A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier | Book Review

I picked up A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier without reading the synopsis, just going by the title, I assumed it would be a magical story about a castle or an old mansion. I didn’t expect it to be set during a snowy, wintery, and cozy season. And the funny thing is, I ended up reading it in the middle of Indonesia’s dry, sunny weather. It took me almost a month to finish this one. I was torn between saving it for colder days or just pushing through. In the end, I kept reading, and I’m glad I did.

Originally published in German in 2017 and translated into English in 2020, this young adult novel takes place in a grand old hotel tucked away in the Swiss Alps. The story follows 17-year-old Sophie Spark, a school dropout who becomes an intern at the hotel during its busiest (and most magical) time of year.

With quirky coworkers, mysterious guests, a sprinkle of romance, and a dash of suspense, A Castle in the Clouds gives off that cozy, holiday vibe, like curling up with a warm drink, even if you’re sweating through the dry season.

(Aku baca A Castle in the Clouds oleh Kerstin Gier tanpa baca sinopsisnya dulu, cuma lihat judulnya aja, kupikir ini bakal jadi cerita fantasi tentang kastil atau rumah tua gitu. Nggak nyangka banget ternyata setting-nya di musim dingin bersalju, penuh suasana cozy yang hangat. Yang lucu, aku malah bacanya pas lagi musim kemarau yang panas banget di Indonesia. Aku butuh waktu hampir sebulan buat menyelesaikan buku ini. Sempat galau juga, mau lanjut sekarang atau ditunda dulu sampe cuacanya lebih mendukung. Tapi akhirnya kuputuskan buat lanjut baca, dan ternyata aku nggak nyesel.

Buku ini pertama kali terbit dalam bahasa Jerman tahun 2017, lalu diterjemahkan ke bahasa Inggris tahun 2020. Genrenya young adult, dan ceritanya berlatar di sebuah hotel tua yang megah di Pegunungan Alpen Swiss. Tokoh utamanya Sophie Spark, cewek 17 tahun yang drop out dari sekolah dan sekarang jadi intern di hotel itu pas musim liburan paling rame (dan paling ajaib) sepanjang tahun.

Ada rekan kerja yang unik, tamu-tamu misterius, sedikit bumbu romance, dan sentuhan misteri juga. A Castle in the Clouds tuh vibes-nya kayak liburan akhir tahun yang hangat, kayak selimutan sambil minum cokelat panas, walaupun kenyataannya kamu lagi kepanasan di musim kemarau.)

BOOK INFORMATION

Title                       : A Castle in the Clouds

Author                  : Kerstin Gier

Translator            : Romy Fursland

Language             : English

Length                  : 464 pages

Released             : October 5, 2017

Read                      : June 23 - July 20, 2023

GR Rating            : 3.95

My rating             : 4.25

BOOK REVIEW

A Castle in the Clouds is a young adult book with a mix of mystery, romance, and cozy winter vibes. It follows Sophie, a high school dropout who ends up interning at a historic hotel in the Swiss Alps, yes, the hotel’s name is also Castle in the Clouds. From the start, Sophie’s sarcastic but lovable personality makes her fun to follow.

The hotel honestly feels like its own character. It's full of old charm, snowy views, and holiday feels especially during the New Year’s Eve Ball. The way it’s described makes you feel like you’re right there, wrapped in a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate.

Sophie’s journey is about figuring things out while dealing with family pressure. Along the way, she meets quirky guests and coworkers, and things get a little mysterious and exciting. There’s also a bit of romance, with a love triangle between Sophie, Ben (the hotel owner’s son), and Tristan (the mysterious guy). It’s a bit cliché, but it doesn’t take over the whole story, so it’s still enjoyable.

The pacing is pretty steady. It does start off a bit slow, so if you’re used to fast-moving plots, you might need a bit of patience. But once the story picks up, it’s hard to put down. The slow start actually works in its favor, because it gives you time to get to know the hotel and the people in it.

