My son thought this was a cool story. He loved the audio but said it was hard to remember the characters. The story is fun and lighthearted with messages to be taught.

Great flows pacing and intonation. Would have liked a little more world building for him. Other than that, this was a great read for a 9 year old.

A charming and very quick read, if not exactly something we haven’t seen before.

Kids books are lousy with these kinds of sweet and lightly moralizing dream worlds, and while this one is as well-rendered as one can expect in a book this short, without any kind of originality in immersive world building, it’s likely to get lost in the sea of children’s books in which the stakes are low, the adventures safe, and the focus on a well-intentioned but vague and somewhat shopworn lesson (what are we even going for here? Work hard? Samantha perform whatever tasks an adult asks?)

It’s just a bit thin on fun stuff and adventure, and the world created would easily have allowed for this. It’s a fine read, but not a necessary one.

Spirited Away is my favorite Ghibli film, so I was really excited for this. It was unfortunately a bit of a letdown. It's a fine story in its own right, but advertising it as the inspiration behind such a popular and well-known movie is probably a disservice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio review copy.

I had the chance to listen to this one via NetGalley.

At the beginning it was hard for me to remember who was who because the names of most characters are Japanese and it was hard to link them to the described characters, but that usually happens to me with names that are not 'typical' even if the original language for the story is English.

I was surprised to learn that this book was originally published in Japan like 50 years ago, before I was born. This is the first time is being published in English and I think that's wonderful.

It's not a very long story, but I think it's a beautiful one. I liked the way that Lina was sent to every business where she was needed in some way, and that she helped even without knowing it or intending to while she also learned to be self-suficent in several ways. I loved how everyone is so giving in the village!

I totally loved the ending and I wish there were like a second part or something, but I think the message of the story is a really cool one, and I think children and teens should read this story, but tons of adults would also benefit from reading it!!

I was eager to read The Village Beyond the Mist ever since I heard it inspired the movie Spirited Away. I was a bit nervous about listening to the audiobook since I generally dislike adults narrating children's voices, but Sarah Skaer did a fantastic job voicing Lina!

I would highly recommend this audiobook for anyone who enjoys middle grade novels (children and adults alike). It was a short and fun read full of vibrant characters, talking animals, and that nostalgic “stepping into a mysterious new place” feeling. It's the kind of book I would have read over and over when I was a kid.

For those who are interested solely because they enjoy Spirited Away, I will say it's a very different story. There are a few key details that are similar. However, if I didn't know ahead of time, I wouldn't have realized they were linked in any way. I'd still recommend giving it a try regardless. It definitely embodies the same whimsical feeling Studio Ghibli lovers long for.

I can see the influences that The Village Beyond the Mist had on Spirited Away. I'm not sure that this would be popular with American children but I thought it was fine. I have to wonder if something gets lost in translation.

This story is whimsical and slow moving, full of the stylistic elements of the Japanese writing I have encountered in translation so far.

Following the adventures of a little girl who finds herself unexpectedly visiting a most peculiar and mysterious village, it will appeal to readers who are willing to trade action (in terms of plot) for a more eccentric and unusual style of story telling.

A short but heartwarming read.!

The story follows Lina, a young girl sent to stay in the mysterious little village called Misty Valley with an old friend of her father's. Upon arrival, she finds herself lodging in a boarding house run by the strict Miss Picotto, who firmly believes that “those who do not work do not eat”, and so Lina is quickly put to work in the village's various shops. During her stay, Lina meets the village's lovable residents and discovers the magical charm of Misty Valley, from the bookstore that always has just the book you were looking for, to the ceramics shop where well-loved pottery comes to life, and so much more.

The Village Beyond the Mist is a Japanese classic first published in 1975. I've often seen it cited as the inspiration for the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away so I was excited to finally read this one! The film was not a 1:1 adaptation (there's no bathhouse or Haku here) but I definitely see the blueprints for the film in this book, especially for Chihiro, Yubaba, and Kamaji the boiler worker. What resonated most for me though was the book's ghibliesque atmosphere and the shared core values: the romanticization of slow, country life; the courage it takes to go somewhere new on your own; the emphasis on hard work and selflessness; and how “bad” characters aren't truly bad and once shown kindness they're capable of kindness in turn. Though this is a children's book, I think adult cozy fantasy readers would love this too.

The audiobook was a quick listen (just under three hours long), and the narrator had such a pleasant voice and she really brought all the characters to life. You can also tell from the way she pronounced the Japanese names that she's familiar with the language, if not a native speaker.

After finishing, I immediately ordered a physical copy to see if the illustrations align with what I imagined in my head. Can't wait to read it with my nieces.

Thank you Tantor Audio for providing this audiobook for review!

I hadn’t checked the full blurb for this book before requesting it, so as I was listening to the audiobook i thought to myself « this gives such studio ghibli vibes », only to later find out that it was the book that inspired the masterpiece that is Spirited Away. Overall a really sweet, middle grade story.

The Village Beyond the Mist is a short and charming story with similar vibes to Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. I enjoyed following along as Lina met the residents of the magical town and learned lessons along the way. The narration was upbeat, which matched the tone well. With its simple plot and fun characters, this is a great story for children (or adults!). Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.

This was such a charming audiobook! I was drawn in from the start as our little heroine Lina sets off with her magic umbrella to go spend the summer in a rural village. Even though she is young, she learns how to fit in and do her part to help out in the magical village. I didn't realize this was an inspiration for Spirited Away, but I can absolutely see it now. The narrator was fantastic too, with a young, hopefully, sweet voice. This was wonderful!

I came across this book as I have a goal to read 5 books that have been translated to English this year and this came up in NetGalley as an audiobook.

This was originally published in 1975 in Japan by author Sachiko Kashiwaba. This book was beautifully written and d I think children will love it just as much as they did when it first was published 50 years ago.

The narrator Sarah Skaer did a great job with the prose. The story is short at only 2 hours and 49 minutes at regular 1x speed. The narration is on the slower side of typical so it can easily be sped up with being able to understand it clearly.

Despite its short length the author takes the reader on such a magical journey that’s sure to capture any reader and make them wanted more magic in their lives.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Tantor Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I was going to say… This gave very much Hayao Miyazaki vibes, but it turns out- THIS inspired Spirited Away!! I’m so glad I was able to listen to this ‘cause it was just gave what needed to be gave- cozy vibes through & through. I wish it was a movie 🥹🤍 That would’ve been soooo cute. The ending almost had me too, like omg pls. I thought it was going to be bittersweet, but it ended up just being sweet.
Overall, fantastic read… Will I be listening to this over & over again? Definitely 🙂‍↕️ The narration by Sarah Skaer was TOP TIER work. Absolutely amazing job voicing all the different characters & bringing such life to this audiobook. So sad it wasn’t longer!!