At a glance
First published1990
SettingFantasy deserts, Ingary, sky castle
Audiobook7h 59m · Jenny Sterlin
AudienceYA (12-18)
About the Author
Diana Wynne Jones2 books reviewed
Castle in the Air
by Diana Wynne Jones
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for: Young adult fantasy readers drawn to myth-remix storytelling, Arabian Nights atmosphere, and ensemble casts who enjoy a sequel that confidently charts its own cultural and narrative course rather than simply continuing its predecessor's story.
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Castle in the Air is Diana Wynne Jones's 1990 sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, following Abdullah, a daydreaming rug merchant from Zanzib, through an Arabian Nights–flavored quest involving a magical carpet, a cranky genie, and more than a hundred kidnapped princesses. Ideal for young adult fantasy readers who relish myth-remix storytelling, layered disguises, and jokes that pay off chapters later — though those expecting a tight, Sophie Hatter–centered continuation should know the early chapters shift to a deliberately lower gear as Abdullah's passive starting point takes hold. The novel ultimately delivers the same structural cleverness and ensemble wit that distinguished its predecessor, with fresh mythological territory to reward the patient reader.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already invested in Diana Wynne Jones's brand of structural cleverness and layered humor, Castle in the Air delivers — Kirkus Reviews singled out Jones's ability to give 'delicious personalities even for the carpet (it's lazy but susceptible to flattery),' and praised the double identities as twists likely to 'surprise even fans familiar with her bottomless bag of tricks.' The Arabian Nights framework gives the series a fresh cultural register distinct from Howl's Moving Castle's English-folklore atmosphere, and Princess Flower-in-the-Night is drawn as a genuinely complex figure rather than a passive romantic prize. The main caveat is for readers attached to Sophie Hatter: Abdullah's more passive early characterization and the broader ensemble of djinns, wishes, and magical objects can feel more diffuse than the tightly focused invention of the first book.
- Similar books
- Readers who enjoy Castle in the Air's blend of wit, myth-remix storytelling, and ensemble fantasy will find natural company in several titles. The most direct companion is the Howl's Moving Castle Collector's Deluxe Edition by Diana Wynne Jones — the first book in the same trilogy and the best entry point for the series. Terry Pratchett's Mort offers the same strain of comic fantasy with layered humor and a gentle subversion of genre conventions, while Good Omens: A Full Cast Production (Pratchett and Neil Gaiman) brings a similarly irreverent, ensemble-driven sensibility. For readers drawn to the immersive world-building and quest structure, The Name of the Wind: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition by Patrick Rothfuss and The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien represent landmark fantasy quest narratives that share the genre's appetite for richly constructed secondary worlds.
- Who should read this?
- Castle in the Air is most squarely designed for young adult fantasy readers drawn to myth-remix storytelling and ensemble casts rather than a single tightly focused hero's arc. Fans of Diana Wynne Jones who relish structural cleverness, jokes that pay off chapters later, and layered disguises will find it particularly rewarding — especially those who come to it having read Howl's Moving Castle. Readers who loved Sophie Hatter as a protagonist and expect a direct continuation of her story may need a moment to adjust to Abdullah's more passive early characterization, but those who embrace the shift will find the same inventive energy that defined the first book.
- What age is it for?
- Best for ages 10 and up. Castle in the Air is a young adult fantasy novel written in a register that, as one reader noted, 'never talks down to its readers' — the Arabian Nights framework, ensemble cast of djinns, and layered disguises suit confident younger readers while remaining genuinely rewarding for adults. There are no heavy content themes that would give parents pause; the story's complexity is a matter of reading comprehension and plot intricacy rather than mature subject matter.
- How does it compare to Howl's Moving Castle?
- Castle in the Air inherits the 'ebulliently inventive' energy critics praised in Howl's Moving Castle but charts its own mythological course, replacing the first book's English-folklore atmosphere with a deliberate Arabian Nights framework — djinns, magic carpets, and wishes gone sideways rather than Welsh fairy-tale tradition. The dual-world design — Zanzib's desert culture rubbing up against Ingary's fairy-tale Europe — gives the sequel a broader geographical and tonal canvas than its predecessor. The trade-off, as some readers find, is that the broader ensemble of magical objects and djinns can feel more diffuse than the tightly focused invention of Howl's Moving Castle, and Abdullah's more passive early characterization contrasts with Sophie Hatter's brisk, sardonic opening chapters.
- Where should I start with Diana Wynne Jones?
- For most readers, Howl's Moving Castle is the natural entry point into Diana Wynne Jones's work — it introduces the world of Ingary, establishes Sophie Hatter and Howl as iconic characters, and was described by critics as 'ebulliently inventive.' Castle in the Air can be read with a degree of independence, but it rewards prior knowledge of the first book significantly, particularly as its many disguises involve returning characters whose identities will only fully land for readers already familiar with them. LuvemBooks has reviewed the Howl's Moving Castle Collector's Deluxe Edition, which is the recommended starting point.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
What age is it for?
How does it compare to Howl's Moving Castle?
Where should I start with Diana Wynne Jones?
Summarize this book
Castle in the Air, first published in 1990, is the second book in Diana Wynne Jones's Howl's Castle trilogy. It follows Abdullah, a young rug merchant from the desert city of Zanzib, whose threadbare magical carpet begins transporting him in his sleep to a beautiful garden — and to Princess Flower-in-the-Night, a formidably well-read young woman who quickly becomes both his true love and the impetus for his entire quest. A wicked djinn has captured more than a hundred princesses with the aim of marrying them all, and Abdullah must navigate a world of wishes, disguises, and djinns — traveling from the deserts of Zanzib through the Britain-like kingdom of Ingary and up to the sky-high castle where the djinn holds his captives. Fans of Howl's Moving Castle will encounter beloved returning characters, many of them in disguise.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 12–18
Reading level
Young adult
Best for: Ages 10+ — the layered plot structure, ensemble cast of djinns, and jokes that pay off chapters later suit confident readers in the upper middle-grade and YA range
Skip if you want a direct continuation of Sophie Hatter's story with a tightly focused single-protagonist arc in the vein of Howl's Moving Castle.
Editorial Review
Castle in the Air is Diana Wynne Jones's young adult fantasy sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, following a new hero — Abdullah, a young rug merchant — through an Arabian Nights–inspired adventure across the fantasy world of Ingary and beyond. Narrated by Jenny Sterlin in this Recorded Books audiobook edition, the story draws on djinns, magic carpets, and more than a hundred kidnapped princesses, while reuniting fans with beloved characters from the first book.…
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