PRINT & TV-REVIEWS 

With “The most beautiful girl in the world“ Michel Birbæk managed a rare narrative balancing act. An uproariously funny and at the same time sad homage to Prince.
ROLLING STONE

„There are books that make you think, „okay, read it, plow it and write a short review”. That went wrong with Michel Birbæk. I started to read his novel and just got stuck. His new novel „The Most Beautiful Girl in the World“ is as if you just wanted to listen to an album and then suddenly get caught up in the music and can’t let go. One follows Birbæk willingly to the dramatic and astonishing finale,and are enchanted the entire way“.
NEUE RUHR ZEITUNG

In “The most beautiful girl in the world“ Michel Birbaek describes the condition of falling head over heels in love in inventive words and ravishing images. A touching, humorous, erotic and terrificly well told love story.
WDR 4

„Humorous and cool! Birbæk’s new novel is a declaration of love to music and all musicians in general.“
MOPO

„Captivating mourning for a legend. Entertainingly written reading, which differs from upscale romance novels in the almost journalistic passages and digressions to music. But just as Birbæk’s confrontation with the past, which takes placeas a result of Leo’s action, takesthe reader into a veritable whirlpool. One can slowly sense that „The Most Beautiful Girl in the World“ is not about new love. This is a psychologically conclusive and mourning work told in a captivating way – not only for Prince fans!”
FN WEB

„If one had to invent something that describes Michel Birbæk’s novels, it would be: adult romance. With a fast beat, great emotions, nostalgia and Zeitgeist: It’s grooving!“
EMOTION

„A great book! Wit, grief, romance, everything in this great relationship story.“
ARD MORGEN MAGAZIN

„Michel Birbæk has written a novel that is as entertaining as it is thoughtful. At the same time, the book is a declaration of love to one of the greatest stars the pop world has ever had – Prince. Birbæk succeeds in pinpointingthe feelings and often comic infirmities of a generation in his fifth city novel. Between Prince worship and cynical humor, Leo Palmer must first return to the beginning to get a second chance with the
„The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”.
MITTELDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG

„A beautiful mixture of truth and poetry, with a lot of rock’n’roll and heart.“
KÖLNISCHE RUNDSCHAU

„Birbæk writes a song of praise for love and music. Must be read!“
WILDWECHSEL

„A musician’s love story coupled with a homage to Prince. Feelings, humor and rocknroll.“
TV-MEDIA

„After the traumatizing death of the legend Prince, Birbæk works through parts of his own life in a tragic-comic and pays literary homage to love and music. Conclusion: music-loving!“
SUBWAY

„The Most Beautiful Girl in the World“ is a personal reappraisal of the death of the music idol Prince by author Michel Birbæk, and a wonderful homage to the power of music.“
NEUMANN

„Wise and thoughtful insights into music, women, love and life.“
ROCKS MAGAZIN

I am sorry, Michel Birbæk, for saying such a thing about a work in which you obviously put so much heart and soul, but I simply wish this book did not exist. I wish you had never had a reason to write it.
I love the passion with which Michel Birbæk professes his love for Prince. He takes it for granted that the death of a valued musician can affect you as deeply as the loss of a good friend. The grief his protagonists feel goes deep. Anyone who hasn’t experienced it that way may think it’s silly. Michel Birbæk and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to that. I’m a little younger than Mr Birbæk, so I wasn’t there personally at the time, but that concert was the rock that got it all rolling for me. I, 13 years old, completely spellbound in front of the TV. I still own the VHS cassette with the video recording, which I have probably watched 100 times.
I really hope Michel Birbæk does not offend me when I say that I wish his book did not exist. I don’t think I’m cut out for mourning for Prince in other people. I just think it sucks that he’s dead. Somehow I think Mr Birbæk understands me. Maybe we’ll have a drink sometime. I’m sure we’d have a lot to talk about.
GABI RUDOLPH/FAST FORWARD

“The most beautiful girl in the world“, in rememberance of one of Prince’s most beautiful ballads, turned out to be an homage to the world star and to a declaration of love to music and all those people,
who create it: musicians. The band meets up, mourns Prince and reminisces about old times. And it is them who make Birbæk’s sixth novel so homelike. In this afterglow a time comes alive when music had not yet been degenerated into an MP3 scenery, when bands traveled from one club to another, where a concert had significance, when people like Leo put musical quality over everything and music warmed inside. All this Michel Birbæk describes lighthandedly, at the same time not without depth, with warmth and fondness for all those people who dedicated their lives to music.“
SÜDWEST PRESSE

