Review by tragedies - Lonely Castle in the Mirror

tragedies 's review for:

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Whenever a new year rolls around, somehow the first thing I end up reading is a cozy yet soul-stirring Japanese novel that always warms my heart but also leaves me in tears. Two years ago, it was The Miracles of the Namiya General Store. Last year, it was How Do You Live. This year, it seems the tradition lives on with Lonely Castle in the Mirror (to which I sobbed my heart out so many times that my eyes ached).

Though I finished the book in one sitting, it felt as if I grew up with the characters, as if I lived a life in the span of 300 pages. I honestly didn’t want it to end because then it meant I had to say goodbye. Like Kokoro, I too found myself loving this strange castle, this safe haven where lost and lonely teenagers seek refuge and find comfort in each other. There were many moments throughout the book when I felt so seen and understood, in ways that I never had before. The writing was intimate and vulnerable, and each page carried with it a sense of melancholy, the weight of which I still feel deep in my chest even after reading. I wish I got to read this in high school; I feel like it’s exactly the kind of book I needed at the time. I would’ve loved it then, probably even more than I do now.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror may have an air of magic and mystery to it, but at its core, it is rooted in reality—a coming-of-age tale exploring the many faces of mental health, trauma, grief, and loss. However, it’s also a hopeful and heartwarming story about friendship, how we are all intertwined with one another and how even the unlikeliest of people can give us purpose, as well as the courage to live for another day.

Content Warnings