Lonely Castle in the Mirror
- Downloads：3986
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-04-29 10:51:20
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Mizuki Tsujimura
- ISBN：0857527282
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
- Half a million copies sold
- Winner of the Japan Booksellers Award voted for by the booksellers across Japan
- Convenience Store Woman with a fantasy twist， exploring mental health and anxiety issues in modern-day Japan。
Seven students are avoiding going to school， hiding in their darkened bedrooms， unable to face their family and friends， until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers temporary escape from their stressful lives。 Passing through a glowing mirror， they gather in a magnifcent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours。 The students are tasked with locating a key， hidden somewhere in the castle， that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish。 At this moment， the castle will vanish， along with all memories they may have of their adventure。 If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon， they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle， an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen。
Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth， Lonely Castle in the Mirror shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others。 Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot， this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability。
- Winner of the Japan Booksellers Award voted for by the booksellers across Japan
- Convenience Store Woman with a fantasy twist， exploring mental health and anxiety issues in modern-day Japan。
Seven students are avoiding going to school， hiding in their darkened bedrooms， unable to face their family and friends， until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers temporary escape from their stressful lives。 Passing through a glowing mirror， they gather in a magnifcent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours。 The students are tasked with locating a key， hidden somewhere in the castle， that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish。 At this moment， the castle will vanish， along with all memories they may have of their adventure。 If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon， they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle， an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen。
Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth， Lonely Castle in the Mirror shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others。 Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot， this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability。
Reviews
Nicky
，
I couldn’t put this book down。 I love the mix between fairy tale and reality and though some parts were a bit predictable this is definitely one of my favorite books ever。 I became invested in the characters and even after finishing this book my thoughts kept going back to it。 I would definitely read this again。
Leci
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This is a new favourite， what a fantastic book。 Had me sobbing at the end。
Laura Anderson
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I really loved this。 Already want to re-read it。 A beautiful novel exploring loneliness， friendship， bullying， grief and so many other things。 Beautiful storytelling， uniquely Japanese and very rich。Reminded me of anime like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time or Your Name， only it's deeper， richer。 The comparisons with Murakami are there when you think of the fantasy angle， but I think it has more in common with Banana Yoshimoto's work， and modern books like Convenience Store Women， with a YA slant I really loved this。 Already want to re-read it。 A beautiful novel exploring loneliness， friendship， bullying， grief and so many other things。 Beautiful storytelling， uniquely Japanese and very rich。Reminded me of anime like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time or Your Name， only it's deeper， richer。 The comparisons with Murakami are there when you think of the fantasy angle， but I think it has more in common with Banana Yoshimoto's work， and modern books like Convenience Store Women， with a YA slant。 One of my favourites of the year so far！ Wish it had been around when I was a teen but happy to read it as an adult。 。。。more
Erin
，
I feel so conflicted。 Because I loved this book。 But it was looooong。 And I loved the ending and the plot and everything but it was longggg！！ Not even that long but it felt like it went on forever but I loved it and ahhhhhh。 3。5 stars。
Rosie
，