One of my favorite parts is the focus on friendship and loyalty. Sophie’s bond with the hotel crew feels genuine and warm. It’s not just about the drama or mystery, it’s also about finding your people. And the humor? So good. Sophie’s dry, witty comments had me smiling the whole time. Her personality really shines and makes her easy to root for.

Since this book was originally written in German, the English translation might feel a little different, especially in the beginning. It took me a while to adjust, but once I got into the story, I barely noticed. The translation still manages to capture the charm and atmosphere of the setting really well.

If you’re into cozy, character-driven stories with a touch of mystery and a snowy setting, A Castle in the Clouds might be worth checking out. It’s like a warm, slow winter read that lets you hang out with fun characters in a magical hotel.

(A Castle in the Clouds itu novel young adult yang memadukan misteri, romance, dan vibes musim dingin yang cozy banget. Ceritanya tentang Sophie, cewek yang drop out dari sekolah dan akhirnya jadi intern di sebuah hotel tua bersejarah di Pegunungan Alpen Swiss, dan yes, nama hotelnya juga Castle in the Clouds. Dari awal, kepribadian Sophie yang sarkastik tapi nggemesin bikin dia enak banget diikutin ceritanya.

Hotel tempat Sophie kerja tuh berasa kayak karakter tersendiri. Penuh aura jadul, pemandangan bersalju, dan nuansa liburan apalagi pas acara pesta malam tahun baruan. Deskripsinya tuh bikin kita berasa lagi ada di sana juga, santai selimutan sambil minum cokelat panas.

Perjalanan Sophie di cerita ini soal dia mencari arah hidup, sambil menghadapi tekanan dari keluarga. Selama kerja di hotel, dia ketemu tamu-tamu aneh dan teman-teman kerja yang seru, terus mulai muncul misteri-misteri kecil yang bikin penasaran. Ada juga sedikit bumbu cinta segitiga antara Sophie, Ben (anak pemilik hotel), dan Tristan (cowok misterius). Klise sih, tapi nggak terlalu mendominasi ceritanya, jadi masih asik diikuti.

Pacing-nya lumayan stabil. Memang awalnya agak lambat, jadi kalau kamu biasanya suka cerita yang langsung ngebut, mungkin butuh sedikit kesabaran. Tapi setelah masuk ke alur ceritanya, susah banget buat berhenti. Justru bagian awal yang pelan itu bikin kita bisa kenalan dulu sama suasana hotel dan orang-orangnya.

Salah satu bagian favoritku adalah soal persahabatan dan kesetiaan. Hubungan Sophie sama kru hotel tuh berasa hangat dan tulus. Ceritanya nggak cuma soal drama atau misteri aja, tapi juga soal nemuin orang-orang yang bisa jadi "rumah". Dan humornya? Kocak! Komentar-komentar Sophie yang deadpan dan nyelekit bikin aku senyum-senyum sendiri terus. Kepribadiannya bener-bener bikin dia gampang banget disayang.

Karena buku ini awalnya ditulis dalam bahasa Jerman, versi terjemahan Inggrisnya mungkin terasa agak beda, terutama di awal-awal. Aku juga sempat butuh waktu buat menyesuaikan, tapi lama-lama makin kebawa suasana dan nggak terlalu kepikiran soal bahasanya. Terjemahannya tetap bisa menggambarkan suasana dan pesonanya dengan baik.

Kalau kamu suka cerita yang cozy, fokus ke karakter, ada sentuhan misteri, dan berlatar tempat bersalju, A Castle in the Clouds bisa banget kamu coba. Rasanya kayak baca cerita musim dingin yang slow tapi hangat, bareng karakter-karakter lucu di hotel yang penuh kejutan.)

WHAT I LOVE

■ Cozy vibes. Reading this book feels like checking into a hotel in the Swiss Alps and just staying there. It’s full of snow, holiday magic, and that kind of calm that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and hot chocolate. The whole setting feels like a little escape, perfect for a quiet night in.

