half_world_goto
2011 Nominated

Half World

artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

Melanie Tamaki is an outsider.

Unpopular and impoverished, she is the only child of a loving but neglectful mother. She barely copes with surviving school and life. But everything changes on the day she returns home to find her mother is missing, lured back to Half World by a vile creature calling himself Mr. Glueskin. Soon Melanie embarks on an epic and darkly fantastical journey to Half World to save her mother. What she does not yet realize is that the state of the universe is at stake….

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Hiromi
Goto

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.

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.

We're sorry, but we couldn't find any translators matching your search. Please try using different keywords or check back later as we regularly update our collection.

NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

Goto has created a purgatory-like place, Half World, where souls work off their karmic debt. When a cataclysm servers the ties between worlds, the half-worlders are locked in a perpetual cycle of reliving their worst sins and nightmares. A fantastic read by a master of the Fantasy Genre.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
Canada, Japan
Original Language
English
Author
Publisher
Puffin Canada

RELATED FEATURES

News May 21 2026

2026 Dublin Literary Award Winner Revealed

Discover this year's winner!
Video May 16 2026

Brigitte Giraud – Live Fast Q&A

Q&A Session with 2026 Dublin Literary Award shortlisted author Brigitte Giraud, author of Live Fast, exploring the inspirations behind her novel.
Video May 12 2026

Laurent Binet – Perspective(s) Q&A

Check out our Q&A with Laurent Binet, author of shortlisted title Perspective(s), as he discusses the inspirations behind his work and reflects on the role libraries have played in shaping his journey
Video May 8 2026

Ali Smith – Gliff Q&A

Shortlisted author Ali Smith discusses the creative inspirations behind Gliff and reflects on the significance of libraries throughout her reading and writing life in our latest Q&A.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.