Firstly， a huge thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review。This was one of my most anticipated novels of the year， I was overjoyed to see that I was approved for a copy on NetGalley and it took all of my willpower to not drop my entire TBR just to pick it up。 After devouring this novel in a couple of days and staying up late to read the last 60%， I can honestly say that this novel was well worth the wait。 I absolutely loved al Firstly， a huge thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review。This was one of my most anticipated novels of the year， I was overjoyed to see that I was approved for a copy on NetGalley and it took all of my willpower to not drop my entire TBR just to pick it up。 After devouring this novel in a couple of days and staying up late to read the last 60%， I can honestly say that this novel was well worth the wait。 I absolutely loved all of the characters in this novel， each of them had such fascinating stories to tell which trickled through the novel until the reveals at the end。 There was something so relatable about each of the characters， how they are all outsiders in their schools to the point where they don’t feel comfortable going any more。 I was immediately endeared to Kokoro which just intensified as the novel continued; as you witnessed her try to step out of her comfort zone to make friends and as you learned about the horrific events she went through at school。 I loved how each child had a very distinct personality and it was fascinating to see how they all got on and formed friendships inside the castle。 Especially as it didn’t appear that they necessarily would get on at first。 Whilst not one of the seven children， I really enjoyed the Wolf Queen character。 I loved how mysterious she was and how there were times where she felt as though she was a child like the others and times where she felt much older。 She was a very interesting character to add to the story， maddening at times with her cryptic clues， but a great addition to the story。 Whilst we don’t see them often， I also thought the adults in Kokoro’s life were quite interesting too。 Kokoro’s mother was quite confusing， there were times where she was very patient with Kokoro and her anxiety around school and people， but then there were times where she was quite short with her。 Just seeing these brief， contrasting， moments of her mother helps the reader understand Kokoro better too。Tsujimura does a wonderful job of creating such a magical and enchanting world in the mirror。 The idea that if you find the key to the wishing room then you will have your wish granted by the Wolf Queen was one that would appeal to adults and the children of the castle。 But the key and the room had to be found by the 30th March。 I also liked how this world came with more dangerous rules too: that you had to leave by a certain time otherwise whoever broke the rule would be eaten by the wolf。 The contrast between this seemingly perfect escape and the underlying threat was fascinating to me and it was an addictive read。 Not only did I want to know whether the kids would overcome their social anxieties and other problems to do well in the real world; but I also wanted to know who would find the wishing room and what their wish would be or if they made one at all。 What at first may seem like a coming of age novel of children that struggle socially with a hint of fantasy but it becomes so much more than that。 This is an emotionally gripping novel with an ending that left me in tears and overwhelmed （in a good way， I promise！）。 Tsujimura’s writing and characters had me completely captivated。 I struggled putting this novel down and I didn’t want it to end。 This is a touching story that I will happily revisit again and again， and I know it will still be just as magical as it was the first time。 I really hope that more of Tsujimura’s novels are translated in the future as they need to be shared with the world。 。。。more
charly
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this felt like it went on forever and for a long while i was thinking it would be a 2 star but that ENDING ！！？！！！？？！！！？？？ this one is a certified tear jerker
Taylor Drew
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After literally months of struggling to get through this book， I finally understand why everyone was raving about it。 It's a thought provoking and powerful story about the struggles of middle school students and how they face their demons。 I'll admit that I found the progression to be quite slow （in Japanese） and this affected how long it took me to finish the book。 However， I am absolutely delighted that I made my way all the way to the end and cry many tears of relief through the last two chap After literally months of struggling to get through this book， I finally understand why everyone was raving about it。 It's a thought provoking and powerful story about the struggles of middle school students and how they face their demons。 I'll admit that I found the progression to be quite slow （in Japanese） and this affected how long it took me to finish the book。 However， I am absolutely delighted that I made my way all the way to the end and cry many tears of relief through the last two chapters of the novel。 I can only hope that the English translation does this book justice and that it gets all of the attention that it deserves。 。。。more
Christine
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lết từ 25/3 đến tận 23/4 luôn :）） mặc dù giữa đấy có đọc thêm quyển "Mùi hương"3。5 sao trong đó 0。5 sao cho cái bìa và font chữ không bị đau mắt dù sách dày hẳn 560 trang。Câu chuyện chủ yếu xoay quanh nhân vật Anzai Kokoro và 6 đứa trẻ độ tuổi cấp 2 khác đều không muốn đến trường vì những lí do khác nhau cùng quá trình chúng trưởng thành trong một thế giới "cô thành trong gương"。 Câu chuyện tâm lý， nhẹ nhàng， plot twist không khó đoán nếu đã quen với thế giới anime và light novel của Nhật :v như lết từ 25/3 đến tận 23/4 luôn :）） mặc dù giữa đấy có đọc thêm quyển "Mùi hương"3。5 sao trong đó 0。5 sao cho cái bìa và font chữ không bị đau mắt dù sách dày hẳn 560 trang。Câu chuyện chủ yếu xoay quanh nhân vật Anzai Kokoro và 6 đứa trẻ độ tuổi cấp 2 khác đều không muốn đến trường vì những lí do khác nhau cùng quá trình chúng trưởng thành trong một thế giới "cô thành trong gương"。 Câu chuyện tâm lý， nhẹ nhàng， plot twist không khó đoán nếu đã quen với thế giới anime và light novel của Nhật :v nhưng cái kết đẹp。Nhưng với một đứa đã đọc quen những cách khắc họa nỗi đau ám ảnh của bác Keigo hay Kanae hay Otsuchi thì quyển này quá nhẹ。 。。。more
Lou
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Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a modern fairy tale for all those who love Miyazaki films， Murakami’s ambiguous yet scintillating magical realism and the magic of stories on the border between nightmare and dream。 13-year-old Kokoro Anzai spends her days in her room， alone， entrusting the buzz of the television with the task of muffling the thoughts and noises of life outside。 She was an ordinary student in the first grade of Xueke No。 5 Middle School but ever since life got too difficult at scho Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a modern fairy tale for all those who love Miyazaki films， Murakami’s ambiguous yet scintillating magical realism and the magic of stories on the border between nightmare and dream。 13-year-old Kokoro Anzai spends her days in her room， alone， entrusting the buzz of the television with the task of muffling the thoughts and noises of life outside。 She was an ordinary student in the first grade of Xueke No。 5 Middle School but ever since life got too difficult at school， after about a month passing， due to severe campus bullying she suffered extensive psychological trauma associated with it and steadfastly refused to attend anymore。 She was reluctant to tell anyone of her daily hell and the discomfort fear and pain she would invariably experience frequently and kept it all inside - the stress， anxiety and even suicidal ideation。 Shutting herself away is the only action that helps to stop her nightmare albeit in a small way。 She barely leaves her home now and she had always imagined that someone would rescue her from the heavy reality。 She was primarily tormented by her classmate Miori Sanada， but what made it even more chilling was Miori’s friend Xiao Moe who had nothing to say before， joined the ranks of squeezing her out。 Suddenly one day， the full-length mirror in the careful bedroom glowed brightly， and on the other side of the mirror was a castle。 The mysterious girl wearing a wolf mask， known as Wolf Queen， told Kokoro that the castle was open from nine to five on weekdays。 Any wish can be realised by finding the "key of prayer" hidden in the castle within the specified time limit。 Here Kokoro also met six other high school students with different personalities。Each person was avoiding school and experiencing a struggle for one reason or another。 Now on a mission to find the wishing key， the group told that once it is found and a wish made and subsequently granted， all seven of them will bear no memory of the castle in the mirror or of each other。 There is also one additional rule to contend with: if they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm each afternoon then they will be eaten by the Wolf Queen， who owns said castle。 As friendships blossom between the troubled teens and life outside of the ”castle walls”， back in reality， becomes more challenging for them all， they support each other through thick and thin。 But with the wish deadline fast approaching， will any of them take the plunge？ They begin to reflect and ask questions: Why have they all been called to this fantasy castle？ Does everyone have a wish that they want to achieve anyway？ In getting along， Kokoro not only gained friendship， but also got a glimpse of everyone’s pain and wishes， and finally discovered the real secret of the castle。 This is a rich and majestic tale full of enchanting detail and with a message about the power of loyalty， trust and friendship as a healer from past trauma。 The author often blurs， or makes ambiguous， the line between reality and fantasy creating a riveting magical realism fable and is equal parts beguiling and heart-wrenching。 It is a novel for everyone， touching， adventurous and stunning in nature。 The author mixes realism and magic to tell what it means to grow up in today's world。 A pure， bewitching world built with care， it explores the plight of adolescent growth， the cost of trauma and the toll on mental wellbeing。 An original， tour de force Japanese fable and one I highly recommend to fans of Murakami。 。。。more
niri
，
extremely lovely
Bookclubforme
，