■ Cool main character. Sophie Spark is super easy to like. She’s funny, a bit sarcastic, and just feels real. She’s not overly perfect, but she’s brave when it counts, and her inner thoughts are hilarious. Reading her feels like catching up with a friend who always has something funny to say, even in weird situations.

■ Funny moments. There are so many laugh-out-loud parts in this book. The humor isn’t forced, it just flows naturally through the characters’ conversations and Sophie’s inner monologue. It helps balance out the mystery and gives the whole book a light, fun feel.

■ Atmospheric descriptions. The hotel setting is written in a way that makes you feel like you’re actually there. You can almost hear the snow crunching outside and smell the hot cocoa. It’s super detailed but not in a boring way, just enough to pull you into the scene without dragging things out.

■ Heartwarming. This book leaves you with a nice, warm feeling. The ending is sweet without being cheesy, and the whole story has that comforting winter vibe. It’s the kind of book that feels like a hug, easy to enjoy and perfect when you just want something cozy and feel-good.

(■ Suasana cozy. Baca buku ini tuh rasanya kayak check-in di hotel yang ada di pegunungan Alpen Swiss, terus ya udah, tinggal di sana aja. Penuh salju, nuansa liburan, dan ketenangan yang bikin pengen nyelimut sambil minum cokelat panas. Setting-nya beneran berasa kayak pelarian singkat dari dunia nyata, pas banget buat nemenin malam yang tenang.

■ Tokoh utama yang asik. Sophie Spark itu gampang banget disukai. Dia lucu, agak sarkas, dan terasa manusiawi banget. Nggak digambarkan terlalu sempurna, tapi dia berani pas dibutuhkan, dan isi pikirannya kadang bikin ngakak sendiri bacanya. Baca dari sudut pandangnya tuh kayak lagi ngobrol sama temen yang selalu punya komentar lucu di situasi paling aneh sekalipun.

■ Banyak momen lucu. Ada banyak banget bagian yang bikin ketawa beneran. Humornya nggak maksa, ngalir aja dari dialog karakter atau pikiran Sophie yang kocak. Ini bikin misterinya tetap ringan dan bikin keseluruhan cerita berasa fun.

■ Deskripsi yang berasa banget suasananya. Setting hotelnya ditulis dengan cara yang bikin kita berasa lagi ada di sana. Kayak bisa ngebayangin suara salju yang kratak-kratak di luar jendela, atau bau cokelat panas yang baru diseduh. Deskripsinya detail tapi nggak lebay, pas banget buat membawa kita masuk ke dalamnya tanpa bikin bosan.

■ Bikin hangat di hati. Akhir ceritanya manis tapi nggak berlebihan, dan sepanjang ceritanya punya vibe musim dingin yang menenangkan. Buku ini tuh kayak pelukan dalam bentuk cerita, gampang dinikmati dan pas banget buat kamu yang lagi pengen baca sesuatu yang hangat dan bikin hati adem.)

CONCLUSION

A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier is the kind of book you’d want to read on a rainy or snowy day, wrapped in a blanket. The setting is magical, the characters are fun, and the mix of mystery and light romance makes it an easy, feel-good read. It does start a little slow, but once the story picks up, it’s worth sticking around for the cozy vibes, quirky guests, and all the little surprises hiding in the hotel. If you’re in the mood for something heartwarming and full of charm, this one’s a solid pick for your next comfort read.

(A Castle in the Clouds oleh Kerstin Gier adalah tipe buku yang enaknya dibaca pas hujan atau cuaca lagi dingin, sambil selimutan. Setting-nya berasa ajaib, karakternya seru, dan perpaduan misteri sama romance ringan bikin buku ini terasa hangat dan gampang dinikmati. Memang awalnya agak lambat, tapi begitu ceritanya mulai jalan, rasanya worth it buat lanjut. Banyak hal-hal kecil yang bikin senyum, dari tamu hotel yang nyentrik sampai kejutan-kejutan di balik dinding hotel tua ini. Kalau kamu lagi nyari bacaan yang bikin hati hangat dan penuh pesona, buku ini cocok banget buat jadi comfort read kamu selanjutnya.)