A review by fe_lea
Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 “There are children somewhere who, trembling, and at the risk of their own lives, pulled me by the arm and brought me back into this world.” 

The story begins with Kokoro, a 13-year old girl who’s avoiding going to school because of the bullying that she has faced from her classmates. One day, she found her mirror shining and got transported to a castle where she met six other kids who are also avoiding school for their own personal reasons, and a girl who calls herself the wolf queen. The wolf queen gives the seven of them a task to find the key to the Wishing Room, the person who finds the key will be granted a wish. 

Based on the title, blurb, and cover, I thought this would be a magical and charming read with lots of ghibli vibes. The story, however, ended up differently than I originally expected. It borrowed some western fairy tale elements, but it’s still distinctly Japanese as it uses tropes commonly seen in anime and manga. I thought magic would play a much larger role in the story and have more of that magical realism element, but it didn’t. In fact, the time the kids spent inside the castle felt a bit mundane, they just played video games and studied for entrance exams, it was like a giant playground for them as they escape their problems from the real world. 

I also wasn’t a big fan of the pacing. To be honest, I struggled in the beginning and especially in the middle, and the book felt like it was too long. It’s slow for the most part and a bit repetitive. It only picked up by the end and I’m glad I pushed through with the story because the ending was worth it. 

Where the book shined though is in its characters and the themes it tackled. This is a character-driven story. I loved the characters and the friendships they developed with each other. Each have their own struggles and seeing them slowly getting out of their shells and opening up to each other was heartwarming to read. I just want to give these kids a hug. Some characters were fleshed out more than the others, nevertheless I got hooked by their backstories, which I wish we could’ve gotten more in the middle of the book. 

In the publisher’s note, “Japanese children were ranked second-to-last in an international survey assessing children’s mental health across 38 developed and emerging countries. While Japanese children were ranked first in physical health and often live in relatively prosperous economic circumstances, instances of bullying in schools, as well as difficult relationships with family members, lead to a lack of psychological well-being.” That said, I can see how this book was a bestseller in Japan. I loved the way the story handled bullying, anxiety, mental health, human relationships, and reaching out for help. It was able to deliver the message well while maintaining a childlike tone and avoiding sounding preachy. 

My favorite thing about the book though is the ending. I loved how it was able to tie everything up in the end. Some things were predictable but it still managed to surprise me and may have elicited a couple of tears along the way, lol. I also loved how it was able to come full circle with the beginning of the book. I finished this book in the morning but I still haven’t stopped thinking about the ending. It was just beautiful. 

Overall, this book is so wholesome, heartwarming, sometimes sad, but still remained hopeful. The beginning and middle may be a bit slow and dragging but push through to the end and you will be rewarded. 
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