I was NOT at all prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this novel would take me on。 Unlike anything I have read before， it was a wonderful introduction to Japanese literature。 It follows seven anxiety riddled teens， each struggling to fit in with their peers， who meet in exceptional circumstances - in a magical castle only they know exists and which they access through their portal like bedroom mirrors。 The story explores themes of loneliness， mental health and bullying， bringing together sev I was NOT at all prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this novel would take me on。 Unlike anything I have read before， it was a wonderful introduction to Japanese literature。 It follows seven anxiety riddled teens， each struggling to fit in with their peers， who meet in exceptional circumstances - in a magical castle only they know exists and which they access through their portal like bedroom mirrors。 The story explores themes of loneliness， mental health and bullying， bringing together seven， in-need-of-a-friend individuals who's chance meeting， happens to be part of the elaborate creation of a mysterious child Wolf Queen。 The promise of one wish being granted brings excitement to the story but my biggest take away was how powerful the kindest of others can be。 I loved witnessing the characters friendship and seeing how each one developed as a result， it was so pure and so heartwarming。 I don't want to give away anymore， as I want any future readers to be hit just as hard with the ALL THE FEELS feeling I had by the end！ 💔💕Mixing fairy tales with reality， the oh so exquisitely written 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 was such a mesmerising and moving read， which takes the negative feelings many of us encounter and weaves them into something so special。 What a beautiful， beautiful story！ 🏰💕🐺 。。。more
caity （caityreads）
，
Thank you to Penguin Books Aus for sending me a review copy of this book; this review is voluntary， all thoughts and opinions within this review are entirely my own。 This book took me completely by surprise， it was incredible。 I went into it with high expectations and was not let down。 The writing was clever， the story was breathtaking and addictive honestly， it is one of the most unique books I’ve picked up in a long time。 It is also one of the few books I’ve read that captures the reality of w Thank you to Penguin Books Aus for sending me a review copy of this book; this review is voluntary， all thoughts and opinions within this review are entirely my own。 This book took me completely by surprise， it was incredible。 I went into it with high expectations and was not let down。 The writing was clever， the story was breathtaking and addictive honestly， it is one of the most unique books I’ve picked up in a long time。 It is also one of the few books I’ve read that captures the reality of what it is to struggle with anxiety。 And the focus on bullying and mental health was exceptionally done。 and THAT ENDING was phenomenal， honestly， it’s worth reading purely for the ending。 But also for the rest of the book， it surprised me at times but not in a bad way。 I think you do need to approach this book with an open mind though because it will 100% subvert your expectations。 I wouldn’t be surprised if this became considered a literary classic in the next 20-50 years， it truly is a modern masterpiece。 。。。more
Kim
，
3。5🌟Diễn biến câu chuyện hơi lê thê nên mình định drop từ 1/2 quyển。 Tuy nhiên nhờ review mà mình ráng đọc đến cuối， đoạn kết khá ổn kéo lại được mạch cảm xúc đều đều trước đó。
Katie Elizabeth
，
New favourite Japanese translation - just *chefs kiss*。 It made me happy， it made me cry， it made me feel all the emotions。 If you like watching anime， I personally think this runs like one in my head。 Here is the review I posted on instagram: Say hello to my new favourite book。 This story was everything I’ve wanted for a long time。 It was magical， mesmerising， moving and unique。 I’ve been waiting （WAITING） for a story to make me feel this way。 This book delivered such a charming and gentle plot New favourite Japanese translation - just *chefs kiss*。 It made me happy， it made me cry， it made me feel all the emotions。 If you like watching anime， I personally think this runs like one in my head。 Here is the review I posted on instagram: Say hello to my new favourite book。 This story was everything I’ve wanted for a long time。 It was magical， mesmerising， moving and unique。 I’ve been waiting （WAITING） for a story to make me feel this way。 This book delivered such a charming and gentle plot with well-crafted characters that will leave me filled with emotions for a long time。 I cried at the end and my pages are smudged with tears （just got emotional again writing this）。 So， here’s what it’s about: Kokoro cannot go to school。 She has relentless anxiety after an incident occurs between another group of girls and refuses to leave the house as a result。 Her mother is close to giving up and doesn’t know how to help Kokoro anymore。 One day Kokoro finds the mirror in her room shining and is drawn into a fantasy world beyond。 She meets 6 other strangers who are all teenagers similarly avoiding school。 In this castle， a small girl with a wolf mask appears and proposes an offer - the first person to find the key will have a wish granted。 However， the moment the key is found， the castle will close and their memories will be erased forever。 Kokoro needs to decide if losing this safe place is worth the wish she so desperately desires。 This book was beautiful。 From the perfect portrayal of anxiety and fear amongst children to the gradual blossoming of friendships。 I was glued to the pages every time I picked it up and it was simply what a story should be - filled with twists， character development and feelings。 If you are looking for a charming story with an element of magic then this is for you。 I think if you liked ‘Before the coffee gets cold’， you’ll also love this！ 。。。more
