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Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Seven students find unusual common ground in this warm, puzzle-like Japanese bestseller laced with gentle fantasy and compassionate insight.
Bullied to the point of dropping out of school, Kokoro's days blur together as she hides in her bedroom, unable to face her family or friends. As she spirals into despair, her mirror begins to shine; with a touch, Kokoro is pulled from her lonely life into a resplendent, bizarre fairytale castle guarded by a strange girl in a wolf mask. Six other students have been brought to the castle, and soon this marvelous refuge becomes their playground.
The castle has a hidden room that can grant a single wish, but there are rules to be followed, and breaking them will have dire consequences. As Kokoro and her new acquaintances spend more time in their new sanctuary, they begin to unlock the castle's secrets and, tentatively, each other's.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a mesmerizing, heart-warming novel about the unexpected rewards of embracing human connection.
Bullied to the point of dropping out of school, Kokoro's days blur together as she hides in her bedroom, unable to face her family or friends. As she spirals into despair, her mirror begins to shine; with a touch, Kokoro is pulled from her lonely life into a resplendent, bizarre fairytale castle guarded by a strange girl in a wolf mask. Six other students have been brought to the castle, and soon this marvelous refuge becomes their playground.
The castle has a hidden room that can grant a single wish, but there are rules to be followed, and breaking them will have dire consequences. As Kokoro and her new acquaintances spend more time in their new sanctuary, they begin to unlock the castle's secrets and, tentatively, each other's.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a mesmerizing, heart-warming novel about the unexpected rewards of embracing human connection.
360 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2017
About the author
Mizuki Tsujimura
91 books493 followersAssociated Names:
* Mizuki Tsujimura
* 辻村深月 (Japanese)
Tsujimura is an award-winning novelist, she is best known for her mystery and children novels. She studied at Chiba University and won the Naoki Prize in 2012 for Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru (I Saw a Dream Without a Key), and in 2018 she won the Japan Booksellers' Award for her novel Kagami no Kojo (Solitary castle in the mirror).
Japanese name 辻村 深月
* Mizuki Tsujimura
* 辻村深月 (Japanese)
Tsujimura is an award-winning novelist, she is best known for her mystery and children novels. She studied at Chiba University and won the Naoki Prize in 2012 for Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru (I Saw a Dream Without a Key), and in 2018 she won the Japan Booksellers' Award for her novel Kagami no Kojo (Solitary castle in the mirror).
Japanese name 辻村 深月
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,852 reviews
March 29, 2022
A lovely story about mental health, the struggles of adolescence, and being there for one another. The last 1/3 of the book with all the character and plot developments was the best part. While the writing didn’t resonate with me personally, I still really dig it when storylines piece together in a smart way and things that are meant to be finally click in place.
August 17, 2021
5/5stars
This was honestly perfect, I wouldn't change a single thing about it. Absolutely a new favorite book ever.
This was honestly perfect, I wouldn't change a single thing about it. Absolutely a new favorite book ever.
February 7, 2023
To było TAK DOBRE! Niedługo wrzucę coś więcej na jej temat.
---
Od jakiegoś czasu walczę z poczuciem, że czytanie to dla mnie czynność nieco mechaniczna. Czytam książki w pracy, do pracy, pracuję ze słowami i wszystkim, co składa się na powstanie książki. Czytam też dla przyjemności, ale przez ciągłe obcowanie z tematem „książka”, bywa to męczące, co wiąże się z tym, że moje oczekiwania względem niektórych powieści są wysokie. Zawsze marzy mi się, że podczas lektury zapomnę, że coś czytam. I będę w jakimś świecie. Cały. Tak się zdarzyło po raz pierwszy od dawien dawna, przy czytaniu „Lonely Castle in the Mirror” Mizuki Tsujimury i jestem za to cholernie wdzięczny.
To historia o siódemce nastolatków, które są nieco wyobcowane. Ich lustra zaczynają świecić i zapraszają do wyimaginowanego świata, w którym stoi Samotny Zamek. A w nim? Wilcza Królowa. Można skojarzyć, że mamy tutaj nawiązanie do baśni Andersena. I to słuszne — odniesień jest mnóstwo, co stanowi jakoby trzon tej fabuły. Zadaniem bohaterów jest odnalezienie klucza, który pozwoli im wejść do Pokoju Życzeń. Ale! Jedna z zasad jest taka, że tylko jedno z nich będzie mogło spełnić życzenie. Czy zaczną zatem ze sobą walczyć, czy współpracować? Oto jest pytanie. Komu najbardziej zależy na spełnieniu marzenia? Następna zasada jest prosta: trzeba opuścić zamek przed daną godziną, inaczej zostaniesz zjedzonx przez Wilka. I wszyscy poniosą konsekwencje.
Poza małą rozgrywką i poszukiwaniami, to przede wszystkim historia o przyjaźni, o pokonywaniu lęków i o komunikowaniu się ze sobą. Tsujimura buduje opowieść tak, że niemożliwym jest nie przywiązanie się do bohaterów. Pokazuje ich perspektywy, mimo że narrację prowadzi z pozycji jednej dziewczynki — Kokoro. Spięła tę książkę tak, że wszystko tutaj ma sens. Wszystko jest ze sobą powiązane i splecione, a ostatnie strony zostawiają osobę czytającą ze łzami w oczach. Tak przynamniej było w moim przypadku. Autorka porusza też kwestie dręczenia i hejtu w szkole, co jest dużym aspektem „Lonely Castle…”, jak i kwestią, o której dyskutuje się w Japonii. Tam książka stała się absolutnym bestsellerem. I nie dziwię się. Powstał nawet film na jej podstawie.
Utożsamiałem się z tym, co tutaj się działo. Mocno. Wciąż nie opuściłem Samotnego Zamku. I chyba nigdy nie opuszczę. To było coś tak pięknego, że słów mi nie starczy, żeby opisać jak się czuję. Polecam Wam gorąco. Być może kiedyś wyjdzie po polsku.
POLECAM!
---
Od jakiegoś czasu walczę z poczuciem, że czytanie to dla mnie czynność nieco mechaniczna. Czytam książki w pracy, do pracy, pracuję ze słowami i wszystkim, co składa się na powstanie książki. Czytam też dla przyjemności, ale przez ciągłe obcowanie z tematem „książka”, bywa to męczące, co wiąże się z tym, że moje oczekiwania względem niektórych powieści są wysokie. Zawsze marzy mi się, że podczas lektury zapomnę, że coś czytam. I będę w jakimś świecie. Cały. Tak się zdarzyło po raz pierwszy od dawien dawna, przy czytaniu „Lonely Castle in the Mirror” Mizuki Tsujimury i jestem za to cholernie wdzięczny.
To historia o siódemce nastolatków, które są nieco wyobcowane. Ich lustra zaczynają świecić i zapraszają do wyimaginowanego świata, w którym stoi Samotny Zamek. A w nim? Wilcza Królowa. Można skojarzyć, że mamy tutaj nawiązanie do baśni Andersena. I to słuszne — odniesień jest mnóstwo, co stanowi jakoby trzon tej fabuły. Zadaniem bohaterów jest odnalezienie klucza, który pozwoli im wejść do Pokoju Życzeń. Ale! Jedna z zasad jest taka, że tylko jedno z nich będzie mogło spełnić życzenie. Czy zaczną zatem ze sobą walczyć, czy współpracować? Oto jest pytanie. Komu najbardziej zależy na spełnieniu marzenia? Następna zasada jest prosta: trzeba opuścić zamek przed daną godziną, inaczej zostaniesz zjedzonx przez Wilka. I wszyscy poniosą konsekwencje.
