin on those classic tales. But more than that, it’s a moving story about Polly’s coming of age (which felt especially relevant to me as a college student), and how she deals with her troubled family life and the magical drama of the supernatural world. Packed with adventure, romance, and a wealth of references to other works of art, this book is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
After Cat Chant and his sister Gwendolen become orphans, their new life begins where the world’s most powerful enchanter resides: Chrestomanci Castle. While Gwendolen is a vain, gifted witch, her magic-less younger brother, Cat, is content with looking up to his older sister and going along with all her mischief. But when the wizard, Chrestomanci, forbids Gwendolen from using witchcraft, she retaliates with terrifying dark magic, and the chaos that ensues threatens to take over the world. Grappling with the betrayal from Gwendolen’s nefarious schemes, will Cat be able to discover the power within himself and finally stop his sister?
While I haven’t had the pleasure of reading this yet, this book, and the entire Chrestomanci series, is a must-read if you want to dive into Diana Wynne Jones’ work. If you’re looking for a story with a particularly compelling villain character, fun magic, and a shocking plot twist, this is the book for you!
Derk lives in a boring fantasy land. Here, harmless wizards coexist within nations that are at peace with each other. But when a portal opens up from another world, it brings along hordes of tourists who expect to get the bonafide fantasy experience they were promised: evil overlords, dragons, demons, and more. Under the tyranny of the tourist company owner, Mr. Chesney, the people of Derk’s land are forced to satisfy the cliché whims of his customers by giving them quest-like tours of the land, even if that means they lose their lives during these experiences. To stop this evil businessman, the Head of the University will need a wizard who’s good-natured, inept, and completely unsuitable for this year’s Dark Lord role—Derk himself.
Besides being a wonderful parody of fantasy tropes, Jones’ Dark Lord of Derkholm is also an insightful critique of exploitation itself, particularly the tourist industry, capitalism, and colonialism. With delightful entertainment, a moving depiction of a resilient family, and social commentary, there’s a lot to appreciate in this book.
In my opinion, Diana Wynne Jones is up there with the greats of the fantasy genre. She has such an incisive writing style that completely draws you into these spellbinding worlds, no matter how old you are. Whether you’re laughing, swooning, or hanging on the edge of your seat, Jones’ books have it all. If you’re a fantasy lover, her stories are a joy to read, and I hope you give them the chance they deserve!
Danielle Hartshorn, Pine Reads Review Writer & Editor