The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a fine fairy tale. Niel Gaiman does these somewhat better.
I didn’t believe that the protagonist would behave as he did.
“Hello, sir, I would like some books.”
“Here they are. You have to read them in the library reading room. Do so now, or else I’ll be angry at you.”
“Okay, I guess. But only for half an hour.”
“Now follow me into the depths of this dark labyrinth.”
Real boy: “Nope. Here are your books back, bye.”
Haruki Murakami protagonist: “Okay, I guess.”
Other than that, I enjoyed the mysterious, fairy tale feel of it. Good atmosphere.