Poza małą rozgrywką i poszukiwaniami, to przede wszystkim historia o przyjaźni, o pokonywaniu lęków i o komunikowaniu się ze sobą. Tsujimura buduje opowieść tak, że niemożliwym jest nie przywiązanie się do bohaterów. Pokazuje ich perspektywy, mimo że narrację prowadzi z pozycji jednej dziewczynki — Kokoro. Spięła tę książkę tak, że wszystko tutaj ma sens. Wszystko jest ze sobą powiązane i splecione, a ostatnie strony zostawiają osobę czytającą ze łzami w oczach. Tak przynamniej było w moim przypadku. Autorka porusza też kwestie dręczenia i hejtu w szkole, co jest dużym aspektem „Lonely Castle…”, jak i kwestią, o której dyskutuje się w Japonii. Tam książka stała się absolutnym bestsellerem. I nie dziwię się. Powstał nawet film na jej podstawie.
Utożsamiałem się z tym, co tutaj się działo. Mocno. Wciąż nie opuściłem Samotnego Zamku. I chyba nigdy nie opuszczę. To było coś tak pięknego, że słów mi nie starczy, żeby opisać jak się czuję. Polecam Wam gorąco. Być może kiedyś wyjdzie po polsku.
POLECAM!
August 2, 2021
:,)
i react to my first read of this book and schedule an immediate tattoo appointment to honor its pages here: https://youtu.be/0Kt1xN7f1zw
i react to my first read of this book and schedule an immediate tattoo appointment to honor its pages here: https://youtu.be/0Kt1xN7f1zw
July 15, 2023
“How awesome it would be if one of them spotted her, and she could introduce them to her mother as ‘my friend’.“
I CRIED YALL. There are few books that i can claim i full-on bawled while reading that I couldn’t see the pages anymore…. but this is one of them.
The story is built around these children that find that they can enter their mirrors and be transported to a place with a castle. However, there are rules entering this place because of course, something like that can’t last forever.
This is the kind of portal magic/magical realism that leaves a lot to be explained and focuses a lot more on the characters themselves. It is in that Japanese style of writing that is a little straight to the point and sometimes the writing felt off but I feel that has to do more with the translation than the actual writing since this was originally written in Japanese. Don't get me wrong though because i did love the writing aside from the pacing, it made the story feel that much more raw and real, that you cannot help but see either parts of you or your friends in them. That’s how it was for me at least.
I do have reservations about some parts of the story and how it all ties together but in the end, the character developments and relationships just hit a little deeper than I thought it did… that I couldn’t help but feel the emotions by the end. I buddy read this and we both agree that, no matter how slow u initially find it, u get to a certain point in this book and just cannot help but marathon it to the end.
My favorite part is how the story so successfully highlights the unique friendship built over friends you meet when you are “young” and are just starting to figure out your place in the world. Part of the characters interactions, as they are mostly middle school aged, is how complicated these friendships can be to navigate at times but also the unlikely friends and memories you make when you’re “forced” to spend a certain amount of time with people in school (or some place else 👀).
I also found out that the author wrote this book because of the lack of mental health rep/discussion in Japan and so mental health topics (especially of children) are very prominent in this story— which is something I really loved. I probably should mention that there are trigger warnings for child abuse and bullying but they aren’t explicit nor graphic.
It truly is a little too perfect for people who love magical realism animes like Makato Shinkai’s Your Name. This felt very nostalgic to me and reminded me a lot of being back in grade school/ high school. It’s not that long of a story but it certainly is the kind that sticks with you for a while. The longer the time I’ve spent away from this book, the more my appreciation for it grows. And I feel that’s one of the best things about finding a good book that resonates within you.
— 4.25 —
⇢ content warnings// Anxiety, Bullying, Child Abuse (not explicit), Depression
// buddy reading with Kacie finally <3
Read
April 18, 2022i am not doing well folks
October 10, 2022
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a touching magical realism story about mental health and friendships.
The thought of returning to school makes Kokoro sick to her stomach. One day when she’s lounging at home, she suddenly looks up at her mirror and notices it is glowing. She presses her hand to it, and the next instant, she’s in a castle straight out of a fairytale, greeted by a young girl in a pink lace-trim dress wearing a wolf’s mask.
This Wolf Queen informs Kokoro and the other six group members that they will have nearly a year to hunt for a key to unlock the Wishing Room. The one who finds it will be allowed to enter and have their wish granted. The castle is open from 9-5; if anyone overstays their visit, they’ll promptly be eaten by a wolf.
This character-driven novel follows Kokoro’s perspective. It’s split into a month per chapter in the lead-up to their deadline. I think young adult and adult readers would both enjoy this novel. It touches on the effects of bullying and abuse.
Knowing the terms the Wolf Queen set out, I thought there would be more scenes of the teens actively searching for the key, but there were not that many.
There were some odd phrases that I initially thought were due to the translation, but they made a lot more sense by the end.
I’ve seen this book floating around for a while and pre-ordered it almost a year ago, but the publication date kept getting pushed back in Canada. So, when I saw it on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. And I’m so glad I did. This book is so cozy and feels like its own fairytale.
If more of this author’s works become translated, I will most definitely read them.
Thank you to Erewhon Books for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
The thought of returning to school makes Kokoro sick to her stomach. One day when she’s lounging at home, she suddenly looks up at her mirror and notices it is glowing. She presses her hand to it, and the next instant, she’s in a castle straight out of a fairytale, greeted by a young girl in a pink lace-trim dress wearing a wolf’s mask.
This Wolf Queen informs Kokoro and the other six group members that they will have nearly a year to hunt for a key to unlock the Wishing Room. The one who finds it will be allowed to enter and have their wish granted. The castle is open from 9-5; if anyone overstays their visit, they’ll promptly be eaten by a wolf.
This character-driven novel follows Kokoro’s perspective. It’s split into a month per chapter in the lead-up to their deadline. I think young adult and adult readers would both enjoy this novel. It touches on the effects of bullying and abuse.
Knowing the terms the Wolf Queen set out, I thought there would be more scenes of the teens actively searching for the key, but there were not that many.
There were some odd phrases that I initially thought were due to the translation, but they made a lot more sense by the end.
I’ve seen this book floating around for a while and pre-ordered it almost a year ago, but the publication date kept getting pushed back in Canada. So, when I saw it on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. And I’m so glad I did. This book is so cozy and feels like its own fairytale.
If more of this author’s works become translated, I will most definitely read them.
Thank you to Erewhon Books for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
January 2, 2023
My first book of the year, and perhaps the greatest book I have ever read.
There is something about little Kokoro that speaks to little Sivan - I don’t think words could begin to depict the feeling of tightness in my chest, but I am so touched. I would usually finish a book like this in a matter of hours, but I’ve tried to prolong it as long as physically possible despite wanting to read on so badly !!!
A bunch of children all together, all troubled, all scared with only each other to rely on - there’s such a quaint sense of melancholy intertwined into every page that is so impactful. The book is over, but I don’t think these feelings will leave me for a very long time.
This book explores mental health so delicately, and it describes it in such an intimate way that I’ve never really come across before. I loved it, I loved it so so SO MUCH and it’s times like this I wish I was more articulate, to throughly explain to you all how incredible this was
This is my new favourite book. I will always cherish this story, I mean that sincerely
There is something about little Kokoro that speaks to little Sivan - I don’t think words could begin to depict the feeling of tightness in my chest, but I am so touched. I would usually finish a book like this in a matter of hours, but I’ve tried to prolong it as long as physically possible despite wanting to read on so badly !!!
A bunch of children all together, all troubled, all scared with only each other to rely on - there’s such a quaint sense of melancholy intertwined into every page that is so impactful. The book is over, but I don’t think these feelings will leave me for a very long time.
This book explores mental health so delicately, and it describes it in such an intimate way that I’ve never really come across before. I loved it, I loved it so so SO MUCH and it’s times like this I wish I was more articulate, to throughly explain to you all how incredible this was
This is my new favourite book. I will always cherish this story, I mean that sincerely
October 25, 2022
I love this book very much.
Simple story but educational.
I admire the creativity of the author to create this story.
You will like this book too.
Simple story but educational.
I admire the creativity of the author to create this story.
You will like this book too.
September 20, 2018
I'm just going to say it: I fucking cried.
