Mayhem aside, I'd totally go here on vacation. That's what this book felt like-- vacation. ( )

3.5 stars ( )

I would say pure, entertaining fluff, but I think that's a disservice to the strong coming-of-age story that lurks inside this book. Loved the quirky characters and the even more quirky and endearing setting. There's a certain level of unreal nostalgia that really worked -- the intense attachment to place and behind the scenes relationships that define service industry or living in an idealized place in young adulthood is something I experienced and was very well conveyed here. Is that still a reality in our world? I don't know, but it was great to visit it here. The heist elements were great. I was a little disappointed that all the boys in the hotel seemed to find Sophie irresistible, because it made it hard for me to identify with her, but on the whole, very good fun.

I tried the audio version first, and it didn't really work for me. ( )

A Castle in the Clouds reads like a cozy mystery for a young adult reader. Set entirely at an aging luxury hotel in the Swiss Mountains, the novel is populated by a large cast of characters there for the Christmas holiday--both guests and staff. Unlike most mysteries, however, there isn't a murder at the beginning followed by a lengthy whodunnit investigation. Instead, the mystery builds slowly as the author introduces more characters, explores their motivations and then, finally, gets to what the mystery might be. The existence of something of a love triangle may be enough to keep readers' attention, but without a clear mystery from the beginning, many will lose interest.

(The translation seems to have been very well done.) ( )