本书是“克雷斯托曼世界传奇”系列第一部，该系列为有名的世界奇幻文学名作，其英国作者黛安娜·温尼·琼斯，她的幽默会时不时让人大笑出声，同时作品中又完美地交融了魔法与历险，使每个故事都与我们的希望与恐惧紧密相连。读她的作品，仿佛就是在不同的幻想世界中穿梭，可以说是一场机智而愉快的奇幻之旅。本部小说《魔法生活》1977年荣获卫报儿童图书奖，1999年更获得两项世界级奇幻文学大奖；美国的传奇文学创作奖和英国奇幻文学协会颁发的卡尔·艾德华·瓦格纳文学贡献奖。

“一场机智而愉快的奇幻之旅。” ——美国图书馆协会(ALA Booklist) “……她的幽默让你大笑出声，同时完美地交融了魔法与历险，带你在不同的幻想世界中热情穿梭。她所有的作品都渗透了严肃的文学精神，使每个故事都与我们的希望与恐惧紧密相连。” ——《出版家周刊》(Publishers Weekly)

Sophie, the eldest of three daughters, has dutifully resigned herself to a dull life running a hat shop.
But when she runs afoul of the evil magic of the powerful and testy Witch of the Waste, her life becomes very interesting indeed. The Witch's curse turns Sophie from a young woman into an old one.
In shock and desperation, Sophie finagles herself a job as housekeeper in the Moving Castle belonging to Howl, a wizard with a (perhaps undeserved) unsavory reputation, in hopes that either Howl or his fire demon Calcifer prove capable of removing the spell.
Acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki based a 2004 animated film on this book.