Sophie thinks of herself as plain and boring, especially compared to her vivacious younger sister Lettie. Sophie expects to spend the rest of her life quietly making hats in the back room of her family's shop, but as her country prepares for war, she is forced to set out on an extraordinary adventure!

Sophie has made her place in to the Moving Castle, and discovered that Howl isn't as terrible as his reputation paints him. In fact, he's a bit of a coward, and needs Sophie to answer a Royal summons for him! But the visit to the Palace ends in shambles, and now Howl's mentor Madam Suliman is out to get them...and the Witch of the Waste has moved into the castle!