Reviews with content warning for Adult/minor relationship - Lonely Castle in the Mirror

I have one thing to say... Found Family.
Also Mental Health and Friendship.
Okay, that's three things.

This book CURED my book slump. I found the writing easy to follow, and the characters are easy to tell apart since they have distinct personalities.

Though, I feel as tho Rion isn't as developed as the rest of the characters. I suppose the Author hid some of his actions because of his relationship with the Wolf Queen. I still loved him, yes, but I would have wanted to see more of him.

On the tag of the book, it said that it was Slow-paced but I didn't particularly find it slow. I finished it in less than a day.

The ending of this book. omg. I did not FUCKING SEE THAT HOLY SHIT THE PLOT TWIST??!?! TO DIE FOOOOOR
THE ENDING WAS CRAFTED SO WELL I COULD HARDY SEE THE WORDS DUE TO ALL THE TEARS MWAH MWAH MWAH

I can't exactly rate this book yet since I feel that I'm not in the right mind to rate it yet. (in a book hangover due to all the crying I did) But I highly recommend this book. Especially If you're looking for escapism (so did they), and a friendship/Family to fall for.

+I recommend Listening to "Keep Holding on" From Glee in the Climax. (From the title of the song you should know I'm referring to), Also "Somewhere Only We Know" is Also from Glee (I just prefer the glee version, sue me).

Content Warnings

rhm04's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

Content Warnings

lavendl's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

jfield351's review against another edition

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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.

Content Warnings

athomehangel's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.

Tender, understanding and emotional, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a book that focuses on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of, along with the friendship among seven junior high students. It is set in contemporary Japan, though it largely takes place in the titular magical castle in the mirror realm where the Wolf Queen has brought the seven, giving them almost a year to find a key which will grant the finder one wish.

That said, it’s expected that the story moves at a slow pace. It’s a character-driven book and that may get boring for some, but for me, the characters more than made up for it. Every one of them has their own circumstances, hopes and personality, but the way they’re written—the kind way Kokoro (as the story is largely told in her 3rd person, limited perspective) views them, even when she’s being judgmental, makes it hard to dislike any of them. Combined with how we get to read their journey as they come out of their shells, befriend each other and overcome hurdles, it’s impossible to see them as just characters. They’re so human; I can’t help but feel strongly for them.

Moreover, it’s like they’re me and I’m them, and the similarities + tenderness makes me tear up. If you have anxiety, depression, been abandoned or neglected, frozen out by people you were once close to. If you’ve been bullied, sexually harassed, targeted by those in a position of greater power/authority than you. If you have ever been deemed an ‘outlier’ and/or felt like no one else understands you…this book will resonate. And even if you’ve not, this book will touch your heart. The adults turning a blind eye and the cruelty displayed by young teenagers in this book may feel exaggerated, but it’s not. A quick Google search will yield results like a Japanese junior high school student’s nudes were forcefully taken and spread on social media by bullies. There’s also the news from a few years ago where a then-13/14-year-old Korean girl was brutally attacked—and was nearly killed—by 5 other students her age. So yeah, which it may seem like it’s too much, there are still seeds of truth reflecting reality.

The elements of fantasy, magical realism and fairy tales are my next favorite aspects of the book. Although there’s a rule where staying past a certain time will lead to those in the castle being gobbled up, the mirror realm is still a safe place for the students. This contrasts well with the real world where they’re constantly reminded of their traumas. Also, I love how time is both linear and not, and the way it’s used to convey the message that whether future or past, there will always be someone out there who understands you.

The revelations and twists near the end of the book are stunning. I like how we got to delve deeper into the other characters as Kokoro helped them. However, I must admit that the memories felt out of place since they appear during such a tense moment. Nevertheless, those memories are important and they revealed a lot too.

All in all, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a must-read. It’s sad yet uplifting, but so, so, so worth every tear shed and every smile that appears.

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