I just finished reading this book and I'm honestly at a loss of what to write. The ending hit me in the back of the head with no warning because it was NOT what I expected at all. Frick. I feel sad. It's honestly a beautiful way to end this story, but damn. Tsujimura, just. AAAAHH. The ending is so good. It's sooo good.
Basic premise is you have a first year middle schooler named Kokoro Anzai who, after her first month in school, is no longer capable of going back due to bullying. She even fears going outside because her bullies (or more like bullY - there's the ring leader who hates Kokoro's guts purely because she's jealous or going through her own shit in life and wants a easy target to go after, yeah fuck her) are after her and even go as far as to HER HOUSE to further harass her. It gets to the point Kokoro is literally scared she will die and hence why she cannot bring herself to go outside unless she is with an adult. She hyperventilates when she is alone in public. Her parents don't know the reason why she refuses to go to school, and they are at a loss of what to do. They sometimes get frustrated when Kokoro makes excuses like, oh my stomach hurts, just so she can avoid going to school. Even having Kokoro attend a "free school", which is where students who cannot attend school regularly go to, doesn't help. Kokoro does what she can to avoid going, but it's not because she enjoys staying home 24/7.
Kokoro wants to be normal like everyone else, but she can't overcome this intense fear of being bullied. One day, while she's home on a school day just like usual, and her parents are at work, the mirror in her room lights up suddenly. Surprised, she walks closer to the beam of light radiating from it, and she then gets transported into a completely different world. Before her is a castle and a little girl dressed in frills with a wolf mask. Frightened as all hell, she runs away back to her own world, but curiosity got the best of her and she decided to return back the next morning through the mirror in her room. There she meets 6 other middle schoolers just like her, with their own personal problems, and they are to be part of this "game" where they have from April of the current year to the following March 30th to find the key to a hidden room in this lone castle that connects to the mirror in their home. There are rules they have to absolutely abide to, because if they do not, not only do one "player" gets killed, but they all do. (The castle is open to them via their mirror from 9am-5pm JST and they are allowed to go in and out as they wish, but they must leave by 5pm or face a death penalty. Easy right? Sure, so long as....). There can be only one winner. Whoever opens the door to the hidden room will have any wish granted. Kokoro's wish? To have her bully killed so she can finally live her life in peace.
In the beginning, the fantasy element was kind of weird because the story starts out with Kokoro's turmoil of not being able to go to school because of her social phobia generated by the bullying at school. Then all of a sudden, *magic*. Seemed random and out of no where, and yes I knew there was a fantasy element to this story judging from the cover illustration, but still. When you're first reading the story, it doesn't seem that way at all.
Aside from the amazing ending and hella plot twist, this book's biggest highlights were a) the mystery and how it left you guessing for majority of the book and just when you thought you had the answer, HAHA NOT EVEN b) the character themselves. You know a lot about Kokoro because hello, you're reading this in her pov, but you are introduced to 6 other main characters and in the beginning you know nothing about them. You don't know what they are saying is true or not and you just gotta roll with what ya got. Later on you find out, oh what A said about himself is actually not true, huuuuh. However, people say all sorts of shit to other people for whatever reason, so I liked how that was added because fact: some people lie.
The characters truly make this story, and each and every one of them have their own story and struggles and fears and hopes. It was nice piecing the puzzle together to make sense of their behaviors, statements, and opinions. They all have their own hurdles to face in the "outside" world but at least here in this "solitary castle" they have each other and it's just. It's utterly fantastic seeing these group of kids go from awkwardness to arguments to understanding to appreciation to close friends. What they built wasn't easy but they built it over time to create this strong, unwavering bond. They are all so different from each other: the cliche of jocks, musician, gamer, reader, prep, etc but in the end, they become inseparable. Think Breakfast Club... it's so heartwarming.
Despite what I said above, this book was far from perfect throughout. Some parts not related to fantasy, like Kokoro's home life, just didn't seem realistic at all. Some situations - either with Kokoro or the other kids - seemed absurd or out of place. The scenes in the end were both slow at certain places then ridiculously fast in other places and it didn't have that smooth transition as I would have liked. By the end I was thankful for the fast pace to be honest. Some characters were fleshed out more than others: I know a lot about Fuuka but I feel hella unsatisfied with how Subaru's and Masamune's background stories were written (and they are my favorite characters along with Rion). I wished Tsujimura equally wrote about the other 6 kids, instead of giving one kid more screen time than the other. It was aggravating and even after finishing, I still have questions about some of the kids :/
Regardless of my feels of what annoyed me about this book, and feeling somewhat unsatisfied while reading this, when I reached the last ~180 pages - baby. That's when shit got serious. I feel both satisfied and sad at the ending. What convinced me to buy this book in the first place was because someone from twitter, who seemingly had balls of steel apparently, actually bawled her eyes out after reading this. She just kept tweeting and tweeting and eventually I was like GOD DAMN WOMAN OK I GET IT and I ended up getting my own copy.
I did not bawl my eyes out.
But I teared up quite often throughout this book.
Then I reached the end.
And. And I.
I got punched in the feels.
I did more than "teared up" but I just want to say I did not BAWL!
I cried........ that I did.
Mainly because of the plot twist and the sadness I got from it.
AAAH SUCH A GOOD ENDING.
Now I'm going to have to find fanfics of my favorite pairings because um. I NEEDS.
Yeah, pick this book up. Usually I read BL novels but sometimes I read non-BL too and this was a nice change. I wanted feels, I got feels. I definitely see this becoming an anime in the future. If anything, read it for the ending. If there's ever a doujin/side story/sequel to this can someone pleeease let me know?? T___T
Until the next time!
I just finished reading this book and I'm honestly at a loss of what to write. The ending hit me in the back of the head with no warning because it was NOT what I expected at all. Frick. I feel sad. It's honestly a beautiful way to end this story, but damn. Tsujimura, just. AAAAHH. The ending is so good. It's sooo good.
Basic premise is you have a first year middle schooler named Kokoro Anzai who, after her first month in school, is no longer capable of going back due to bullying. She even fears going outside because her bullies (or more like bullY - there's the ring leader who hates Kokoro's guts purely because she's jealous or going through her own shit in life and wants a easy target to go after, yeah fuck her) are after her and even go as far as to HER HOUSE to further harass her. It gets to the point Kokoro is literally scared she will die and hence why she cannot bring herself to go outside unless she is with an adult. She hyperventilates when she is alone in public. Her parents don't know the reason why she refuses to go to school, and they are at a loss of what to do. They sometimes get frustrated when Kokoro makes excuses like, oh my stomach hurts, just so she can avoid going to school. Even having Kokoro attend a "free school", which is where students who cannot attend school regularly go to, doesn't help. Kokoro does what she can to avoid going, but it's not because she enjoys staying home 24/7.
Kokoro wants to be normal like everyone else, but she can't overcome this intense fear of being bullied. One day, while she's home on a school day just like usual, and her parents are at work, the mirror in her room lights up suddenly. Surprised, she walks closer to the beam of light radiating from it, and she then gets transported into a completely different world. Before her is a castle and a little girl dressed in frills with a wolf mask. Frightened as all hell, she runs away back to her own world, but curiosity got the best of her and she decided to return back the next morning through the mirror in her room. There she meets 6 other middle schoolers just like her, with their own personal problems, and they are to be part of this "game" where they have from April of the current year to the following March 30th to find the key to a hidden room in this lone castle that connects to the mirror in their home. There are rules they have to absolutely abide to, because if they do not, not only do one "player" gets killed, but they all do. (The castle is open to them via their mirror from 9am-5pm JST and they are allowed to go in and out as they wish, but they must leave by 5pm or face a death penalty. Easy right? Sure, so long as....). There can be only one winner. Whoever opens the door to the hidden room will have any wish granted. Kokoro's wish? To have her bully killed so she can finally live her life in peace.
