Mizuki Tsujimura

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

かがみの孤城

- Half a million copies sold - Winner of the Japan Booksellers Award voted for by the booksellers across Japan - CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN with a fantasy twist, exploring mental health and anxiety issues in modern-day Japan. Seven students are avoiding going to school, hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends, until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers temporary escape from their stressful lives. Passing through a glowing mirror, they gather in a magnifcent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours. The students are tasked with locating a key, hidden somewhere in the castle, that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish. At this moment, the castle will vanish, along with all memories they may have of their adventure. If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon, they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle, an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen. Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth, LONELY CASTLE shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability. Readers love LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR: - Ms. Tsujimura often deals with important themes, but what I like is you're left with an upbeat feeling after you finish. - I shed some tears this time, too, at the end. - I got gooseflesh I don't know how many times as I read this - I couldn't stop crying at the ending and the epilogue. - I'd like my daughter to read this, and look forward to her thoughts. - Rare is the novel that is this sad, surprising, moving, and heart-warming. Shows how important it is when people reach out and help each other.

Angela Miramontes

If somebody manipulated your thoughts and feelings, would you still be the same person as before?

so so beautifully written i even teared up a few times just so beautiful and touching 

nina 

i love how gently it unfolds it doesn’t force drama. instead it gives space to each kid’s silence, fear, and hope. the castle feels like a dream, but the feelings are real. there’s a wish if they can find a hidden key but it’s not really about the wish it’s about how they slowly start to care for each other <3

fæ 

One of the best books I’ve read, it genuinely moved me 

angel

I absolutely loved how everything unfolded in this story. I loved the characters and their backstories and their complexity. 

This one will definitely sit with me for a while. 

Floofyflower

I absolutely loved how everything unfolded in this story. I loved the characters and their backstories and their complexity. 

This one will definitely sit with me for a while. 

abi a

to all the circumstances that led to my discovery of this book, THANK YOU. i needed to read this story. 

I didn't go into this with any expectations, but I just finished it and I don't know what to think (in a good way! I'm sort of dazed lmao). The book was such an odd combination of mundane and fantastic that didn't make any sense until the final few pages. But reading them, and realizing how everything falls into place, every little thing I hadn't realized was a clue- it's like a perfect little puzzle. I've heard comments about the first half, but I really liked the beginning. I actually enjoy that kind of world building and I didn't find it slow at all. The ending made me a little teary, I can't lie! It was unexpected, but it really had been right there the whole time. Lowkey surprised my professor assigned this book- I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did.  

miya

Sad and sweet. It left me irrationally wishing for an up-to-date reunion of the group.  

Kierce

In a tranquil neighborhood of Tokyo seven students are avoiding going to school – hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends – until the moment they find the mirrors in their bedrooms are shining. At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives into to a wondrous castle straight out of a Grimm’s fairy tale. This whimsical place, oddly lacking in food and running water but full of electrical sockets, is home to a petulant girl in a mask, named Wolf Queen and becomes their playground and refuge during school hours. Hidden within the walls they’re told is a key that will grant one wish, and a set of clues with which to find it. But there's a catch: the key must be found by the end of the school year and they must leave the premises by five o'clock each day or else suffer a fatal end. As time passes, a devastating truth emerges: only those brave enough to share their stories will be saved. And so they begin to unlock each other's stories: how a boy is showered with more gadgets than love; how another suffers a painful and unexplained rejection and how a girl lives in fear of her predatory stepfather. As they struggle to abide by the rules of the game, a moving story unfolds, of seven characters trapped in a cycle of misunderstanding and loneliness, who are ultimately set free by the power of friendship, empathy, and sacrifice. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability. At the heart of this tender, playful tale is a powerful message about the importance of reaching out which shows how with one kind act you can change your life for the better, and more importantly, you can change the lives of others.

Elizabeth 

World building is crazy. I originally gave it 3 stars bc it took me a while to get thru the first half of the novel but quickly changed to 4 when i got to the Third Semester. Fantastic, kept me on my toes the entire time.

** spoiler alert **
           My god. I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one. The book started out quite slow but I actually really enjoyed that. It took me a while but I eventually got really invested in the plot, there’s so many things getting revealed that you just can’t help but continue reading. 

The struggles these children have with their classmates, family, friends and especially school life is portrayed so well that I really felt for every single one of them and their issues. 

Towards the end things got a lot more fast-paced and emotional and I honestly really enjoyed the rollercoaster you’re put through as the reader. Even though I had a feeling there was more to the Wolf Queen and Rion, I never would’ve imagined that they were siblings, but I did think that the Wolf Queen was probably the one who was missing in their 7-year-lineup. It’s just plot twist after plot twist towards the end, and the revelation of Mrs. Kitajima being Aki honestly warmed my heart. 

Even though they did end up making the wish and losing their memories of the castle, I wasn’t disappointed by the ending at all, it made me truly happy and I loved reading about the strong bond these kids formed during their year together. Wonderful read.

Anna 

tohle byla ta nejkrásnější kniha, co jsem kdy četla.

