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.
Half World
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up—A prophecy tells that only a child born of the lifeless Half World can reunite the three worlds of Flesh, Spirit, and the Half World that have been split asunder. Enter Melanie Tamaki, fleeing from some school bullies. She arrives home to find that her mother, bedridden when she left for school, is mysteriously gone. Melanie receives a creepy phone call from someone demanding that she go to the "Half World" or else her mother will be hurt. She turns to elderly Mrs. Wei for help and, from her, hears of the prophecy. Mrs. Wei feeds her and gives her a pendant of a jade rat. So fortified, Melanie sets off on her quest. Her mother has collected the artwork of Escher and Bosch and, upon arrival in Half World, Melanie begins to understand why. In this world literally bereft of color every being is grotesque, most barely recognizable as human at all. Cast among these horrors, Melanie must remain hidden until she can rescue her mother and somehow save the three realms. Goto has created an unusual fantasy horror novel that's something like a Gaiman tale with a dash of Asian magic. Readers who want a different kind of fantasy and who like a villain who makes the skin crawl should enjoy this quick read. It's a rare treat and belongs in most YA collections.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
From Booklist
Goto’s contemporary fantasy is set primarily in Half World, where souls go after leaving the Realm of Flesh for a cleansing experience before passage to the Realm of Spirit. Long ago, though, something happened to throw this order out of whack, and Half World has since been twisted into a Hieronymus Bosch–like purgatory, where inhabitants are terrorized by the perverted machinations of the evil Mr. Glueskin. The story sends 14-year-old Melanie into Half World to save her mother. There, she must almost literally wade through a sea of hideous creatures, propelled by prophetic hints about being the child who can realign the realms and bring peace to untold numbers of tortured souls. Although the nightmarish world is certainly memorable, Goto is prone to melodramatic overwriting, and the logic governing the realms is confusing. Most unusual, and interesting, is her heroine, who is often the exact opposite of plucky, burdened by paralyzing bouts of self-doubt, worry, and despair. Sporadic illustrations from Tamaki (Skim, 2008) add delicate nuance to the largely dark but ultimately cathartic journey. Grades 7-10. --Ian Chipman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Half world was a good quick read, kid friendly and enjoyable. The book did have a Neil Gaiman feel to it, but I really wished it was longer and a little more involved with the characters and story backdrop. I found the environment in the book to be quite cool, but not detailed enough and also felt the same with some of the unique and fun characters within - the book just lacked a little depth. It brings forth this wonderful place and just kinda skims the surface of what's there and those that inhabit the land.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Half World was absolutely enthralling! I loved every single page of this book and ended up kicking myself for not picking it up earlier! Seriously, how did I miss it? It's such a sparkly wonder of a book! An excellent, entirely original and thoroughly enjoyable story that not only compels and entertains, but also touches your heart and makes you realize the importance of life, family, and hope. Packed with action, mythology, symbolism and fantastic creatures, Half World delivers just the right mixture of adventure, excitement and magic.
Long, long, long ago, before mortals began to inscribe mortal religions onto stone tablets and parchment, there was a time of the Three Realms: the Realms of Flesh, the Realm of Spirit, and Half World.
The Three Realms used to be connected, allowing people to move from one to another, in due time, as each person lives, dies, half-lives, and eventually becomes a Spirit. The sacred cycle of life and death was very important, it ensured balance and harmony. But then someone of something divided the cycle. The link between the Realms was severed, bringing about chaos and despair. Before that happened, Half World was an intermediary place where the troubled could work through their mortal suffering before they were allowed to move on to the Realm of Spirit. Now, those stuck in the Half World are caught in a loop, doomed to relive the pain and suffering of their lives. Melanie Tamaki, a chubby, unpopular 14-year-old girl, is the only person in the whole world capable of breaking the binding and reuniting the Realms. Determined to save her mother (who was kidnapped by the evil Mr. Glueskin), she's about to embark on a very dangerous journey, and one that will change her life forever.
And what a breath taking journey that was! I won't lie, I really enjoyed myself. Half World is extraordinarily imagined, vibrant, and engaging. It's the kind of book that will appeal not only to middle grade or young adult readers, but also to older teens and adults who will definitely find pleasure in re-discovering how fun and entertaining YA fantasy adventures can be. I really loved Hiromi's smoothly flowing, descriptive and efficient prose. This book reads more like a middle grade novel than a young adult one, but at the same time there's an air of sophistication and profoundness to it, elevating it to a whole new level. It's an intelligent and meaningful read. Above all, it's a great, fast-paced adventure book that is just so unbelievably fun to read.
Melanie was a great protagonist. She was perfect in all her imperfections. Not your usual long-legged, beautiful, charismatic heroine, but rather a quiet little mouse who went through a lot in her short life. To Melanie every day presents a new challenge. She's not the brightest kid at school. She struggles a lot to keep up. Bullied by other kids and neglected by her mother, she only finds joy in exploring the dusty shelves of a local second-hand bookstore. And don't expect any ground-shaking character transformation here. Even the quest to bring her mother back from the Half World will not turn Melanie into a tough, brave and gorgeous heroine. She'll still be the same awkward kid. Slow and easily tired. Scared, lost, desperate. And yet persistent and determined to save her mom. Always pushing through, never giving up, despite fear and pain, and not really knowing what to do next. She was wonderful. Real and convincing. And all her flaws only made me like her more. I found myself really engaged in Melanie's story, cheering for her, laughing and crying with her. I couldn't wait to find out what will happen next.
