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Natalie West thought her ability to manipulate fire was a genetic aberration straight out of a Marvel comic. Orphaned at age three, she’s spent her life hiding what she can do. But like any secret superhero, she also uses her powers for good, investigating fires for the San Jose Fire Department.
When a series of arsons marked with pentagrams brings her into Andre Romero’s sphere, however, Nat discovers she’s not as alone as she thought. Who is this man who also wields fire? An ally? Or one of the arsonists? As Nat delves into a world of elementals, witches, and magic, learning more about her heritage in the process, she’ll have to watch her back or risk getting burned.
I hope you enjoy this next installment of the series. Please let me know what you think!
Paige Matthews
Prue is the eldest. She practically raised her sisters after their mother died and is very responsible, which sometimes leads her to clash with the youngest Halliwell sister, Phoebe, who lives more like a free-spirit. Prue has the power to move objects with her mind. It’s considered the most active power, laying even more responsibility on her shoulders, and leading to guilt when her “superior power” fails to save someone she loves. Prue struggles to keep her identity a secret, especially when it comes to fighting demons and keeping her 9-5 job at a high-end auction house. Eventually, she learns to invest in herself a little more, and quits to pursue her dream of being a photographer.
Piper is the middle child, always mediating between Prue and Phoebe. She works at a restaurant where she lets her boss walk all over her, yet she endures it because her dream is to become a chef. She has the power to freeze time. Her power starts small, only lasting a minute or so, but eventually grows powerful enough to freeze an entire room, and later she can go the opposite: speed molecules up so fast they explode. Piper just wants a normal life without vanquishing demons and ruining expensive pairs of boots. She also wants to fall in love and get married, but she doesn’t have the best luck with men—one was a demon who tried to kill her, another guy was a ghost, and then she fell in love with her white lighter (a witch’s guardian angel), which was a big no-no.
Phoebe is the youngest and “without vision” for her life, so Prue would say. Ironically, Phoebe’s power is premonition. It’s not a very active power, which she laments in comparison to her sisters, because unlike them, Phoebe likes being a witch. It gives her a purpose and an identity she’d been lacking in her life. Phoebe is a gung ho heroine, eager to kick some demon ass, and she even learns martial arts to make up for her lack of offensive magic.
Sophie, a quiet girl with low self-esteem, is about to find her life turned upside down. While out and about, she has a chance encounter with the mysterious and handsome wizard, Howl. Sophie isn’t afraid of him like everyone else because Howl “only eats the hearts of pretty girls.” The wicked Witch of the Waste is jealous of Howl’s attentions towards Sophie, and puts a spell on her, turning her into an old woman. Unable to remain in her normal life, Sophie ventures into the wastes and comes across Howl’s magical moving castle, a heaping piece of creaky junk powered by the powerful fire demon, Calcifer. The two strike a bargain, agreeing to help each other break the curses they’re under. Sophie hires herself as Howl’s cleaning lady, but finds it’s not so simple a job when the great and powerful wizard is as mature as a two-year-old and a war between two countries threatens to destroy them all.
Sophie handles being cursed into an old woman’s body rather well, considering. She gains more confidence as “Grandma Sophie” than she ever did as a young woman. She works hard and grows to love her new family. When that love shows, she even becomes visibly younger, though it doesn’t break the curse.
Howl may be handsome and mysterious, but at heart he’s really vain and selfish. He’s under a kind of curse as well, though these curses come with a gag order and no one’s able to speak about it. Howl transforms into a hideous monster at night when he flies out to survey the destruction of a war he hates, yet the King is calling upon him to serve and fight, and Howl can’t hide forever.
Calcifer is a fire demon. He and Howl are under a binding curse that keeps Calcifer trapped in the fireplace and running the magical castle. Calcifer is belligerent and petulant, but is most definitely the comedic relief. Voiced by Billy Crystal, he’s my favorite character in this movie.
The Witch of the Waste has been after Howl for years. Though hideous, she’s vain and prideful. She gets some nasty just desserts in the end.
This movie is actually based on a novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. However, though the characters are the same and the inciting incident of Sophie being cursed are the same, the two stories go in completely different directions after that. So much so, that I can’t even compare the two; they are independent plots, and I love them both in their uniqueness.
Angela Wallace, Author 