𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐤𝐢 𝐓𝐬𝐮𝐣𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝟒.𝟗/𝟓🌟 

I have never read any books quite like this. 
It's brilliant and fantastic! When I read this, it was like I was pulled into a set of manga or seeing its live-action. I can see how the book going to be an amazing adaptation; if they decide to make one. 

It's rich and vivid with lots of emotions. 
The author cleverly analyzes what's popular and a big “hit” in children's world by making a twist on folklore or children's stories and mix them up so that the reader's heart will keep on pounding and eyes the story in amazement. The author also inserts the famous element & genre in Japan; sci-fi with a bit of time-travel or time-slip. Or so you think...

What first got me into requesting this title is because the synopsis mentioned it has a touch of Convenience Store. And so underneath all the fantastical things I mentioned, it's just to add spice to the story. The Lonely Castle is an emotional read and serves the readers with the message that hey, I know you're struggling, but don't you dare to give up. Keep on going, inspired others to do the same so that they could break free too. Every life is important. Don't say yours worthless.

It's devastating that every single day so many children become a victim of bullying simply because of a pathetic reason. Teachers not being helpful, parents not trusting and so children can't open up. And so to whom children should rely on for help? I believe the author had taken a great initiative to come up with a writing that highlights what's our children silently experiencing and decide no more hiding as we got lots of work to do. This book is a symbol of “hope is still there”.

Quality Rating: Four Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Four Stars

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Lonely Castle in the Mirror since it started off feeling very predictable. Its story is not a new concept, but the way in which it was told was. While a little slow and contrite at times, the moments when it reaches out or reveals itself are genius enough for it not to matter.

Tsujimura is clearly a lover and student of fairytales, and I felt so akin to the way in which she used that to anchor the story. While most of the stories are Western, there's a real reclaiming of them in the Japanese culture we get to see which I really liked. The puzzle-solving element for the reader, rather familiar from classical fairytales, to work out just what is happening in this mysterious castle in the mirror was especially enjoyable - and while I worked out the first twist before the end, its very last one was still a surprise.

I also want to give praise to the translator (who I'm having real trouble finding the name of, which is actually quite upsetting) because they've done a fantastic job. Part of what reached me with this book was its honesty and clarity in the experiences of its young characters, something that felt so real and eerily familiar that it moved me to tears. To write that kind of authenticity is an achievement on its own, to communicate it across to another language is yet another.

I will say that the majority of this book is very talky. It feels like literary fiction a lot of the time, with a dash of magical realism for good measure. While I'm not particularly well educated in what's happening in contemporary Japan, the short afterword does do a lot to explain why this book is so important; Japan is ranked second from the bottom for the rates of young people's mental health. While I don't think context is vital to appreciate a story on its own, Tsujimura's already colourful exploration of young people and coming of age felt all the more vivid after realising that.

The magical realism may frustrate some people, but I feel like it's possibly a good introduction to Japanese fantasy for Western readers, as well as also just being a comforting and enjoyable read in its own right.

I loved every page, every character and every minute! I wish I can read more of Mizuki Tsujimura's books in English because she instantly became one of my fave Japanese authors.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror was one of the books I did not want to stop reading. I started reading the book without looking at its subject or the comments about it. And I’m so glad I did. This beautiful book was a fairy tale, although it is mentioned in the genres of young adult and even children’s book, I don’t think it fits into any genre. But, I realized I missed reading fairy tales.

Full thoughts on https://jenrosewrites.blog/

What I WILL say is Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a beautiful story of friendship, belonging and togetherness - with a twist.

Kokoro doesn't go to school anymore. She was bullied and no matter how her parents try to help her, the psychological and physical pain is still there.
One day the mirror in her room becomes a portal to a castle, where she meets the other hurted school children and they have to find a key to a Wishing room and one's wish will come true.

Delicate journey of young adults to know themselves. 

Beautifully written.

The story starts with Kokoro, a Japanese schoolgirl who does not go to school anymore - after being bullied by a group of girls in her school. Abandoned by all her friends, anxious about school, paralysed by panic attacks - she spends days in her room, avoiding her schoolmates dropping off homework for her and spending all her time alone while her parents are at work. One day the mirror in her room starts shining... when she approaches it she is transported into a castle, open 9-5 every weekday, where she meets 6 fellow school children. The queen of the castle is the young Wolf Queen, who gives them a mission - find a key and a Wishing Room for one person's wish to come true - and enigmatic clues. We follow the group as they try to piece things together, find the key, and figure out why the seven of them were called to the castle. 

