Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

67 reviews

thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.75

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mashedpotatoandsaladcream's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

THE BITTERSWEET ENDING I NEED TO KNOW IF THEY ALL REMEMEREF THEIR MEMORIES DOES KOKORO REMEMBER THE YEAR OR DOES SHE JUST IMAGINE A DREAM OF RION TRANSFERRINF

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this is like a coming of age (?) book where seven lost (in more than one way) children are brought together to a land through their mirrors that provide an escape for their lives that have only been getting worse for them. loved the characters and how through the book you saw them truly develop and thrive in their choices and shows how just a little support can really go along way to fidning out the path they walk. it goes in discussions of mental health specifically in children. i had bene putting the book off due to whenever starting it i’d never really get into it?? but to me it really did just get interesting when these relationships began developing and i started getting emosh at times such as how kokoro and what happened at her house alone that day or what aki went through

did i read that the teacher that helps the later students through their problems was aki?? that is right rught?? if not then i completely read it wrong but i will in fact still be saying it was her

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the book is a respite for both the characters and the reader to imagine a world where you could just escape reality that leaves you isolated and anxiety ridden and all that jazz and you are just able to leave it all behind to hang around in a house w others who feel just like you. although the story promotes a lot of magical fantasies and a group of kids going on an adventure it truly is mroe a story of fidning a sense of belonging in a world that seems to go against you. if you read for the magical elements you’ll prolly be disapointed?? because other than the mirror and the wolf queen showing up a couple times it really doesn’t focus on the magic at all. some love that some don’t. so go at it ❤️

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

The pacing and writing style were difficult for me but it's an important, clever story. A slow starter with a good, portal fantasy hook and great payoff in the last third.

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bookishxintrovert's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

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vneusc's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lovely story about the hardships of adolescence shared by seven beaten down but hopeful youths with a dash of magical realism. despite crying, it did not particularly resonate with me. i really wish it did. regardless, i definitely enjoyed reading it and finally dragging myself out of my year long reading slump.

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shmus's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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sofiadanielle's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A good read, honestly. The story may seem slow in the first half of the book, and while that may make you want to quit it, I think the book as a whole is lovely.

The book doesn’t shy away from the effects of bullying in Japan, specifically, how other characters respond to the child being bullied (ranging from not taking it seriously to those who sincerely want to help.) The author’s note at the end makes a point that bullying, and children’s mental health should be focused on.

I wish I knew Japanese fluently, as to read this book in its original print, as the translation seems to lose some of the effect and emphasis of the story in its wording. Even despite these awkward moments, I still found myself thoroughly enthralled in the book.

Whimsy, in a way, and while marked as ‘young adult,’ I think the book is a lovely read, speaking as someone who is in their 20s and sometimes finds the YA genre to be a bit too ‘light’ or ‘childish’ at times. Lonely Castle in the Mirror feels substantial in its storyline and in the topic it covers, would definitely recommend :)

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bealmg's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

A heartbreaking story about the consequences of bullying, anxiety and trauma on young teens in Japan, a country where children and teens rank really low on mental health surveys. It serves as a cautionary tale in a way, but it also delivers a message of hope.
Although I struggled for tha majority of the book, the ending came together in a really satisfying way, with all the pieces of the puzzle joining each other neatly. However, the first 2/3 of the book were almost painfully slow and a bit repetitive. And although the clues eventually made sense, most of the time I felt a bit clueless as to where the story was going. I did like the growth each character went through as well as the way their relationships grew over time. But I was expecting, maybe due to the blurb or to the glowing reviews, a story with more fantastical elements, even if grounded in reality as this was.
The ending was beautifully written, so sad and heart-warming at the same time, and it was worth the wait, even if I struggled to get there.

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parasolcrafter's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

cant believe im just supposed to like be okay after reading this?? like im supposed to live as if this didnt touch my heart?? im a changed person!!! everything is about love and support and about being a better person even if its the hardest thing you can do. man....MAN

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parchmentdreams's review

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challenging emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The day was fast approaching, the key was still not found, and no wish had been granted. But Kokoro was fine about it. Memories were not the only thing she’d take away from here.

Overview

Lonely Castle In The Mirror is a character driven story of 7 junior high students that have chosen - for their own reasons - not to attend regular school. Some still attend classes, others barely leave their rooms. Our main character Kokoro, is one such student. After some traumatising clashes with her classmates soon after starting junior high, Kokoro barely leaves her room except to eat. When her mirror starts glowing one day, she touches it and is dragged into a castle ruled over by the Wolf Queen.

Kokoro and her 6 fellow students are given the opportunity to have one wish granted if they can find the Key to the Wishing Room, however they are only allowed to visit the castle between 9am and 5pm… and only one wish will be granted.

What I Liked

I really enjoyed the premise of Lonely Castle In The Mirror, and the development of the characters throughout the novel. Kokoro was a relatable and likeable character, and the group of “Little Red Riding Hoods” all had their own unique personalities and stories. I loved watching them all grow to trust and befriend each other, even though they struggled to find friends in their own realities.

What I Didn’t Like

The pacing of the novel was a bit off, it was slow for the first 60% then rushed through the end. This worked well with the plot and allowed for a large amount of character development, however it did tend to drag a bit over the first half.

Other Impressions

While I did guess some of the twists, the main one that I didn’t get was the identity of the Wolf Queen, and I was pleasantly surprised! I wasn’t expecting for us to actually see the Wolf Queen’s identity, and the girl behind the mask was surprising yet believable.

Overall I really enjoyed reading Lonely Castle In The Mirror and would rate it a 3.5/5. If you love reading about fairytales, friendships, and finding the courage to be yourself, then you’ll enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Content Tags

bullying, physical assault, sexual assault (mentioned), mental health, depression, anxiety, suicide (mentioned), violence, friendship, found family, mystery, absent parents, character death, hospitals

Content Warnings

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