A lovely read, but also a heavy one.

This book does an excellent job of portraying just how isolating any kind of abuse can be for the victim, and how difficult it is to talk about. The feelings of shame that the characters feel because they don't go to school lead them to hiding this fact, and the reason behind it, from each other. It isn't until much later that they begin to open up and share their stories, and that's when we really get to see the relationships shine.

The pacing of the last 30% is much faster than the rest of the book, which is mostly a slow discovery of the character dynamics, and Kokoro's specific circumstances. I enjoyed all of it, but I did like the final stretch a bit more, just because more was happening and we were finally finding out what was going on. There are enough hints sprinkled throughout that you can make a decent guess at what's happening before the cast catches on, but I definitely didn't guess all the twists.

Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, I have thoughts! Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura is an absolutely amazing blend of fantasy, psychological fiction, and mystery. No wonder it's a bestseller in Japan! The story revolves around Kokoro, who has stopped going to school. One day, she notices her mirror shining and enters a magical castle with six other students from Tokyo. There, a girl wearing a wolf mask tasks them with finding a magical key by the end of the year. Whoever of them succeeds will have their wish granted. Thus starts a year of highs and lows as the students get to know each other and become friends. But why were the seven of them chosen?

Here is a delightful excerpt from the first chapter:

"Beyond the drawn curtains floated the sound of the little truck from the local supermarket coming to sell produce. “It’s a Small World”—the song from Kokoro’s favorite ride at Disneyland—boomed from the large speaker on the back, reminding her of the world of laughter and hope that lay just outside her window. Ever since she could remember, it always played the same song.
It was abruptly cut off, and an announcement followed. “Hello everyone. This is the produce truck from Mikawa Market. We have fresh goods, dairy products, bread and rice for sale!”"

Overall, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is what would happen if Studio Ghibli decided to tell a much darker tale. It will appeal to fans of Sayaka Murata or Haruki Murakami. One highlight of this book is the intriguing premise. It feels like the start of a children's adventure, but let me assure you that it is much deeper and darker than a regular children's story. Another highlight of the story is how the author is able to balance both the magical world inside the mirror and the real world outside of the mirror. It's simply masterful.

One last highlight of this book are the many reveals that I wasn't expecting, including the tension-filled climax that had me on the edge of my seat. If you just read the synopsis, you would think that this is a fantasy adventure, but this book is so much more than that. The story evokes many real-world issues that real middle-schoolers deal with. In addition, when I read later that the author usually writes mysteries, it made sense. Small details that seem insignificant at first culminate into an extremely-well-thought out reveal later on. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of Japanese psychological fiction, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in August!