Reading order
Howl’s Moving Castle series reading order
1
2
3- 3 volumes
- Volumes
- 1986–2008
- Published
- about 20 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
- Middle grade#6
- Genre
Quick answer
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Publication order
3 volumes1986–2008Completed
- Howl’s Moving Castle (1986), the book behind Miyazaki’s film, is by far the best-rated.
- Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways are loose sequels with new heroines; Howl and Sophie appear in supporting roles.
- Each can be read on its own, but they are funnier after the first.
A plan for the whole series
3 volumes, 1,081 pages, about 20 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 4 weeks.
Share of volume 1’s readers who reach the last volume. Chance of reaching the last volume: low
- Readers scored volume 2, “Castle in the Air”, below its predecessor (7.7 after 8.3). If you slow down there, that is on the book, not on you.
Stages
This series fits in one stage. You finish around November 24, 2026.
- Stage 120 habout 4 weeksby November 24, 2026
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
Does the series hold up
Shape of the series: best at the start. Readers scored the first volumes (8.3) above the last ones (7.8).
Best volume: Howl's Moving Castle (8.3, 1,213 ratings). Weakest: Castle in the Air (7.7). The series is complete; you can read it start to finish with no waiting. The last volume (7.8) scores close to the series average or above it.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
Howl’s Moving Castle books ranked, best to worst
- 1.Howl's Moving CastleBook 1 · 19868.3
- 2.House of Many WaysBook 3 · 20087.8
- 3.Castle in the AirBook 2 · 19907.7
Frequently asked questions
Which Howl’s Moving Castle book is the best?
By reader score, Howl's Moving Castle (8.3/10). The lowest-rated is Castle in the Air (7.7/10).
Which Howl’s Moving Castle series book is the longest?
“Howl's Moving Castle” is the longest at 455 pages; the shortest is “Castle in the Air” with 298 pages.
What should I read after Howl’s Moving Castle series?
Other series by Diana Wynne Jones: Chrestomanci series, Dalemark Quartet.
