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jfield351's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I read this from the 4th-6th of Feb, as part of the Dymocks challenge for book in translation. This was a beautiful book, and like nothing i’ve read before. It was originally written in Japanese and has been translated into english, so sometimes there were extra phrases clarifying cultural cues. It was also such an easy read! Though the chapters are very long, I didn’t feel like I was reading, but more like watching a movie. I will definitely read this book again. The characters were so lifelike, very very well developed. They are so real and portray that age group (13-16 years) very well. There are lots of struggles with mental health, which is so real and devastating to read about. In the beginning I was wondering if certain things would be explained, like why there were baths and sinks but no water , or if it would just be about the growing up of the characters. But no, all but one thing ( why the wolf girl was able to do magic ) was explained!! There were actually 3 twists in the book which I was not expecting whatsoever! I had no idea what the ending would be like, if they’d find the key and what wish would they make, but the ending surprised me and was beautiful. It did keep flashing to the past and the present in the same sentence though, which I found a little hard to understand. I also cringed when there was mention of the adult/minor relationship , because it was so lifelike and disturbing. I would call this book a soft fantasy rather than hard fantasy, the latter of which i usually prefer, but this was so good. there was a random part in the middle of the book, which was also the prologue, and I feel it made no sense being where it was. The alternate ending where all the X’s were graveyards was so freaky, that last chapter was so tense and just wow! also the triple twist really made me stunned! because i thought it was also a parallel world, so finding out it was a different time zone was so wonderful. i guessed that someone might be another ones parent or something, but Aki being the teacher was unexpected and so lovely. it really tied it together beautifully. And finally, Rion’s sister being the wolf girl was a tragic yet beautiful ending, a sister just wanting one last wish for her brother. Also the concept of having the dollhouse be the castle, i’d subconsciously guessed at just because I’ve watched a Doctor Who episode like it, was really cool and tied up all the last plot holes. I don’t understand where she got that magic from, but i’ll accept it. i also don’t get why they couldn’t be in last 5pm? why were they eaten by the wolf? because it was time for her to sleep? . anyways it was beautiful, i’d love to read it again. wonderful story!
After a few weeks I have decided to up it to 5 stars. such a beautiful and clever book.
After a few weeks I have decided to up it to 5 stars. such a beautiful and clever book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
ladybluerose's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Terminal illness
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship
remainsofabook's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a page-turner and an enjoyable read for me. Definitely takes awhile for the story to build up but it felt suspenseful. Tsujimura wrote the book to highlight the mental health and bullying issues in Japan which are reflected in the characters, the anxiety and problems they had to face in reality. The castle in the mirror is their escape. I absolutely love the ending, though some parts were predictable. It was heart wrenching yet bittersweet and hopeful. Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a simple and quick read, it's very YA-ish but has very descriptive writing. I could see this being adapted into a film.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse
wherethebooksgo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief