Howl's Moving Castle

"'In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Everyone knows you will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.' "First published in 1986, Howl's Moving Castle is the best-known novel by Diana Wynne Jones. It tells the story of Sophie Hatter, the eldest of three daughters who sets out to seek her fortune after being cursed into old age by the jealous Witch of the Waste. During her travels, she encounters friends and foes both of various magical persuasions, travels to oddly familiar lands, and learn about her own abilities in the process.

The novel spawned two sequels (Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways) and a movie directed by acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki. Jones was in the process of writing a third sequel at the time of her death in March 2011.