Finally Birbæk broke his vow from 2009 and wrote another book. The former musician surely processes his life story with a lot of personal experiences. Birbæk again virtuously tells an exciting story of the liaison of long forgotten friends. A novel for music lovers, due to Birbæk’s clear writing style also appropriate for men. Respect.
RCN NÜRNBERG

The most beautiful girl in the world Leo Palmer encounters in this novel more than once, the one left him, the other one is married – and then Prince dies!
From all these motives Birbæk composed a beautiful, wise love story.
DRESDNER MORGENPOST

Birbæk’s novel is a glowing homage to pop legend Prince. A must for Prince fans.
GONG

The most beautiful love story I have read in a long time. Humorously written, but on the other side emotionally touching. A heart-opener, an unbelievingly well written book.
Stefan Keim, WDR 4, GERMAN RADIO

Michel Birbæk narrates lighthandedly, at the same time not without depth, with warmth and fondness for all those people who dedicated their lives to music.  A love story for musicians, but not only for them.
GEISLINGER ZEITUNG

Michel wrote a book for all those who love music. The sound of his words are music, sometimes major, sometimes minor. It’s worth pressing PLAY.
RUHRNACHRICHTEN

A warm and humorous novel, all about love and love for (Prince’s) music.
HESSISCHE ALLGEMEINE

REVIEWS PRINCEFANS

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this literary homage to him. It’s a wonderful story that hit close to home, and the protagonist is a great man. Whenever I came across a hidden Prince Easter egg I had to smile, but that one spot (the most beautiful girl) took my breath away. Goosebumps, tears, it’s incredible how you worked it into the story. Your book is amazing, thank you! It managed to accurately describe my feelings, confusion and actions when I found out about his death. I’m sure we will all be able to find ourselves again in the text, and most importantly, identify with it. And the scene with the Tinder date gone wrong is just great!
PETRA VALENTE

Thank you for this book! The death of Prince was and still is horrible for me. I still can’t get over it. I still can’t listen to the song “Sometimes it Snows in April”. Prince music always accompanied me in life, even if I took listening breaks in between. It touches me, that you took the time to write this book!
STEPHANIE HINRICHS SCHWABE

I am overwhelmed…I had to cry while reading when I came to the part with his death, and I still feel the same sadness. All of the emotions are present in this book: happiness, shock, sadness, love, surprise and luck…what a rollercoaster ride of emotions! Unbelievable! I am still in awe and surprised, that a man can write so empathetically and deeply. All I can say is: WOW!
KLARA FALL

Boy oh boy. After two chapters I wanted to start listening to Prince music, and then the tears started coming. People, buy this book. I’m definitely not bookworm, but read this book within two days. Michel Birbæk just has incredible writing…and tomorrow I need to go out and buy everything Prince ever produced. Whoever reads the book knows why.
MARKUS ZINKE

I finished reading your book this morning and couldn’t stop crying like a baby. It was so full of emotions! So much humor, sadness, music, and most so all so touching. A book about love and music, and especially Prince’s music!
DANIEL MICHALSKE

I was very touched by your book. Love, music and Prince. Nothing could fit together more perfectly.
ANDREAS SOLUK

Dear Michel, the emotions Prince releases in me with his music, your books do the same. So many happy moments. With all of my heart, thank you!
IRIS

Prince euphoria! Wonderful characters, whenever I read a book of yours I feel like I know them personally. And this touching, human writing. With such a wonderful end!
NICOLE SWIDLER

I think it’s just incredible, that you made April 21st, 2016 your reason to become an active novelist again. I’m also a huge Prince fan, with a “Symbol” tattoo on my arm, and all of the CDs and LPs. I also followed along through Europe back then, to see our “Royal Badass”. From my first Prince concert (1986) to my last, I managed to go to 27 of them. Many years ago, we met each other at a reading. Too bad I didn’t know back then that you were such a big Prince fan as well. We probably would have had things to talk about all night. I wish you the best of luck with your new novel. May u live 2 c the dawn. Peace & b wild.
BERND

Dear Purples, THANK YOU! That means a lot to me… 4everpurple!
MICHEL

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