Noha Zainal

This book is a journey that i didn't want to end, glad it got translated, thanks Phillip

- Half a million copies sold - Winner of the Japan Booksellers Award voted for by the booksellers across Japan - CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN with a fantasy twist, exploring emotional and anxiety issues in modern-day Japan. How will you help your friend if she doesn't want to be saved? In a neighbourhood in Tokyo, seven young people wake up to find the mirrors in their bedrooms are shining. Placing their palms on its surface, they are pulled through into another world, a wondrous castle, where they are surprised to encounter not only each other, but also a shrill young girl named Wolf Queen. Though they do not yet know it yet, they all have one thing in common. Eager to uncover the secrets of the castle while keeping their own, their time here will not be without glitches. For a start, they must leave by five o'clock each day or face a terrifying penalty; they must all hunt for a key which will grant only a single wish; they must tell noone about the castle, As they struggle to abide by the rules of the game and of each other's emotional boundaries, a powerful story unfolds, of seven characters trapped in a cycle of misunderstanding and loneliness, who are ultimately set free by the discovery of friendship, empathy, and sacrifice. . Brimming with warmth and generosity, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR is a deeply tender and uplifting novel for anyone touched by feelings of sadness and vulnerability. Readers love LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR: - Ms. Tsujimura often deals with important themes, but what I like is you're left with an upbeat feeling after you finish. - I shed some tears this time, too, at the end. - I got gooseflesh I don't know how many times as I read this - I couldn't stop crying at the ending and the epilogue. - I'd like my daughter to read this, and look forward to her thoughts. - Rare is the novel that is this sad, surprising, moving, and heart-warming. Shows how important it is when people reach out and help each other. .

Alex S

Um????? Nothing could prepare me for this. Please if you have any interest, just read it. You will be changed.

amazing, wonderful, so very heartwarming, and i love magical realism

amelo

A moving story about friendships and how connection matters. Very typical style of a translated Japanese novel, so it can at times feel a little stilted but I find that part of the charm. A wonderful book to spend time with. 

Giulia

maitha mana

I only rated it a 3.7 because of the writing style. This is the second Japanese book read in a row, and I think it's safe to say that I'm not too fond of the literary style. Too descriptive on details that didn't need to be mentioned, whereas important events are written hastly and in a matter of few lines at most.

I loved the magical elements of the book; the idea of parallel universes and looking for hints, I like the mystery it evokes. The description of the castle and the big wolf were my favorites, it kept the idea of suspense going. I can definitely see this adapted into a Studio Ghibli movie.

The most important topic that stood out to me was the mention of bullying, and the extremeties of it in Japan. This is the second book, again in a row, that mentions the severity of bullying, and how most teenagers choose to be homeschooled. There is also the heartbraking reality of suicide rates taken into account when reading the accounts of bullying; when fictional stories mirror our immediate reality.

I enjoyed the third half of the book; that was when things finally seemed to be moving at a regular pace with a turn of events. I definitely recommend this book for a refresher; the concept is definitely unique and is a pleasant and easy read.

Sieben einsame Teenager, die nicht mehr zur Schule gehen wollen, gelangen über ihre Spiegel in ein mysteriöses Schloss. Dort müssen sie den Schlüssel zu einem versteckten Raum finden, in dem allerdings nur einem von ihnen ein Wunsch erfüllt werden kann …

Eine bewegende Geschichte über Einsamkeit, Mobbing und psychische Gesundheit – und wie man gemeinsam Ängste überwindet.

Eine wahnsinnig gute Geschichte, die auch wichtige Themen, wie Mobbing, sexuelle Gewalt, seriös rüberbringt und ihre Ernsthaftigkeit nicht vernachlässigt. Die Story ist in sich so verkreuzt, dass man gar nicht mehr aufhören konnte weiter zu lesen! Selbst am Ende des Buches hat es an Spannung nicht nachgelassen und hat nochmal für ordentliche Neugier gesorgt.

Emma

gülsu

tears in my eyes as i write this oh my god????????? 

yaya

𓆨

i had a great time i literally love everything about this book the cover the characters the plot everything and it kinda challenged me sometimes i like that in a book, it's now one of my favourites!

Isabella 

LOVED IT SO MUCH . cried sobbed i didnt expect it to end this way i am GAGGED. not doing well. ONE OF MY FAV READS THIS YEAR.

- nanges
- speechless
- endless goosebumps
- melancholic and heartwrenching especially if you had a hard time at school 
- but also this book is such a soft warm hug, very reassuring and validating
- tulisan, penokohan, world building, pacing, plot twist semua A+++++++
- bagus banget pendekatan pembahasan isu bullying dan mental health remajanya
- beautiful beautiful beautiful
- makin mendekati akhir diri ini makin meronta-ronta ga mau bukunya abis huhu
- page turner abes, dua kali duduk langsung beres, sesi 1 hal. 1-50, sesi 2 hal 51-355 ga bisa berenti TT
- sekarang jam 2:40 tapi langsung kebelet pengen bikin review dikit karena huhuhu
- bagus banget tolongin
- nanges

I didn’t really enjoy the first 1/4 of the book because the fantasy element felt out of place and a lil cheesy but the rest of the book more than made up for it. might have teared up a bit

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It was so easy to read, I found myself getting pretty invested with the characters. It was an emotional read, just like almost every other Japanese books I read before. I read it without trying to guess the plot, which I think is the best way to tackle any form of media. And I was not disappointed at all with the ending! I love all the characters, they have depth even when they’re only children – but at the same time, they also remain childish and a couple of times, I thought to myself, “Why did they do this?” but then… they’re children. They’re not supposed to make perfect sense. I love how the book shifts our focus from one character to another in a very smooth manner. Lonely Castle in the Mirror is certainly a lovely book.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

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