What I loved the most about this book, though, was its rich and flavorful mythological tapestry. I loved all the Asian influences and the symbolism that Hiromi so brilliantly weaved into the plot. It was fresh, unique, atmospheric and simply delightful. From nightmarish, creeptastic creatures to unsettling gore scenes, this book is nothing like I've ever read before. I highly recommend picking it up! It's a dazzling and beautifully drawn tale that will both thrill and amaze you with its eerie scenes and totally unexpected plot developments.
Long, long, long ago, before mortals began to inscribe mortal religions onto stone tablets and parchment, there was a time of the Three Realms: the Realms of Flesh, the Realm of Spirit, and Half World.
The Three Realms used to be connected, allowing people to move from one to another, in due time, as each person lives, dies, half-lives, and eventually becomes a Spirit. The sacred cycle of life and death was very important, it ensured balance and harmony. But then someone of something divided the cycle. The link between the Realms was severed, bringing about chaos and despair. Before that happened, Half World was an intermediary place where the troubled could work through their mortal suffering before they were allowed to move on to the Realm of Spirit. Now, those stuck in the Half World are caught in a loop, doomed to relive the pain and suffering of their lives. Melanie Tamaki, a chubby, unpopular 14-year-old girl, is the only person in the whole world capable of breaking the binding and reuniting the Realms. Determined to save her mother (who was kidnapped by the evil Mr. Glueskin), she's about to embark on a very dangerous journey, and one that will change her life forever.
And what a breath taking journey that was! I won't lie, I really enjoyed myself. Half World is extraordinarily imagined, vibrant, and engaging. It's the kind of book that will appeal not only to middle grade or young adult readers, but also to older teens and adults who will definitely find pleasure in re-discovering how fun and entertaining YA fantasy adventures can be. I really loved Hiromi's smoothly flowing, descriptive and efficient prose. This book reads more like a middle grade novel than a young adult one, but at the same time there's an air of sophistication and profoundness to it, elevating it to a whole new level. It's an intelligent and meaningful read. Above all, it's a great, fast-paced adventure book that is just so unbelievably fun to read.
Melanie was a great protagonist. She was perfect in all her imperfections. Not your usual long-legged, beautiful, charismatic heroine, but rather a quiet little mouse who went through a lot in her short life. To Melanie every day presents a new challenge. She's not the brightest kid at school. She struggles a lot to keep up. Bullied by other kids and neglected by her mother, she only finds joy in exploring the dusty shelves of a local second-hand bookstore. And don't expect any ground-shaking character transformation here. Even the quest to bring her mother back from the Half World will not turn Melanie into a tough, brave and gorgeous heroine. She'll still be the same awkward kid. Slow and easily tired. Scared, lost, desperate. And yet persistent and determined to save her mom. Always pushing through, never giving up, despite fear and pain, and not really knowing what to do next. She was wonderful. Real and convincing. And all her flaws only made me like her more. I found myself really engaged in Melanie's story, cheering for her, laughing and crying with her. I couldn't wait to find out what will happen next.
What I loved the most about this book, though, was its rich and flavorful mythological tapestry. I loved all the Asian influences and the symbolism that Hiromi so brilliantly weaved into the plot. It was fresh, unique, atmospheric and simply delightful. From nightmarish, creeptastic creatures to unsettling gore scenes, this book is nothing like I've ever read before. I highly recommend picking it up! It's a dazzling and beautifully drawn tale that will both thrill and amaze you with its eerie scenes and totally unexpected plot developments.
By Anon.
Format:Kindle Edition
I laughed and cried with Melanie. Though I mostly cried. This bold tale of a girl who goes to find her mom is an amazing read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Half World
Half World is an enjoyable and quick read, which I felt was like a dark faery tale, if I had to classify it. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Star @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog
4.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling and Grotesque
Fourteen-year-old misfit Melanie Tamaki comes home from school, having been bullied as usual, to find that her sickly alcoholic mother has vanished. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rachelphoenix
4.0 out of 5 stars
a refreshing story, a believable heroine and an odd yet delightful...
Pros:
A fascinating mythology
Interesting cast of characters
A believable heroine
Teaches valuable lessons
Cons:
A few... Read more
A fascinating mythology
Interesting cast of characters
A believable heroine
Teaches valuable lessons
Cons:
A few... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Fantasys Ink
4.0 out of 5 stars
not your typical YA fantasy, hurrah!
This book moves at a dead run. There are two prologues, one distant past and one recent past. The first is a pared-down legend-backstory, but the second is... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Barbara Gordon
5.0 out of 5 stars
a cost
The unconventional protagonist and this skilled author are what drew me to this book. Goto's strange tale isn't something that's been told before although I would place it as a... Read more
Published on December 6, 2010 by JN