Sarah
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2。5 rounded down One of a number of Japanese fiction books from recent years which have focused on teenage misfits and bullying （other examples including Heaven and Ms Ice Sandwich immediately spring to mind）， I found this to be much more in the YA category than I was expecting it to be。 The tone felt overly didactic and I didn't care for the fantastical elements。 Those who go into this with the right expectations will likely find something to enjoy， but I'm afraid to say this failed to grab me。 2。5 rounded down One of a number of Japanese fiction books from recent years which have focused on teenage misfits and bullying （other examples including Heaven and Ms Ice Sandwich immediately spring to mind）， I found this to be much more in the YA category than I was expecting it to be。 The tone felt overly didactic and I didn't care for the fantastical elements。 Those who go into this with the right expectations will likely find something to enjoy， but I'm afraid to say this failed to grab me。Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK / Transworld for the advance copy， which was provided in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Resh （The Book Satchel）
，
An enjoyable read which combines mental health and magical realism。Seven students who do not want to go to school， meet in a lonely castle through the mirror in their rooms。 The castle is a mysterious one。 There is a girl dressed as a Wolf， the Wolf Queen， who seems to be the head of the castle。 The children can spend time at the castle as a normal work day， 9 to 5。 There's no food in the castle though。 They have to go back to their rooms and bring it in。 There is a wishing key hidden in the cas An enjoyable read which combines mental health and magical realism。Seven students who do not want to go to school， meet in a lonely castle through the mirror in their rooms。 The castle is a mysterious one。 There is a girl dressed as a Wolf， the Wolf Queen， who seems to be the head of the castle。 The children can spend time at the castle as a normal work day， 9 to 5。 There's no food in the castle though。 They have to go back to their rooms and bring it in。 There is a wishing key hidden in the castle and if they find it， their wish gets granted。 The Wolf Queen calls them 'Little red riding hoods' but she might also eat them if they fail their tasks。The kids come to the castle， and play， talk， game， drink tea from flasks and slowly get to know each other。 Kokoro， the main charac， doesnt want to go to school。 But she is unable to share the reason with her parents。 All the other kids also have similar issues。 Lonely castle in the mirror brings a sympathetic look at bullying， abuse， domestic abuse， counselling， that children face。 The adult characters in the novel are written well， be it Kokoro's parents or the sympathetic teacher。I enjoyed the characters。 I loved the magic in the story。 I also enjoyed the ending and 'explanation'。 However， I still couldn't understand the 'wolf-eats-kids' rule and the motivation behind it。 Would recommend。PS: This is blurbed as Convenience store woman with a twist of fantasy。 I don't think the description is fair to the book。Much thanks to the publisher for an e-copy。 All opinions my own。 。。。more
Kaffeeklatsch and Books
，
RTC
Đông Châu
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Truyện có giọng văn phải gọi là khá lê thê lượt thượt， với đứa thích đọc truyện tiết tấu nhanh như mình thì rất sốt ruột với 1/3 đoạn đầu， 1/3 tiếp theo thì cố đọc lướt cho xong và mang tâm thế là chắc chắn sẽ bán quyển này， 1/3 cuối thì tốc độ mới bắt đầu chậm lại để chắp ghép các đầu mối mà tác giả rắc vương vãi ở 2/3 đầu =）））））） Nói chung thì plot twist cũng không mấy bất ngờ vì mình cũng đã lờ mờ đoán được trong lúc đọc， điểm nhấn mà mình đánh giá cao nhất vẫn là ở phân đoạn Rion quay ngược Truyện có giọng văn phải gọi là khá lê thê lượt thượt， với đứa thích đọc truyện tiết tấu nhanh như mình thì rất sốt ruột với 1/3 đoạn đầu， 1/3 tiếp theo thì cố đọc lướt cho xong và mang tâm thế là chắc chắn sẽ bán quyển này， 1/3 cuối thì tốc độ mới bắt đầu chậm lại để chắp ghép các đầu mối mà tác giả rắc vương vãi ở 2/3 đầu =）））））） Nói chung thì plot twist cũng không mấy bất ngờ vì mình cũng đã lờ mờ đoán được trong lúc đọc， điểm nhấn mà mình đánh giá cao nhất vẫn là ở phân đoạn Rion quay ngược trở lại để nói chuyện với Ngài Sói - biến thân của người chị đã mất của mình。 Đoạn này nằm đọc mà khóc ướt gối， tắc cả mũi luôn ý =）））））） Cơ mà truyện có điểm bất hợp lý to đùng mà mình thấy cấn cấn: Tại sao Kokoro không nhận ra nét tương đồng trên gương mặt của cô Kitajima và Aki？ Ngoài ra truyện dài 560 trang nhưng khá ít lỗi chính tả， lỗi đánh máy （có nhưng ít， tỉ lệ rất thấp so với độ dài truyện， dù rằng gần cuối lại có lỗi nhầm lẫn giới tính nhân vật khá buồn cười =））））） ） Khá khen cho ban biên tập quyển này 👏👏👏 。。。more
Anika | Chapters of May