It was a lovely, lovely story - somehow I found the ending lacking a little bit, but I enjoyed the pace of the book, following the various characters and their struggles with school (often because of bullying, but other factors also come into play) and the writing - clean, uncluttered but poetic and full of compassion for the characters.

I really struggled with this which was a shame as I normally love Japanese novels. This was a young adult book which looks at the dynamics between a group of teenagers who for varying reasons ave left the school system and are isolated in their own worlds. They all meet when they access a castle when they step through their mirrors.
Despite this promising premise there seems such a pre-occupation with the correct way of addressing each other, and analysis as to why they use some forms of reference over others. I feel I don't know about the intricacies of Japanese culture to know why this is so important. Perhaps this was a translation issue but I just couldn't get into it enough to care about the characters.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a book my Japanese friend mentioned to me a couple of months ago. She's not a big reader, but she said she liked this one, so when I saw it available for request on NetGalley, I knew I had to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. This is an amazing, imaginative work that also tackles deep issues of mental health among schoolchildren in Japan. The story and characters captivated me from start to finish, and there were plenty of twists and turns along the way. This is a book I think it would be interesting to reread, to see if I pick up any additional clues earlier in the story, now that I know the eventual outcome. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary Japanese literature as well as readers interested in thoughtful, sensitive novels featuring deeper topics and social commentary.

Kokoro, Fuka, Masamune, Subaru, Aki, Ureshino and Rion are truants who find themselves transported to a grand castle, like one would find in a fairy tale, via their own shining mirror. Upon arrival they are greeted by the Wolf Queen, a young well-dressed girl who can disappear as quickly as she appears and is never without her wolf mask. Why are they at the castle? The aim is simple, whoever finds the key to The Wishing Room will be given the chance to make a wish, but of course not everything is as it seems... Their visits to the castle are defined by strict rules that must be adhered to and the consequences for those who dare to stray are unthinkable. 

I will start by saying that I have not read anything like this before and wasn't too sure what to expect but wow, this really was a pleasant surprise.

For me, this was a slow burner, keeping you hooked throughout before a truly brilliant ending. I enjoyed the development of the characters throughout as we learn more about the individuals, their struggles and exactly how they found themselves out of school and at the castle. Mental Health and bullying is a strong theme throughout and I feel that Tsujimura has done a wonderful job conveying this throughout the book. 

Now, for the ending. Without any spoilers all I can say is I cried! So cleverly written, I honestly did not expect this ending and the epilogue was the perfect finishing touch to tie everything together. Upon reflection there are so many little details that I am remembering and linking to events in the story.

I will definitely be looking out for this one to hit the shelves as it is a book that I would love to have in my collection and for my teenage sisters to read.

I usually really enjoy Japanese literature, no matter how weird, but this one didn't quite do it for me. I think, having read the notes in the back, that this has been a hit in Japan because it's pretty groundbreaking in the way it tackles teenage mental health issues. I think one of the things that made it difficult for me to warm to is that it is extremely specific to a certain set of conditions and cultural and social norms in Japan which simply aren't translatable here. Lots of details about the characters worries about the right names and characters for their names and causing offence, for example, or the status symbols that classify their places in teenage society. I was able to get the general gist of it, but it didn't pack the punch it probably does in the original text and country of origin.

I think this is more of a young adult book than it is a book for adults. Almost everybody can relate to the things Tsujimura is writing about (bullying, stress, anxiety, etc) and remember what it was like in high school, but the way this book is written and the characters' voices will probably appeal more to young people. Tsjujimura  is explaining things too much, even when they are pretty obvious, which I often found annoying.  All in all, just an okay book for me.
Thank you Doubleday and Netglley for the ARC.

At several points during my reading of Lonely Castle in the Mirror, I was reminded of that wonderful line from C.S Lewis’s letter to his god-daughter: “Someday, you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” Whilst YA readers will find much to appreciate in Mizuki Tsujimura’s exquisite novel, I suspect that its many riches will be even more resonant for those coming to it from a farther perspective. Part magical realism, part social allegory, this is a story that is both apposite for our times and yet also, in its wise nuances, curiously timeless.

