Review
“Half World is a haunting combination of a coming-of age novel and a spiritual quest, a mad funhouse of horrors and a tale of redemption and love. Wonderfully odd, and quite unforgettable.” - Neil Gaiman
“Half World is Boschean delight à la Goto: a magical, madcap, and deliciously creepy tale of tribulations, terror and triumph; a girl-power adventure in screaming jelly-toned colours." - Nalo Hopkinson
“Myths and monsters, love and terror -- Hiromi Goto is a master storyteller!” - Ellen Klages, author of The Green Glass Sea
“Half World is an absolute treasure of a book, one of those hidden gems that deserves as wide an audience as possible.” - Charles de Lint
“Like a Hieronymous Bosch painting come to life, Half World throws readers into a violent struggle to restore cosmic balance between the Realm of Flesh, the Realm of Spirit, and the Half World…. those with a taste for dark fantasy (and gore) will be thrilled by Melanie’s confrontation with her own fears and Goto’s nightmarish creatures” - Quill & Quire
“Half World's protagonist is an agent of change in a fixed netherworld, and for young adults who at times feel overwhelmed by life, this is a powerful message indeed…. Through charting Melanie's demanding trek, the novel suggests that by making good choices for ourselves we can overcome the ennui of our own half-worlds. Goto's Half World is a crazy, dark and yet cathartic journey. Hang on for the ride.” - Vancouver Sun
“A dark, one-of-a-kind epic about familial love.” - Georgia Straight
“In Half World, readers are taken on a thrilling, poignant adventure where Eastern and Western mythologies are woven together. Commonwealth award-winning author Hiromi Goto has created a dark, otherworldly page-turner that will most certainly appeal to young adult readers regardless of whether they are speculative fiction enthusiasts. Goto’s elegant prose is graced by about a dozen black and white illustrations by the award-winning Jillian Tamaki. Her brush and ink illustrations superbly capture Melanie’s journey and the turmoil of the Half World. Goto has created an absolutely riveting tale that moves with cinematic pacing and vividness. Half World is nothing short of a masterpiece.” - Canadian Children's Book News
“Author Hiromi Goto…has created a story that is complex, unsettling (sometimes downright stomach-churning), thought-provoking and not an easy read. For those who stay with it, however, the results are rewarding.” - Montreal Gazette
“Hopeful and beautifully strange.” - Kirkus Reviews
“It’s a fast-moving and provocative journey with cosmically high stakes, and one that should readily appeal to fans of dark, nightmarish fantasy.” - Publisher’s Weekly
“[A] rich, elegant, and compelling novel.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“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.” - School and Library Journal
“Entirely original and unclassifiable. Richly imagined phantasmagoric scenes decorate every iridescent page. Goto’s stylish, incendiary prose lifts Half World above the YA category; this novel crosses age boundaries and could just as easily be categorized as a book for adults.” - Sunburst Award Jury
“The sheer weirdness of the plot, coupled with Goto’s gripping narration, will make it difficult for readers to turn away from this book. It is a great title to recommend to fantasy fans who are familiar with—and enjoy—warped fiction.” - Children’s Literature
“Readers looking for a dark, horrific fantasy or an unusual heroine will enjoy this tale.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
About the Author
HIROMI GOTO was born in Chiba-ken, Japan, and immigrated to Canada with her family in 1969. Her first novel, Chorus of Mushrooms, examined the immigration experience and was the 1995 regional winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book and co-winner of the Canada-Japan Book Award. She is also the author of a children’s novel, The Water of Possibility, another adult novel, The Kappa Child, which was the 2001 recipient of the James Tiptree Jr., Award, the short story collection Hopeful Monsters, the Sunburst Award-winning Half World and, most recently, the acclaimed Darkest Light. Visit her at hiromigoto.com or on Twitter @hinganai.