In the beginning, the fantasy element was kind of weird because the story starts out with Kokoro's turmoil of not being able to go to school because of her social phobia generated by the bullying at school. Then all of a sudden, *magic*. Seemed random and out of no where, and yes I knew there was a fantasy element to this story judging from the cover illustration, but still. When you're first reading the story, it doesn't seem that way at all.
Aside from the amazing ending and hella plot twist, this book's biggest highlights were a) the mystery and how it left you guessing for majority of the book and just when you thought you had the answer, HAHA NOT EVEN b) the character themselves. You know a lot about Kokoro because hello, you're reading this in her pov, but you are introduced to 6 other main characters and in the beginning you know nothing about them. You don't know what they are saying is true or not and you just gotta roll with what ya got. Later on you find out, oh what A said about himself is actually not true, huuuuh. However, people say all sorts of shit to other people for whatever reason, so I liked how that was added because fact: some people lie.
The characters truly make this story, and each and every one of them have their own story and struggles and fears and hopes. It was nice piecing the puzzle together to make sense of their behaviors, statements, and opinions. They all have their own hurdles to face in the "outside" world but at least here in this "solitary castle" they have each other and it's just. It's utterly fantastic seeing these group of kids go from awkwardness to arguments to understanding to appreciation to close friends. What they built wasn't easy but they built it over time to create this strong, unwavering bond. They are all so different from each other: the cliche of jocks, musician, gamer, reader, prep, etc but in the end, they become inseparable. Think Breakfast Club... it's so heartwarming.
Despite what I said above, this book was far from perfect throughout. Some parts not related to fantasy, like Kokoro's home life, just didn't seem realistic at all. Some situations - either with Kokoro or the other kids - seemed absurd or out of place. The scenes in the end were both slow at certain places then ridiculously fast in other places and it didn't have that smooth transition as I would have liked. By the end I was thankful for the fast pace to be honest. Some characters were fleshed out more than others: I know a lot about Fuuka but I feel hella unsatisfied with how Subaru's and Masamune's background stories were written (and they are my favorite characters along with Rion). I wished Tsujimura equally wrote about the other 6 kids, instead of giving one kid more screen time than the other. It was aggravating and even after finishing, I still have questions about some of the kids :/
Regardless of my feels of what annoyed me about this book, and feeling somewhat unsatisfied while reading this, when I reached the last ~180 pages - baby. That's when shit got serious. I feel both satisfied and sad at the ending. What convinced me to buy this book in the first place was because someone from twitter, who seemingly had balls of steel apparently, actually bawled her eyes out after reading this. She just kept tweeting and tweeting and eventually I was like GOD DAMN WOMAN OK I GET IT and I ended up getting my own copy.
I did not bawl my eyes out.
But I teared up quite often throughout this book.
Then I reached the end.
And. And I.
I got punched in the feels.
I did more than "teared up" but I just want to say I did not BAWL!
I cried........ that I did.
Mainly because of the plot twist and the sadness I got from it.
AAAH SUCH A GOOD ENDING.
Now I'm going to have to find fanfics of my favorite pairings because um. I NEEDS.
Yeah, pick this book up. Usually I read BL novels but sometimes I read non-BL too and this was a nice change. I wanted feels, I got feels. I definitely see this becoming an anime in the future. If anything, read it for the ending. If there's ever a doujin/side story/sequel to this can someone pleeease let me know?? T___T
Until the next time!
February 17, 2022
Don't believe that catchy book blurb. It promises us the fantastic journey at the castle and the quest for 7 children to find the Wish Key. Sounds interesting, right?
However, what these kids actually do are just playing games and sipping the tea from nine to five. The fragile bond between them and the lack of the plot development bored the hell out of me. I was so frustrated with the two-thirds of the book that when the plot twist and sci-fi action finally occurred, I didn't even care anymore, just skimming with the hope that the end would get better.
The messages about the social bullying, which could substantially improve the overall story, haven't been well delivered because I didn't feel anything at all.
However, what these kids actually do are just playing games and sipping the tea from nine to five. The fragile bond between them and the lack of the plot development bored the hell out of me. I was so frustrated with the two-thirds of the book that when the plot twist and sci-fi action finally occurred, I didn't even care anymore, just skimming with the hope that the end would get better.
The messages about the social bullying, which could substantially improve the overall story, haven't been well delivered because I didn't feel anything at all.
November 5, 2022
This book split me into two halves.
One part of me is clinging onto Lonely Castle in the Mirror as if it were a treasure that I found buried in the sand on a beach, glimmering the same way shells do when they are hit by the sunlight in just the right way. This half of me is overjoyed at the fact that I found something that feels so intricately mine - and also a little protective, not quite ready to share my discovery with the rest of the world.
But the other part of me looks at this book and is at a complete loss for words, because how is it possible that the entire human race isn't collectively losing its mind about Lonely Castle in the Mirror right now? It feels like an anomaly, like a glitch in the Matrix or maybe like a flaw stitched into the very code of the universe that somehow not everyone knows about Kokoro and her adventure inside the castle in the mirror.
This book swept me away like few things only really manage to do, drawing me into its world without constraint or mercy, until I entirely forgot I was reading someone else's story and not living through part of my own. These characters became my dearest companions and the castle became my respite, a place where I could put my mind at ease, at least for the span of a few hundred pages.
Coming out of this story, I returned to a world that feels a little more dreary, a little less colorful, a little bit wrong. Kind of like when you return from a really good vacation and remember that Oh, right, this is my life, I guess.
There is an irrefutable lack of something in my heart, a space that will always be empty - or maybe full? - of memories I spent with people and places that only really exist inside of my mind. But, after all, aren't those the books that leave the biggest impressions of us? The ones that leave us full and empty at the same time? The ones that we never really forget, not really?
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is one of my favorite books I've read this year. And I'm not sure whether I was able to articulate exactly why I love it so much, but that is okay. Because it feels like something I want to keep secret for just a little longer, anyways.
One part of me is clinging onto Lonely Castle in the Mirror as if it were a treasure that I found buried in the sand on a beach, glimmering the same way shells do when they are hit by the sunlight in just the right way. This half of me is overjoyed at the fact that I found something that feels so intricately mine - and also a little protective, not quite ready to share my discovery with the rest of the world.
But the other part of me looks at this book and is at a complete loss for words, because how is it possible that the entire human race isn't collectively losing its mind about Lonely Castle in the Mirror right now? It feels like an anomaly, like a glitch in the Matrix or maybe like a flaw stitched into the very code of the universe that somehow not everyone knows about Kokoro and her adventure inside the castle in the mirror.
This book swept me away like few things only really manage to do, drawing me into its world without constraint or mercy, until I entirely forgot I was reading someone else's story and not living through part of my own. These characters became my dearest companions and the castle became my respite, a place where I could put my mind at ease, at least for the span of a few hundred pages.
Coming out of this story, I returned to a world that feels a little more dreary, a little less colorful, a little bit wrong. Kind of like when you return from a really good vacation and remember that Oh, right, this is my life, I guess.
There is an irrefutable lack of something in my heart, a space that will always be empty - or maybe full? - of memories I spent with people and places that only really exist inside of my mind. But, after all, aren't those the books that leave the biggest impressions of us? The ones that leave us full and empty at the same time? The ones that we never really forget, not really?
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is one of my favorite books I've read this year. And I'm not sure whether I was able to articulate exactly why I love it so much, but that is okay. Because it feels like something I want to keep secret for just a little longer, anyways.
March 30, 2024
꒰ 𖦹 ⊹˚. 1st re-read.
⤿ 30 / 03 / 2024.
"your gender is what's in your pants" my gender is lonely castle in the mirror (hardcover) ISBN 9780857527271 by mizuki tsujimura thank yew
⤿ 30 / 03 / 2024.
"your gender is what's in your pants" my gender is lonely castle in the mirror (hardcover) ISBN 9780857527271 by mizuki tsujimura thank yew
Want to read
July 2, 2024ok title!