The comparisons with Lewis come not only in form, but also in premise. In Tsujimura’s novel, Teenager Kokoro has effectively become both a school refuser and a recluse after a particularly isolating encounter with the resident “mean girl” at her junior high. With a largely absent father, it is left to her well-meaning but emotionally distant mother to pick up the pieces, a task inhibited, it seems, by her inability or unwillingness to face her daughter’s status as a social outsider. When Kokoro discovers a parallel reality through the mirror in her bedroom, however, it begins a journey of self-discovery in tandem with six other like-minded teenagers, all of whom have their own stories to reveal over the course of events.

The Castle that they find within their own respective mirrors offers both sanctuary and reflection, overseen by the setting’s mysterious and anonymised host; a young girl known only as the Wolf Queen. The characters’ task at the castle is simple: to discover a  hidden key that will unlock a single wish for one of them during their intermittent one-year stay. It is a delicious premise, but one that in masterful hands has the potential to become elevated to the truly philosophical. It is no surprise that Tsujimura, whose narrative trademark is the often messy lives of young adults, is able to achieve this, resulting in something both incredibly moving and profound.

Whilst the reader remains mostly invested in Kokoro’s journey, the novel’s supporting cast deftly and convincingly contribute to its milieu of adolescent subculture, replete with its totems of computer games, rebellious behaviours, sexual discovery and questions of identity and belonging. These tropes, well worn as they are in the realms of YA fiction, nonetheless achieve a freshness when cast within the magical context of a fable, resulting in a story that cleverly echoes adolescence itself in its thin psychic line between childhood and adulthood. Characters are often seen suspended in their desire to regress to the ease of their younger selves and/or hurry forward to a time beyond the torture of their schooldays. “It’s only school” one tangential character remarks towards the end of the novel, capturing both the simple truth and the complex reality of their present existence where, trapped in the moment, time takes on a static, painful quality that seems unending.

As the novel unfolds it’s no surprise to learn that the “answer” to their task lies in a life lesson rather than a simple solution; one which will take the entirety of the story to fully appreciate. Whilst the “twist” was not unexpected, both its logic and its devastating pathos more than made up for this, including an epilogue which will move all but the hardest of hearts.

Already a national bestseller in its native Japan, the text receives a beautifully subdued English interpretation from the incredible Philip Gabriel, a former department chair at Arizona University’s department of East Asian Studies and one of the major translators of the novelist Haruki Murakami. Gabriel skillfully resists the temptation to intellectualise the prose, and many readers, unfamiliar with the particular sensibility of East Asian literature may find the novel initially difficult to engage with because of this. The language is both stark and unadorned, and frequently littered with the exclamations and idiosyncrasies that give the Japanese language its peculiar flavour, especially in dialogue. The result of this simplicity, however, is to throw the depth of the story’s messaging into even greater relief, not unlike the traditional fairy tales (The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen) which it frequently references.

Similarly, readers expecting a fast-moving narrative may be put off by the languorous pace of the novel which doesn’t truly pick up until well after the three quarters mark. Its lack here, however, is more than made up for in both its beautifully observed characterisation and the nuances of its telling, and there is a particular delight in picking up the various clues to the mystery along the way. As the Wolf Queen says, everything is there to find if you look for it. Indeed, my only pleasure in finishing the book was in the anticipation of reading it again for things I had missed on the first pass.

I genuinely think I will struggle to find a novel I enjoy more in 2021. My thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers Penguin Random House for the privilege of the ARC in return for an honest review.

Content warning for brief explorations of sexual abuse and suicide.

'Lonely Castle in the Mirror' is a book that rewards the patient. 

Anyone who remembers experiencing isolation at school, or at least a sense of feeling profoundly different to classmates, will connect with protagonist Kokoro. When the mirror in her room becomes a portal to a castle and a quest, she's able to escape her prison-like reality. Still, this isn't a fantasy novel, and in a way it isn't magical realism either - the castle itself is very unmagical; the other children who find themselves there are even able to find plug outlets to power their game consoles. 

It's a quirky kind of novel, you could say.