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Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a modern day look at social issues， human connection， and mental health with a dark and magical twist。 Kokoro-chan， a teenager living in Japan， stopped going to junior high after a humiliating incident and dreads the day she has to go back。 Kokoro and six other teenagers are transported to a magical castle through their glowing mirrors where they meet the mysterious Wolf Queen。 The seven can visit the castle each day， and are given the task of finding a key。 But if Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a modern day look at social issues， human connection， and mental health with a dark and magical twist。 Kokoro-chan， a teenager living in Japan， stopped going to junior high after a humiliating incident and dreads the day she has to go back。 Kokoro and six other teenagers are transported to a magical castle through their glowing mirrors where they meet the mysterious Wolf Queen。 The seven can visit the castle each day， and are given the task of finding a key。 But if they fail to leave by 5pm they run the risk of being eaten。Tsujimura’s writing is full of joy but mixed with vulnerability。 This enthralling adventure has a slow pac with twists and turns that are easy to invest in。 I really like the way Tsujimura has shaped the personalities in the book， especially Kokoro。 The protagonist lives in isolation after “the incident” at school， and her mental health as well as the effects of bullying are explored along with the backstories of the other six teens。Lonely Castle in the Mirror is very much a character-driven story。 With each chapter， the layers of the many personalities are uncovered， as well as the mystery surrounding the castle and its owner。 Each of the teens have dropped out of school and were specifically chosen by the erratic Wolf Queen， and I enjoyed getting to know them as they got to know one another。Although the backdrop to this story is a magical castle， there’s very little about the book that feels like a fantasy。 It reads more like a coming-of-age novel laced with Japanese culture – and it’s very insightful in that sense。 Additionally， there are parts that are enchanting enough to keep you gripped despite its slower narrative， and it paints a realistic and eye-opening portrayal of the mental health crisis among teenagers。 Overall， Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a wonderful read。 It highlights the beauty in friendship， the strength in recovery， and the magic in hope。 。。。more
Teresa （tqlikesbooks）
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The Lonely Castle in the Mirror follows Kokoro; who， after suffering from bullying and isolation at her school， no longer feels she is able to attend。 She spends most of her days in her room until one day her mirror starts to glow and she is transported through it into a castle where she meets others like her。 This is definitely a bittersweet kind of book。 It is not so much about the mystery of the castle in the mirror， as I originally thought， but rather about Kokoro， the people she meets in th The Lonely Castle in the Mirror follows Kokoro; who， after suffering from bullying and isolation at her school， no longer feels she is able to attend。 She spends most of her days in her room until one day her mirror starts to glow and she is transported through it into a castle where she meets others like her。 This is definitely a bittersweet kind of book。 It is not so much about the mystery of the castle in the mirror， as I originally thought， but rather about Kokoro， the people she meets in the castle （who all feel isolated and alone in their own ways） and the bonds that they form。 Though the 'mystery' of the castle is revealed as the story concludes and it was a very touching and satisfying ending to the story。Personally， I felt the pace was just a bit too languid for me to really get into the book， which is the main reason this is 3 stars for me and not 4。 Though it you are looking for a slow， quiet and introspective kind of story I would definitely recommend checking this one out。 I can definitely see why this has garnered so much acclaim in Japan， as I really enjoyed the themes of the story， the way it dealt with them， and how it blended them with traditional fable/fairytale elements。*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 All opinions are my own。Content Warnings: bullying， mental health themes， attempted rape， suicide attempt 。。。more
Anna