January 9, 2023
An award-winning bestseller in Japan, Mizuki Tsujimura has also been adapted as an anime movie “Kagami no Kojō.” Tsujimura’s fantasy builds on the experiences of the many children in Japan who've stopped attending school because of the trauma and alienation associated with bullying. School refusal or "futoko" has also led to a number of young people adopting a "hikkomori" lifestyle, basically shut-ins hidden away from the stresses of the outside world. Tsjuimura’s novel centres on Kokoro closeted away at home after being singled out for abuse by a group of girls at her school in the Tokyo suburbs. One day she gains entry into a magical world, where she and six other children find themselves in a mysterious castle presided over by the sinister wolf-girl. What Kokoro and the others have in common is a fear of returning to their schools.
Tsjumura’s narrative draws on myths and tropes from fairy tales from Grimms' to Hans Christian Andersen’s to explore loneliness and the possibility of making connections. The atmosphere in the castle and the growing bonds between the seven children as they play and talk also resembles a magical, imagined version of Japan’s growing number of free schools. These were set up as alternatives to the rigid mainstream system, intended as informal spaces with a focus on community and individual pupil’s interests and desires. As Kokoro and her fellow castle visitors begin to socialise they find themselves developing new ways of thinking about their lives and past traumas – sharing in a manner that’s very similar to the form encouraged as part of the free school project.
It’s a simply told, surprisingly direct story despite numerous unexpected twists and turns. I liked the concept behind the work, and Kokoro’s a very sympathetic heroine, but the style’s stilted at times, and the plot didn’t entirely work for me. I also found the ending a little too forced and sentimental. So mixed feelings about this one, worth reading but didn’t live up to its initial promise. Translated by Philip Gabriel.
Thanks to Edelweiss plus and publisher Erewhon for an ARC
Rating: 2.5/3
Tsjumura’s narrative draws on myths and tropes from fairy tales from Grimms' to Hans Christian Andersen’s to explore loneliness and the possibility of making connections. The atmosphere in the castle and the growing bonds between the seven children as they play and talk also resembles a magical, imagined version of Japan’s growing number of free schools. These were set up as alternatives to the rigid mainstream system, intended as informal spaces with a focus on community and individual pupil’s interests and desires. As Kokoro and her fellow castle visitors begin to socialise they find themselves developing new ways of thinking about their lives and past traumas – sharing in a manner that’s very similar to the form encouraged as part of the free school project.
It’s a simply told, surprisingly direct story despite numerous unexpected twists and turns. I liked the concept behind the work, and Kokoro’s a very sympathetic heroine, but the style’s stilted at times, and the plot didn’t entirely work for me. I also found the ending a little too forced and sentimental. So mixed feelings about this one, worth reading but didn’t live up to its initial promise. Translated by Philip Gabriel.
Thanks to Edelweiss plus and publisher Erewhon for an ARC
Rating: 2.5/3
June 5, 2021
“We’ll fight this. It might be a long battle, but let’s fight it.”
I couldn’t really find time to read in the past few weeks as I was caught up with other things (and procrastination) but yesterday I thought to myself “don’t you even have 10 minutes you can spare just to read, to escape this world for awhile?” And so here I am writing my thoughts after having finished reading a 355 page book in two days (10 minutes turned into hours). My heart feels so empty and I really didn’t want the story to end but it was such a page turner so I just couldn’t stop reading it. I love how this story revolved around friendship and mental health being since these topics are very important for everyone and are often forgotten about… There are many fairy tale elements in the story and a portal to another world where the castle is, wich made everything even more magical. I can definitely imagine this story to be adapted int a movie someday (at least I hope that my imagination will come true). So for those of you who like Ghibli movies, Your name and also books with a bit of magic inside like before the coffee gets cold you might fall in love with this one too.
The story is about 7 students who are avoiding to go to school due to personal problems and somehow end up meeting each other in the castle through the mirror in their rooms. They get an offer to find a key but the first person to find the key will have a wish granted. However, the moment the key is found, the castle will be closed and all of their memories will be erased forever. I didn’t expect that it would make me cry but I did and I am already missing the characters a looooot and just wish for their happiness. Seeing all of their stories and them trying their best to overcome their battles gave me so much strength and hope. Mental health is soooo so important and the author did such a great job portraying it. The book deals with severe anxiety, bullying, harassment, pressure, death and loss but is still a very heart warming and healing book that will be in my favourites forever. I loved every single page end especially seeing how all of them started healing and connecting with each other made me more than happy. The lonely castle in the mirror is a book filled with an amazing plot, a beautiful story of friendship, feelings, lots of twists and character developments.
In conclusion, I loved reading this book with my whole heart and am suggesting you to read it wholeheartedly as well.
I couldn’t really find time to read in the past few weeks as I was caught up with other things (and procrastination) but yesterday I thought to myself “don’t you even have 10 minutes you can spare just to read, to escape this world for awhile?” And so here I am writing my thoughts after having finished reading a 355 page book in two days (10 minutes turned into hours). My heart feels so empty and I really didn’t want the story to end but it was such a page turner so I just couldn’t stop reading it. I love how this story revolved around friendship and mental health being since these topics are very important for everyone and are often forgotten about… There are many fairy tale elements in the story and a portal to another world where the castle is, wich made everything even more magical. I can definitely imagine this story to be adapted int a movie someday (at least I hope that my imagination will come true). So for those of you who like Ghibli movies, Your name and also books with a bit of magic inside like before the coffee gets cold you might fall in love with this one too.
The story is about 7 students who are avoiding to go to school due to personal problems and somehow end up meeting each other in the castle through the mirror in their rooms. They get an offer to find a key but the first person to find the key will have a wish granted. However, the moment the key is found, the castle will be closed and all of their memories will be erased forever. I didn’t expect that it would make me cry but I did and I am already missing the characters a looooot and just wish for their happiness. Seeing all of their stories and them trying their best to overcome their battles gave me so much strength and hope. Mental health is soooo so important and the author did such a great job portraying it. The book deals with severe anxiety, bullying, harassment, pressure, death and loss but is still a very heart warming and healing book that will be in my favourites forever. I loved every single page end especially seeing how all of them started healing and connecting with each other made me more than happy. The lonely castle in the mirror is a book filled with an amazing plot, a beautiful story of friendship, feelings, lots of twists and character developments.
In conclusion, I loved reading this book with my whole heart and am suggesting you to read it wholeheartedly as well.
January 24, 2022
2.5* rounded down for, in my humble opinion, one of the most poorly structured narratives I’ve read in a while. Very very very little happens until the final 70 of this book’s 355 pages. You’re bored and depressed and want to give up, and in my case have figured out the “mystery” in spite of the meagre and mixed up clues, and then finally! Pathos! Empathy is evoked!
This is a good story with an okay concept. It turns out to be a brilliant concept but frustratingly you only find that out in the last 15 pages when you’re already annoyed. The timing and pacing is so bizarre once I put it down I wasn’t inclined to pick it back up. It is important and touches on many serious issues around childhood trauma linked to loss, education and bullying but is so vague and cagey about these connections until the last minute. Surely it makes more sense to spread the details out across the whole book, to draw you in and make you care from the very start, and about all the characters not just Kokoro? So long is spent on her bad but not terribly complex situation, and world-building what is actually a quite simplistic fantasy concept instead of dealing with the matters at hand.
The ending is very touching, but it all comes far too late.
This is a good story with an okay concept. It turns out to be a brilliant concept but frustratingly you only find that out in the last 15 pages when you’re already annoyed. The timing and pacing is so bizarre once I put it down I wasn’t inclined to pick it back up. It is important and touches on many serious issues around childhood trauma linked to loss, education and bullying but is so vague and cagey about these connections until the last minute. Surely it makes more sense to spread the details out across the whole book, to draw you in and make you care from the very start, and about all the characters not just Kokoro? So long is spent on her bad but not terribly complex situation, and world-building what is actually a quite simplistic fantasy concept instead of dealing with the matters at hand.