In a way, despite its length, I think this novel will appeal to younger readers more than older ones. It really does painfully and skilfully capture adolescent angst, confusion, and insecurity. The fluidity of group friendships. I found my attention waning for a large chunk of the story, but towards the end the story "matures" - deeper secrets are revealed, and the resolution is unexpected, yet satisfying.

A tender novel, though one that certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea.

4.5*

Seven children have been selected by the mysterious Wolf Queen to come to the castle in the mirror and search for the key to the Wishing Room. Any wish will be granted to the one who finds it… but there is something they don’t know yet – the wish fulfilment will come at a price. 

I really loved the premise of this story, but I did find it hard to get into. For me, it was around page 87 when things started falling into place. The story explores that abuse can have many forms, giving rise to an emotion that can stay buried deep inside and affect all aspects of a person’s life. The castle is Kokoro’s “safe refuge”, which she, nonetheless, avoids at first due to personal trauma. It is also a kind of a social club and a therapist’s office without a therapist but a wolf lurking somewhere inside. The seven of them have been brought there for a reason, and they have more in common than they realise. 

What I found somewhat frustrating is how the whole plot is based on miscommunication. I liked the story still. It is smart, well-thought-out, magical. But it seemed that everything could have been solved so easily had they actually talked through certain, obvious things. 

The things that made me reconsider my final rating a couple of times: 

-	The description of the book is misleading. I cannot point out all the things that don’t match with the narrative because of spoilers, however, I don’t recall there being “watchful portraits” and “winding stairways”. 
-	There is also, what I believe to be, a major spoiler in the description.  
-	I don’t think it has that many similarities with Convenience Store Woman, if any. Kokoro does visit a convenience store once, but that has nothing to do with Sayaka Murata’s novel. The main characters may be considered somewhat similar personality-wise, but that is still quite a big stretch. 
-	Ninety percent of the book reads like children’s fiction. Which is perfectly fine, but the book is labelled as general fiction (adult). I feel like it has more in common with Spirited Away or When Marnie Was There, or one of Yasutaka Tsutsui’s novels (can’t say which one because may be a spoiler). 
-	In the first part of the book, some scenes are confusing or hard to follow, especially with the dialogue, it is not always clear who’s talking and at some instances, the characters’ speech seems to contradict what has been said earlier. 

A certain plot twist has been obvious even though there are some insistent attempts to lead the reader in a different direction. But I found it appropriate and a satisfying step to resolution. In the end, everything ties up together beautifully.

I love Japanese fiction, but unfortunately I found that this one read as a bit more juvenile than I was hoping. The writing was a bit awkward sometimes, and I found that it got tiring very quickly reading about the various mundane goings-on of the very young characters in the novel.

3 ½ stars

“The only place she could now go to freely from her bedroom was the castle. If I'm in the castle, she started to think, then I'll be safe. Only the castle beyond the mirror could offer her complete protection.”


Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a heartfelt slice of life novel with a magical twist. Personally, I don't think that this novel has much in common with Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman...while I understand that yes, they both are authored by Japanese women and yes, they both are concerned with mental health but story and style wise the two have nothing in common. Lonely Castle in the Mirror is closer to the work of Ghibli (more When Marnie Was There than Spirited Away) or anime such as AnoHana or Orange.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is told by third-person narrator that primarily focuses on Kokoro, who is in seventh grade (first year of junior high). Kokoro, however, no longer attends school. The prospect of going to her class fills her with such unease that she often experiences anxiety-induced stomach aches. She's unwilling to 'confess' to her mother the reason why she stopped going to school and spends her days at home, trying and failing not to think about her classmates. One day she notices a weird light emanating from within her mirror and finds herself transported into a castle that seems to belong in a faerie tale. Kokoro, alongside six other children/teenagers, has been selected by the Wolf Queen (whose appearance is that of small girl wearing a wolf mask) who informs them that within the castle is a key and whoever finds it will be granted a wish. The magical castle has opening hours and if they fail to leave by 5pm they will be eaten by wolves. The castle will be available to them for a year, until the end of March (school years in Japan go from April to March).