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I received a NetGalley eARC in exchange for an honest review of this book and it was close to a 5 - I didn’t expect to like this nearly as much as I did but it took a little while to get into it。 The style is closer to a light novel than a lot of English language publications but grows in solidity as Kokoro herself does until I came to dread the approaching end。 Each of the seven children mysteriously invited to a magical castle in the mirror become individuals in their own right with their own I received a NetGalley eARC in exchange for an honest review of this book and it was close to a 5 - I didn’t expect to like this nearly as much as I did but it took a little while to get into it。 The style is closer to a light novel than a lot of English language publications but grows in solidity as Kokoro herself does until I came to dread the approaching end。 Each of the seven children mysteriously invited to a magical castle in the mirror become individuals in their own right with their own reasons for not being at school。It unfolds slowly but the reveals don’t feel artificial。 While the children try to find a magic key， the reader tries to work out the secret of the castle。。。 ‘Lonely Castle in the Mirror’ works in the way of all the best mystery novels， dropping just enough hints for you to piece it all together for yourself before everything is tied off in the most satisfying way possible。In a world inspired by tropes and fairytales （yes， mostly European fairy stories） there are so many echoes and crumbs but these give way to characters dealing with mostly with isolation from school。 I especially liked how every character reacts （to both events and each other） proportionally and there are follow-up conversations。 People don’t necessarily get it right the first time！ Kokoro is the protagonist but she doesn’t hog the limelight in the end。。。 。。。more
小葵 向日
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so good。 I like it。 ^^
R S
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Full review soon。
Marina
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4。5*anxiety/10 beautiful stuff
SadieReadsAgain
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Before I review the actual story， I feel I need to review the marketing around this book。 I've seen it pushed as being for readers who enjoyed Convenience Store Woman， and I have issues with that。 Apart from being written by a Japanese author and being set in Japan， there are little similarities between these two books。 Yes， there are issues of societal norms and those who don't fit into them， but the situations and characters are so different that I think anyone expecting a similar story to CSW Before I review the actual story， I feel I need to review the marketing around this book。 I've seen it pushed as being for readers who enjoyed Convenience Store Woman， and I have issues with that。 Apart from being written by a Japanese author and being set in Japan， there are little similarities between these two books。 Yes， there are issues of societal norms and those who don't fit into them， but the situations and characters are so different that I think anyone expecting a similar story to CSW will be left feeling a bit duped。But that isn't a statement about the book itself。 This story starts with Kokoro， a teenage girl who has been so bullied at school that she no longer attends。 Her days alone at home， terrified to open up to anyone， going over what happened to her and what she should do now， are suddenly changed when her bedroom mirror starts to glow。 As she is pulled through it， she finds herself in a castle with six other teenagers and a strange young girl in a wolf mask。 This Wolf Queen， as she calls herself， lays out the rules - they can come to the castle every day between the hours of nine and five and use the space as they want。 And bonus - there is a key hidden in the castle， and the person who finds it will have their greatest wish come true。 All they have to do is make sure they leave by five o'clock， otherwise they'll be eaten。This story is much more about the characters than it is about the fantastical elements。 I thought I'd be relieved by that， as I don't often connect with fantasy。 But， I felt there was something so compelling about this lonely castle and it's creepy little Wolf Queen， and I was surprised at myself at being disappointed at how those elements didn't have a bigger presence。 And this was compounded by the fact that although character-driven， this story doesn't give us a rounded or particularly deep study of any one character or their story。 I felt kept at arm's length from so much in this book。 I don't know if that's a cultural or translation thing - many Japanese books I've read have felt similarly clipped and spare。 But I found myself feeling as if I was being offered a sorbet when I was starving - nice flavour， but it wasn't filling me up。However， I did enjoy a lot about this book。 I loved the metaphor of the castle as a space to run away to when you want to escape your life。 I thought the writing was very elegant and that topics that were touched on were done so in a sensitive way。 I really liked the blend of the fantastical with the real - is there a fantasy version of magical realism。。。fantastical reality？ Whatever it is， it worked really well。 And I enjoyed the conclusion so much。So， this book was a bit of a mix for me。 I'm sure some people wont be crazy about it， but I have a feeling it will find a fanbase of people who really love it。I was sent a Netgalley of this title from Random House UK in return for a review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Beatrice