The ending is very touching, but it all comes far too late.
May 1, 2024
𖥻 pre review.
5 devastating stars because this ruined my life. and yes, i did cry !! this is definitely one of those books that you feel instead of just read. please read this immediately !!
review to comeeee...
𖥻 pre read.
i'm ready to (hopefully) cry. rec from isoldatron who never shuts up about this book <33 manifesting 5 devastating stars 🕯🕯
5 devastating stars because this ruined my life. and yes, i did cry !! this is definitely one of those books that you feel instead of just read. please read this immediately !!
review to comeeee...
𖥻 pre read.
i'm ready to (hopefully) cry. rec from isoldatron who never shuts up about this book <33 manifesting 5 devastating stars 🕯🕯
August 27, 2021
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3 ½ stars
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 Breakfast Club by way of Ghibli (more When Marnie Was There than Spirited Away).
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.
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.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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 Breakfast Club by way of Ghibli (more When Marnie Was There than Spirited Away).
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.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2024
If you want to read a book that exudes Ghibli vibes, this is it. This book is a love letter to all the lonely kids who didn’t quite fit in and it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read - an instant favorite.
One day, the mirrors of 7 kids begin to shine and they are transported to a castle. There they are told by a Wolf Queen that they are welcome to the castle anytime they want for a year, but they are looking for a key which can grant one of them a wish. If one of them finds the key and spends the wish, the castle shuts down immediately and they all forget the castle and their time there. This is a story of resilient kids with some real anxieties and traumas creating the purest bonds.
One day, the mirrors of 7 kids begin to shine and they are transported to a castle. There they are told by a Wolf Queen that they are welcome to the castle anytime they want for a year, but they are looking for a key which can grant one of them a wish. If one of them finds the key and spends the wish, the castle shuts down immediately and they all forget the castle and their time there. This is a story of resilient kids with some real anxieties and traumas creating the purest bonds.
March 18, 2024
Cast your mind right back to your early teenage years … so now, what is the first thing that comes to mind about your school?
Did your thoughts go straight to your favourite subjects and the things or skills you learned? The teachers? Your best friend? The other kids? Team-mates, friends and school clubs? Day trips and school journeys? The dread of homework and exams? The long trudge through deep snow in Winter to the freezing classrooms where all the seats by the hot water pipes had already been claimed? (Sorry, that one’s mine!)
It’s likely that the other kids featured quite early in your thoughts. Even if you were home-schooled, you probably knew some other kids with whom you were expected to “get on”. Neighbours, relatives, visitors … and there were probably times when it wasn’t easy. Some people have memories of school which are so terrible that they push them aside, only half-remembering, and might feel uncomfortable even reading this. And for just a few, tragically they never get the chance to have bad memories, because life is so hard that suicide seems preferable.
Most of us don’t experience anything nearly so bad. Yet school lasts for so many years, with so many different encounters and situations, that we can all think of one or two which we wish had not happened. I carried my violin to and from school … and was a prime target for jeers and bullying from kids from other schools for a little while, until I was in a classroom where there was a piano, and my classmates “requested” me to play tunes they knew at lunchtimes. I was lucky; I felt included and appreciated. It even took me a while to recall this time. Others might have suffered the ignominy of regularly never being chosen for the team during sports lessons, and having to “be in reserve” or sit on the side. Or that of being a swot, and a “teacher’s pet”. Or perhaps you were one of the bullies, (shsssh!) and now do not like to think of it?
The publisher’s note after Lonely Castle in the Mirror tells us:
“According to a recent UNICEF report, Japanese children were ranked second-to-last in an international survey assessing children’s mental health across thirty-eight developed and emerging countries. While Japanese children were ranked first in physical health and often live in relatively prosperous economic circumstances, instances of bullying in schools, as well as difficult relationships with family members, lead to a lack of psychological well-being.”
In fact I’ve read another Japanese novel with bullying as the theme, Kawakami Mieko’s “Heaven” which was translated into English a little later, in 2021 (although I couldn’t bear to finish it, as it was so intense). Bullying is evidently a huge problem in Japan.
We see the world here through the eyes of a 12 year old girl, Kokoro. Kokoro is a middle school “freshman” at a Junior High school, and is in the 7th grade. The Japanese school system is evidently similar to the US school system, but the book is so clearly written that the unfamilarity of this, just as the precise naunces of honorifics, and unfamiliar national festivals and holidays, are easy to access by anyone like me, from another culture. (I’m English.) Kokoro has become reluctant and frightened to attend school, after getting bullied by her aggressive female peers. Despite her best efforts and feelings of desperation that she will not be believed, any reminder of school gives her a stomachache. Constant anxiety overwhelms her, and she might not even get out of bed. She remains mostly in her room.
We learn of a traumatic experience at school which leads to Kokoro hiding in her house, . Kokoro increasingly withdraws into herself, and finds herself unable to communicate with her parents and teachers.
“We’ll fight this,’ her mother said, her voice trembling. ‘It might be a long battle, but let’s fight it. Let’s do it, Kokoro.”
But despite her mother’s gentle encouragement, Kokoro becomes isolated from the world around her, developing agoraphobia. One concerned adult understands and says:
“You’re battling every single day, aren’t you?”
There’s no doubt that the teenage years can be awkward and painful for lonely kids who don’t fit in. This is Goodreads though, so perhaps this thought from Kokora on “fitting in” is more likely:
“She thought if she’d said she liked reading, the others would label her an introvert, so when several girls ahead of her said they liked karaoke, she copied them.”
And this?
“The musty smell that hit your nostrils whenever you ventured into the far corner of a tiny bookstore, the place where few people ever went. A smell she loved.”
You can tell from this that the book is written clearly, and it becomes evident when reading that it is geared towards a YA audience; perhaps 15 - 17 years of age. Having said that, it is the sort of book adults can also read and enjoy, especially if you like a dash of fantasy, or magical realism. The premise is pure fantasy, but most of what happens feels very real. It is character-driven; we engage fully with the characters and are rooting for them throughout.
And they really do all need someone to root for them. For it is not just about Kokoro, but about 6 other lonely young teenagers, all of whom have a problem with school. But a lonely castle? Well perhaps … there certainly is a castle, although we never see its situation. But each child is isolated for sure. And in each case their bedroom mirror is a portal to another world; a world in which to explore the fairytale castle, and meet others perhaps like them, perhaps different, but others who present no challenge and do not question them.
Just as Alice in a famous fantasy classic fell down a rabbit hole and discovered a Wonderland, and Lucy stumbled through a wardrobe and found Narnia, in Lonely Castle in the Mirror seven different children wake up at 9am one morning to find their mirrors glowing. When each of them puts their hand against the glass, they are pulled through to find a huge castle, which is nothing like their homes in Tokyo. In her neighbourhood, Kokoro can see:
“Houses just like the one she lived in; tall condos, apartment buildings that looked, from where she stood, like matchboxes. In the distance, she could catch the lights flickering in the supermarket.”
But the castle is just like the ones she reads about in European books of fairytales; a wondrous magical castle filled with a winding staircase, a huge clock, watchful portraits, and twinkling chandeliers. Each of them also has a private room of their own, filled with what they enjoy doing, as well as communal rooms where some can be together. It is a sanctuary, where they can be by themselves if they wish, or be with the others in a lounge. They can do just as they please; even play video games if they like, as electricity is laid on. Oddly, although it is beautifully furnished, there is no water or plumbing, so any food has to be brought in.
The castle is guarded by a wolf, and a little girl in a mask and an odd frilly costume explains the rules to them. She insists that they call her the “Wolf Queen”, and sets them a task. .
Along with Kokoro, we meet the other six children who have been whisked to the castle, and get to know them. All of them have stopped attending school, because of some sort of trauma in their family or among their peers. Hence they are at home, and are able to notice their mirrors glowing. .
