*Review* Half World By Hiromi Goto

Melanie Tamaki is human—but her parents aren’t. They are from Half World, a Limbo between our world and the afterlife, and her father is still there. When her mother disappears, Melanie must follow her to Half World—and neither of them may return alive. Imagine Coraline as filmed by the Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Howl’s Moving Castle), or Neil Gaiman collaborating with Charles de Lint. Half World is vivid, visceral, unforgettable, a combination of prose and images that will haunt you.












  Reading the description on this book I figured this was going to be something new to me and I really wanted to give it a try.  I am so glad I did.  The book is about Melanie, a teenage girl that people see as slow and chubby.  She enjoys to read and tries her best to fly under the radar even when being picked on.  When her mother is taken from her she has no other choice but to step up and find her.

  Melanie is such an unlikely hero and maybe that is why I liked her.  The odds were constantly against her and most of the time she knew that.  However for the most part she looked forward and kept on going.  There were times when she would whine and complain about what was going on and the lack of help, and I would be lying if I said that didn't bother me.  However I did have to keep in mind that she is young, has only ever had her mother and for the most part has never really had to do anything on her own. I do want you too keep in mind that these parts are really minor in comparison to all the times Melanie steps up and is more than you thought she could be.

  The Half World that you see is extremely well written.   The people/creatures that you meet and see in the half World will intrigue you and haunt you.  There are things of nightmares there and you will walk beside them, run from them and talk with them.  I would be seriously lying to you if I said none of the things I seen creeps me out.  There was a couple of them that if I had been Melanie and seen them I would have run screaming! The other little bonus that this book contains, is the little images that you get throughout the book.  Some of them really help you get a better hold on what is being done or the object that is being talked about.

  This book is really an interesting read but you have to either like a darker fantasy or be willing to step out of your comfort zone like I did.  I would recommend this book for people looking for a well written novel and something different.   Hiromi Goto did a wonderful job creating vivid characters and a world that will stay with you well after you have put the book down!

I received this copy from Razorbill Canada for review.