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Actual rating 4。5/5CW: bullying， mental illness， anxiety/panic attacks， death， sexual assaultLonely Castle in the Mirror is one of those books that left me thinking about them long after I finished them， its themes and characters still living in my mind weeks later。 To be completely honest， this is one book I wasn't too sure about initially since I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it， but I'm so glad I gave it a go！I went in knowing very little （I'd only read the blurb） and even so I found Actual rating 4。5/5CW: bullying， mental illness， anxiety/panic attacks， death， sexual assaultLonely Castle in the Mirror is one of those books that left me thinking about them long after I finished them， its themes and characters still living in my mind weeks later。 To be completely honest， this is one book I wasn't too sure about initially since I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it， but I'm so glad I gave it a go！I went in knowing very little （I'd only read the blurb） and even so I found something quite different from what I'd expected。 For starters， I thought the fantastical elements would be a lot more central to the story。 That wasn't so， and I'm actually glad that the book developed in the way that it does。 This book is its characters more than anything else and they are real kids facing all-too-real problems。 Magic intervenes to pull them out of their daily lives and into the castle through the mirror， but from there it's all up to them。If you've been reading my reviews for a while， you know that good characters are one of the key elements that will make or break a book for me and these characters definitely stole my heart。 The book follows primarily one of the seven children， Kokoro， who stopped attending school due to bullying but cannot bring herself to open up with any of the adults around her to tell them what she went through。 Kokoro's pain and struggle with anxiety in the aftermath of a serious incident were nuanced and depicted incredibly delicately and accurately。 I really wanted to just hug Kokoro most of the time， as I could feel her pain and fear。 The other children were all equally fighting their own battles， struggling with mental health， bullying， death and sexual abuse， and were all equally compelling。 I loved how we slowly got to see and understand more of who they really were and how they were feeling as they grew more comfortable around one another and started trusting each other。 The friendships and tensions all felt extremely realistic， and I found myself getting attached to each of the characters as Kokoro did。 While we got a glimpse into other characters' POVs， I would have liked to get to know them more intimately as we did Kokoro， even though it's probably best that we didn't as this kept the interactions more real， even in a fantasy world。 Some of the children seemed slightly better developed than others， which was a shame， but overall they were all extremely compelling characters。The only thing I really struggled with was the pace， which at times slowed down a bit too much for my liking。 A few of the scenes in the castle， especially towards the middle of the book， felt like they dragged on a bit。 This was more than compensated in the second half of the book。 The pace picked up considerably with around 100 pages left to go， and I found myself completely unable to put it down！ The ending was also incredibly satisfying and I completely did not see it coming， even though in hindsight all the hints were hidden in plain sight。 I also got very emotional towards the end！I don't know much about Japanese culture， so I really enjoyed learning more about it through this book。 In particular， I had no idea that school abandonment and bullying were such serious issues in the country， and of the mental health crisis facing children and teenagers。 This book does a wonderful job of raising awareness of these issues， which are also prevalent in Western societies， and in telling everyone who might be struggling: You are not alone。 Overall， this is a gorgeous read tackling complex and painful subjects， while at the same time acting as a reminder of the beauty to be found in genuine human connection and relationships。 A tale of friendship and hope and the power of love in all its forms that I will definitely return to in the future。 Highly recommended if you love character-driven stories and don't mind a slower pace。For this and more reviews， visit Book for Thought。Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the e-arc review copy。 This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way。 。。。more
Thebooktrail
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Discover the locations in the novelQuirky and quite unlike anything else I have ever read！A very different Tokyo with a magical castle and a parallel world accessed by a mirror。。 Discover the locations in the novelQuirky and quite unlike anything else I have ever read！A very different Tokyo with a magical castle and a parallel world accessed by a mirror。。 。。。more
Abbie
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I think everyone should read this just for the ending and its place in Japanese discourse on mental health。 Saying that I found the first half quite difficult to get through， the writing was a little two dimensional （he said， she said etc） but perhaps this is just the translation。 The final 100 or so pages are perfect。With thanks to Doubleday and Netgalley for the review copy。
Minh Trang
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