The story is told from Kokoro’s point of view, and as her visits become more frequent, Kokoro gets to know the others: Fūka, Aki, Masamune, Ureshino, Rion, and Subaru. They are all very different, of slightly different ages, and from different family backgrounds. It soon becomes apparent to Kokoro, that each of the other children has had a similar experience, but all appear reluctant to divulge their story. There is a tacit agreement that nobody questions the others about what happened to make them avoid going to school. But we do gradually get to know snippets of their family circumstances, or how and when they were bullied. Poignantly we see that the children feel guilty for dropping out of school and missing classes, and worry that they are letting down their parents. The character affected always claims that it was not bullying, which is typical behaviour for many victims. We are even introduced to an alternative school for children who have dropped out of mainstream school. This apparently parallels the free schools which emerged in Japan in the 1980s, as a response to increasing truancy.
What is unique about the castle is that unlike other fantasy worlds, it is a safe haven for the young people, offering respite from the traumas of the outside world. They are being given physical space, every school day for a whole year, to enter the castle as they please, explore at their leisure, develop friendships, make connections, and slowly work through their trauma. I did feel Kokora’s real life became a little repetitive (although I’m not likely to forget what “bento” is now!) and would have preferred more of a fantasy feel. I was always keen to go back through the mirror!
However, the time allowed is always a threat hanging over everything.
“All we’ll have left are these memories. We won’t be able to help each other.”
and this lends a sense of urgency to the novel. There are also some dark themes underlying many of the stories, some tragedy, and we have a real sense of fear towards the bitter-sweet end.
Throughout, we see how the seven youngsters form connections, resolve difficulties, learn to communicate with each other, and navigate the nuances and complexities of friendship. There are shy exchanges of gifts and unreciprocated confessions of love; there is a little jealousy and fights, just as in any teenage group, with no adults there to mediate or interfere. It is only outside the castle, beyond the mirror and in the real world, that we observe the difficulties these characters truly have, navigating not only their peers but also their parents, other adults, and the limitations and rules of the school system. There are small acts of rebellion, . And it is by going through the portal of the glowing mirror in the castle which enables them to have autonomy, and the freedom to develop friendship skills and live as they please, and confront their anxieties and fears in their own way.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is an absorbing story, which will appeal to lovers of magical realism. It is a clever way for the author Mizuki Tsujimura to explore important social and personal issues; themes of emotional wellbeing and friendship lie at the heart of the novel. We read seven very diverse accounts of isolation, through believable engaging characters. Yet within the fantasy framework, it is internally consistent, with problems which feel very real.
The set-up poses several questions. We can pick up clues, which are carefully dropped so that we can piece together some of the jigsaw, but not the whole. I have not revealed any of these under the spoilers; those are there merely because many people do not like to know too much about the plot. The tension builds gradually, and we pick up various hints of what is to come. The ending is satisfying, and although I had worked out part of what was happening, at least two aspects of the ending were a complete surprise to me.
I felt the pacing was good, and my keen interest in what would happen to each child, what the castle actually was, and the reason for its existence kept my attention focused. I liked this book very much, and will miss Kokoro, Fūka, Aki, Masamune, Ureshino, Rion, and Subaru, whom I feel I have got to know. The story has heart, sensitivity, and an original (and almost unguessable) ending which derives from what has gone before, rather than being deux et machina. Despite everything, the tone remains optimistic and hopeful.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城) by Mizuki Tsujimura (辻村深月) was originally published in 2017, and became very popular. A manga adaptation was then serialised in 5 volumes between June 2019 to February 2022, and an anime film adaptation was released in Japan on December 23, 2022. It was translated into English by Philip Gabriela, who has also translated Haruki Murakami. “The Guardian” newpaper has called it “Strange and beautiful”.
As I read the book, it did occur to me that it would transfer well to manga or film, but I have strong mental images of the characters now, and prefer to stay with them.
“A hypothetical reality seemed preferable to present reality, and the more she fantasized about how great it would if certain things could come true, the more reality that world seemed to take on.”
Did your thoughts go straight to your favourite subjects and the things or skills you learned? The teachers? Your best friend? The other kids? Team-mates, friends and school clubs? Day trips and school journeys? The dread of homework and exams? The long trudge through deep snow in Winter to the freezing classrooms where all the seats by the hot water pipes had already been claimed? (Sorry, that one’s mine!)
It’s likely that the other kids featured quite early in your thoughts. Even if you were home-schooled, you probably knew some other kids with whom you were expected to “get on”. Neighbours, relatives, visitors … and there were probably times when it wasn’t easy. Some people have memories of school which are so terrible that they push them aside, only half-remembering, and might feel uncomfortable even reading this. And for just a few, tragically they never get the chance to have bad memories, because life is so hard that suicide seems preferable.
Most of us don’t experience anything nearly so bad. Yet school lasts for so many years, with so many different encounters and situations, that we can all think of one or two which we wish had not happened. I carried my violin to and from school … and was a prime target for jeers and bullying from kids from other schools for a little while, until I was in a classroom where there was a piano, and my classmates “requested” me to play tunes they knew at lunchtimes. I was lucky; I felt included and appreciated. It even took me a while to recall this time. Others might have suffered the ignominy of regularly never being chosen for the team during sports lessons, and having to “be in reserve” or sit on the side. Or that of being a swot, and a “teacher’s pet”. Or perhaps you were one of the bullies, (shsssh!) and now do not like to think of it?
The publisher’s note after Lonely Castle in the Mirror tells us:
“According to a recent UNICEF report, Japanese children were ranked second-to-last in an international survey assessing children’s mental health across thirty-eight developed and emerging countries. While Japanese children were ranked first in physical health and often live in relatively prosperous economic circumstances, instances of bullying in schools, as well as difficult relationships with family members, lead to a lack of psychological well-being.”
In fact I’ve read another Japanese novel with bullying as the theme, Kawakami Mieko’s “Heaven” which was translated into English a little later, in 2021 (although I couldn’t bear to finish it, as it was so intense). Bullying is evidently a huge problem in Japan.
We see the world here through the eyes of a 12 year old girl, Kokoro. Kokoro is a middle school “freshman” at a Junior High school, and is in the 7th grade. The Japanese school system is evidently similar to the US school system, but the book is so clearly written that the unfamilarity of this, just as the precise naunces of honorifics, and unfamiliar national festivals and holidays, are easy to access by anyone like me, from another culture. (I’m English.) Kokoro has become reluctant and frightened to attend school, after getting bullied by her aggressive female peers. Despite her best efforts and feelings of desperation that she will not be believed, any reminder of school gives her a stomachache. Constant anxiety overwhelms her, and she might not even get out of bed. She remains mostly in her room.
We learn of a traumatic experience at school which leads to Kokoro hiding in her house, . Kokoro increasingly withdraws into herself, and finds herself unable to communicate with her parents and teachers.
“We’ll fight this,’ her mother said, her voice trembling. ‘It might be a long battle, but let’s fight it. Let’s do it, Kokoro.”
But despite her mother’s gentle encouragement, Kokoro becomes isolated from the world around her, developing agoraphobia. One concerned adult understands and says:
“You’re battling every single day, aren’t you?”
There’s no doubt that the teenage years can be awkward and painful for lonely kids who don’t fit in. This is Goodreads though, so perhaps this thought from Kokora on “fitting in” is more likely:
“She thought if she’d said she liked reading, the others would label her an introvert, so when several girls ahead of her said they liked karaoke, she copied them.”
And this?
“The musty smell that hit your nostrils whenever you ventured into the far corner of a tiny bookstore, the place where few people ever went. A smell she loved.”
You can tell from this that the book is written clearly, and it becomes evident when reading that it is geared towards a YA audience; perhaps 15 - 17 years of age. Having said that, it is the sort of book adults can also read and enjoy, especially if you like a dash of fantasy, or magical realism. The premise is pure fantasy, but most of what happens feels very real. It is character-driven; we engage fully with the characters and are rooting for them throughout.
