Castle in the Air

Author Name: Diana Wynne Jones

In this installment of Howl's world, Diana Wynne Jones draws inspiration from the Arabian Nights, creating Abdullah, the carpet merchant, who whiles away his boring time daydreaming about movement, color, scent, and good fortune. Although this installment was published four years after Howl's Castle, we are transported with it, just as Abdullah rides his magic carpet, into an enchanting world of nights, genies, "blue" goblins, and wishes that, after a great deal of effort, are granted by the genie!

The author doesn't forget what she started in the first part of her discussion of failure. Abdullah believes, as much as Sophie does, in his bad luck, so he resorts to daydreaming, filling it with everything he hasn't achieved in real life.

The title suggests dreams that don't come true because they lack a solid foundation, like a castle suspended in the air. But Abdullah's dreams took him far, far away, suddenly transporting him from the desert world to the atmosphere of Ingrid Howl.

On this journey, Abdullah changes, just as Sophie did before him, striving to make his daydreams a reality full of movement, colors, scents, and good luck!

Every journey becomes a step towards happiness, and every dream turns into a stone that builds a monument. Who said dreams don't build castles?