While this summary makes this story sound like a fantastical adventure, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is more of a character-driven story that just happens to take place in a magical castle. Kokoro and the other students spend most of their time playing games and slowly getting to know each other. For the majority of the novel they do not seem overly interested by the promise of a 'wish', nor are they worried by the possibility of being eaten by wolves. The castle becomes their playroom, a safe space in which they do not have to think about their home-lives. Although they differ in age they are all in junior high. While they realise immediately that they have all stopped going to school, they do not often broach this topic.
Overtime however they get to know each other. There are a few disagreements now and again, and their bond with each another is not always an easy or drama free one. Still, in spite of their different background and interests they do begin to view their time together as an escape from their intolerable 'reality'.

While Mizuki Tsujimura touches upon sobering topics—such as bullying, domestic and sexual abuse—these do not weigh down her narrative. When discussions around these subjects crop up the author demonstrates great sensitivity and empathy. The friendship that blossoms between Kokoro and the others makes for some tender scenes. The 'revelation' behind the castle and the reason why they were chosen will probably were not all that 'surprising'. Still, even if readers know more than Kokoro or the other characters, this will probably not detract any enjoyment from their reading experience (the story has a lot to offer without those final 'twists').
While I understand why the narrative mainly stuck to Kokoro, part of me wished that the story could have also focused on the other characters.
Tsujimura certainly captures the anxiety and fear that many feel at the prospect of going to school. When I dropped out of high school I felt much of what Kokoro was feeling.

“School was everything to her, and both going and not going had been excruciating. She couldn't consider it only school.”


Although the castle lies inside of a mirror, it did not feel all that magical. There are very few descriptions about the way it looks, and I think that the story would have benefited from having a more vividly rendered setting. And, maybe I would have liked the story even more if there had been more fantastical elements (the Wolf Queen makes an appearance now and again but other than that the castle is very much like an ordinary playroom). Towards the end the story definitely has more of a fantasy feel and really reminded of a Ghibli film.
Overall, I did enjoy this novel. I think Tsujimura's narrative succeeds in being both gentle and emotional. She allows time for her characters to develop and learn to get to know and care for each other. Kokoro, in particular, is given a satisfying character arc.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a novel about friendship, realistic issues (such as bullying), self-acceptance with some magical undertones.

As a huge fan of Sayaka Murata, I had to reach for a book with THIS cover which mentions Convenience Store Woman as a reference point in the blurb.

I think my favorite thing about this book is the raw and honest look an anxiety as part of everyone's lives. This book explores what happens when seven teenagers too anxious to do anything find a portal which takes them to a different and better world. The author describes teenagers with severe anxiety, most importantly due to bullying at school, which is heartbreaking but very real. Notably, the book takes a close look at Kokoro, a bullied middle schooler who wants to live like everyone else but the crippling anxiety is too much to even go out in the public. It is Kokoro who we witness going though the portal and finding 6 other kinds in a castle.

And in the castle, the group is tasked with finding a hidden key which will allow its finder one wish, after which the castle will disappear and all will return to normal.

I loved the magical realism, the competition, the struggle, the outside vs. inside, the characters, and of course THE ENDING. That ending alone is worth reading this book for.

As someone also struggling with anxiety and panic, this book brought me some calm and feeling that I'm not alone. It's a wonderful escape from a reality, just like that portal was for these kids. The setting in Japan was an additional bonus, as it added even more to this positive feeling of escape. I loved this story and can't wait to read more from this author,

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

"Lonely Castle in the Mirror", what comes to your mind when you read this title? 
This book will surprise you, its not what you'd expect. 

It has themes of Magic Realism, Fairytales  , juxtapositional with social issues like Bullying, loneliness, elementary and middle school related societal issues that might tug at your heart at times. 

When I started the book I was compelled to re check the title of the book again as I felt its a Juvenile fiction and made me highly dubious if I should be READING IT OR GIVE IT TO MY PRETEEN NEICES and NEPHEWS? 

But, I don't give up easily especially not on MY BOOKS, SO WHAT IF ITS A 500 + pages long book? 
For some reason this book could not touch me , although I was so intrigued to start reading it , unfazed with the length of the book. 

But there were some good things that I felt while reading this, first its a UNIQUE READ, great characters , it reminded me of the good old days where we used to read books like SECRET SEVEN and FAMOUS FIVE.  

If you want to read something UNIQUE and heartfelt pick this one. I was glad to come across this one of a kind Japanese fiction book and oh also, LOVED THE BOOK COVER. 

#LonelyCastleInTheMirror #NetGalley