And they really do all need someone to root for them. For it is not just about Kokoro, but about 6 other lonely young teenagers, all of whom have a problem with school. But a lonely castle? Well perhaps … there certainly is a castle, although we never see its situation. But each child is isolated for sure. And in each case their bedroom mirror is a portal to another world; a world in which to explore the fairytale castle, and meet others perhaps like them, perhaps different, but others who present no challenge and do not question them.
Just as Alice in a famous fantasy classic fell down a rabbit hole and discovered a Wonderland, and Lucy stumbled through a wardrobe and found Narnia, in Lonely Castle in the Mirror seven different children wake up at 9am one morning to find their mirrors glowing. When each of them puts their hand against the glass, they are pulled through to find a huge castle, which is nothing like their homes in Tokyo. In her neighbourhood, Kokoro can see:
“Houses just like the one she lived in; tall condos, apartment buildings that looked, from where she stood, like matchboxes. In the distance, she could catch the lights flickering in the supermarket.”
But the castle is just like the ones she reads about in European books of fairytales; a wondrous magical castle filled with a winding staircase, a huge clock, watchful portraits, and twinkling chandeliers. Each of them also has a private room of their own, filled with what they enjoy doing, as well as communal rooms where some can be together. It is a sanctuary, where they can be by themselves if they wish, or be with the others in a lounge. They can do just as they please; even play video games if they like, as electricity is laid on. Oddly, although it is beautifully furnished, there is no water or plumbing, so any food has to be brought in.
The castle is guarded by a wolf, and a little girl in a mask and an odd frilly costume explains the rules to them. She insists that they call her the “Wolf Queen”, and sets them a task. .
Along with Kokoro, we meet the other six children who have been whisked to the castle, and get to know them. All of them have stopped attending school, because of some sort of trauma in their family or among their peers. Hence they are at home, and are able to notice their mirrors glowing. .
The story is told from Kokoro’s point of view, and as her visits become more frequent, Kokoro gets to know the others: Fūka, Aki, Masamune, Ureshino, Rion, and Subaru. They are all very different, of slightly different ages, and from different family backgrounds. It soon becomes apparent to Kokoro, that each of the other children has had a similar experience, but all appear reluctant to divulge their story. There is a tacit agreement that nobody questions the others about what happened to make them avoid going to school. But we do gradually get to know snippets of their family circumstances, or how and when they were bullied. Poignantly we see that the children feel guilty for dropping out of school and missing classes, and worry that they are letting down their parents. The character affected always claims that it was not bullying, which is typical behaviour for many victims. We are even introduced to an alternative school for children who have dropped out of mainstream school. This apparently parallels the free schools which emerged in Japan in the 1980s, as a response to increasing truancy.
What is unique about the castle is that unlike other fantasy worlds, it is a safe haven for the young people, offering respite from the traumas of the outside world. They are being given physical space, every school day for a whole year, to enter the castle as they please, explore at their leisure, develop friendships, make connections, and slowly work through their trauma. I did feel Kokora’s real life became a little repetitive (although I’m not likely to forget what “bento” is now!) and would have preferred more of a fantasy feel. I was always keen to go back through the mirror!
However, the time allowed is always a threat hanging over everything.
“All we’ll have left are these memories. We won’t be able to help each other.”
and this lends a sense of urgency to the novel. There are also some dark themes underlying many of the stories, some tragedy, and we have a real sense of fear towards the bitter-sweet end.
Throughout, we see how the seven youngsters form connections, resolve difficulties, learn to communicate with each other, and navigate the nuances and complexities of friendship. There are shy exchanges of gifts and unreciprocated confessions of love; there is a little jealousy and fights, just as in any teenage group, with no adults there to mediate or interfere. It is only outside the castle, beyond the mirror and in the real world, that we observe the difficulties these characters truly have, navigating not only their peers but also their parents, other adults, and the limitations and rules of the school system. There are small acts of rebellion, . And it is by going through the portal of the glowing mirror in the castle which enables them to have autonomy, and the freedom to develop friendship skills and live as they please, and confront their anxieties and fears in their own way.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is an absorbing story, which will appeal to lovers of magical realism. It is a clever way for the author Mizuki Tsujimura to explore important social and personal issues; themes of emotional wellbeing and friendship lie at the heart of the novel. We read seven very diverse accounts of isolation, through believable engaging characters. Yet within the fantasy framework, it is internally consistent, with problems which feel very real.
The set-up poses several questions. We can pick up clues, which are carefully dropped so that we can piece together some of the jigsaw, but not the whole. I have not revealed any of these under the spoilers; those are there merely because many people do not like to know too much about the plot. The tension builds gradually, and we pick up various hints of what is to come. The ending is satisfying, and although I had worked out part of what was happening, at least two aspects of the ending were a complete surprise to me.
I felt the pacing was good, and my keen interest in what would happen to each child, what the castle actually was, and the reason for its existence kept my attention focused. I liked this book very much, and will miss Kokoro, Fūka, Aki, Masamune, Ureshino, Rion, and Subaru, whom I feel I have got to know. The story has heart, sensitivity, and an original (and almost unguessable) ending which derives from what has gone before, rather than being deux et machina. Despite everything, the tone remains optimistic and hopeful.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城) by Mizuki Tsujimura (辻村深月) was originally published in 2017, and became very popular. A manga adaptation was then serialised in 5 volumes between June 2019 to February 2022, and an anime film adaptation was released in Japan on December 23, 2022. It was translated into English by Philip Gabriela, who has also translated Haruki Murakami. “The Guardian” newpaper has called it “Strange and beautiful”.
As I read the book, it did occur to me that it would transfer well to manga or film, but I have strong mental images of the characters now, and prefer to stay with them.
“A hypothetical reality seemed preferable to present reality, and the more she fantasized about how great it would if certain things could come true, the more reality that world seemed to take on.”
July 1, 2024
Acho que uns 3.75. Muito difícil de avaliar esse.
January 27, 2022
This was clever and very very touching...
Buildup was a little slow, but the last third was really breathlessly readable and emotional.
I loved all characters, I loved the structure, I loved reading it.
Buildup was a little slow, but the last third was really breathlessly readable and emotional.
I loved all characters, I loved the structure, I loved reading it.
Want to read
July 5, 2024
⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ pre-read!!
agghhh I’m so excited!! I’ve heard so many good things and the cover is gorgeous, wish me luck cuties:3🍀
let’s all collectively ignore me removing two books form my currently reading, just to pick up this book
agghhh I’m so excited!! I’ve heard so many good things and the cover is gorgeous, wish me luck cuties:3🍀
February 11, 2023
4.5****
This book had me sobbing at the end! The type of warm-hearted sobbing when things come together, the characters overcome their own barriers, and friendship and kindness.
I very much recommend this book!
This book focused on bullying and mental health, with magical realism thrown in. It was fantastic how the author described and dealt with these themes in a sensitive manner, as well as accurately describing how the symptoms and thoughts feel to the characters.
I was also shocked at the end note- I did not realise that mental health for school children/young adults was so very bad in Japan (that might be due to my own naivety).
This book had me sobbing at the end! The type of warm-hearted sobbing when things come together, the characters overcome their own barriers, and friendship and kindness.
I very much recommend this book!
This book focused on bullying and mental health, with magical realism thrown in. It was fantastic how the author described and dealt with these themes in a sensitive manner, as well as accurately describing how the symptoms and thoughts feel to the characters.
I was also shocked at the end note- I did not realise that mental health for school children/young adults was so very bad in Japan (that might be due to my own naivety).
February 10, 2023
To…to było coś. Aż zabrakło mi słów.
March 3, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/AeLtAKWgtNQ
think this would have been stronger as a novella! also found I didn't emotionally connect to the characters/storyline as much as other people seemed to.
think this would have been stronger as a novella! also found I didn't emotionally connect to the characters/storyline as much as other people seemed to.
November 17, 2023
4.5 — WHAT ABOUT MY MENTAL HEALTH MIZUKI TSUJIMURA?!
February 3, 2023
this was just ok, i have nothing else to add
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,852 reviews