Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

かがみの孤城 by Mizuki Tsujimura, 辻村深月

63 reviews

bealmg's review against another edition

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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moonlitreading_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.5

“I thought I could never be like everyone else. I was just a loser. So it made me so happy when you guys made friends with me, like you would with anyone.”

Seven strangers who are all in junior high suddenly have their mirrors turn into portals to a castle and are told whoever finds the wishing key and the wishing room will have their wish granted.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror was an interesting read for me. It's melancholy with a bit of mysteriousness to it. I think it was really beautiful. It gave light on how kids/younger teens deal with mental illness and how it affects them. As my reading progressed, I got to know these kids, their experiences, and their struggles. These kids who've lost hope for themselves found each other and became friends. The last 1/3 or so was what really made me enjoy this book because of the plot twists and revelations.

Thank you Edelweiss and Erewhon for my copy.

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parchmentdreams's review against another edition

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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

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goldenelegy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional medium-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? N/A

4.5

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lostpaperbacks's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Probably my favourite read this year so far. There's nothing I want to change about this book. It's perfect. I was sceptical when I saw how this book was compared to The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, I wasn't a fan of that one. But the magical realism in this one is much more mesmerizing and easier to understand and thus, enjoy.

I really love the fact that Mizuki Tsujimura wrote this due to the lack of representation for mental health in Japan. The way she handles the topic is so delicate and I truly felt each of them raw. But I think, the highlight of this book is the relationships. The bond each of the children have after they were 'forced' to be with each other. The found-family and the conversations.

The ending was unexpected for me. I couldn't put this book down after the 2/3rd mark. The pace took off and I was so invested. I cried, I felt empty when I finished this but at the same time so full. The ending just gives me so much hope and this is definitely a book I'll keep thinking of from time-to-time.

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