This story follows Abdullah, a humble carpet merchant from Zanzib. One day, a traveler comes and sells him a flying carpet. Seeing that it does fly, he buys it but then can't seem to make it work. To make sure it doesn't fly away, he falls asleep on it only to wake up in a garden that could only be from a dream. Abdullah also sees a beautiful woman who's name is Flower-In-The-Night, who happens to be the princess. On his second miraculous visit the next night, she is kidnapped by a djinn and he can do nothing to stop it. After getting thrown in the palace dungeon by her father the Sultan, with help from the carpet he finds himself in the dessert in the hands of bandits with a genie at hand. With a wish to help him find Flower-In-The-Night, he finds himself in the northern non-dessert country of Ingery and at he disposal of a vagabond soldier who is supposed to help him find the most beautiful, smart, and kind woman he's ever seen.
It was a jolly read that I very much enjoyed.
At first I was a bit perturbed that this sequel didn't star Howl, Sophie, and Calcipher, but I found that I enjoyed Abdullah, the genie, the cats, the soldier, and the others. I liked Flower-In-The-Night, though I would have liked it more if she had gotten a bit more screen time. But she was a powerful woman who didn't take any flack from anyone, even a djinn. The other princesses we meet were pretty awesome, too.
I also liked the expansion of the world in Howl's Moving Castle. There is much in the world that I wanted more of and happily got it through a different narrator.
I don't think I have anything negative to say about this one. It was very much a joy to read. My son really liked it too and got into the story.
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