yes. Yes. YES. I picked this up on a whim after hearing people talking about it but having rather low expectations since this isn't really my preferred genre, but let me tell you, I am not okay. This was such a great story about mental health and friendship and is so creative and insightful. I hope more people pick this one up and give it a chance because it really is wonderful.

I loved this premise and the title but I found the translation didn't do justice to the reviews I've read of the original book. I would definitely read this author again but would maybe look for an alternative translation.

I did enjoy the story and the way you venture from your world to a castle which is otherwise out of your reach. And the progress of the story had me on my toes at points. Especially considering what is at stake. The only thing I wished was for a tiny bit more depth about some of the characters. Hence only 4 of 5 stars.

I fell completely in love with this book. It was deeply relatable, and one of the best coming of age stories I have ever read. This was one of those books where you just have to sit in shock and awe for a while after finishing it. I truly wish I could read this again for the first time, I’m so so sad that I’ve finished it. I loved all of the characters so much, I wish I had the chance to know them all personally.

**Thank you to Erewhon books for the eARC. This in no way changed my rating**

I loved this. Books RARELY make me tear up even a little and this had me feeling so emotional. I really liked the ending and how the characters all came together at the end. It's hard to talk about this book without spoiling the ending, but I would recommend reading The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats fairytale so it makes some sense, as it's connected. This may be a more common tale in Japan, but in the US, I had never heard of it. While our main focus character is Kokoro, I liked that we got to see everyone's backstory and see how things progressed for all of them. This book is so emotional, but always hopeful. It was stunning.

I have the physical copy of this book! Bought it in my local bookstore before realizing I have an ARC... Oopsie? Not a bad buy though! I think it's a bit awkward in some cases, but I chalked it up to some elements being lost in translation. Fantastical, beautiful world-building.

If you like to read light novels, this is a nice launching pad to transitioning to more "traditional" books. 3.5 ⭐s rounded up to 4 ⭐.

3.5 Interesting premise and a rather complex interweaving of 7 lives. A little may have been lost in translation, but overall this was a nice story of young kids overcoming personal difficulties with the assistance of friends. Very hopeful.

This is such a touching and, at times, heartbreaking story. The writing is lyrical and moving, and the themes of bullying can be hard to read at times, but I could recommend it to anyone looking to read more translated fiction or who is drawn in by the premise. Absolutely stunning.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a heartwarming read! I think that bullying is a very huge problem in today's society but one that is often overlooked as something not too serious, despite statistics to show otherwise. The way the author illustrates how help can be found in the most unlikely places and how you just have to trust yourself to be better is really something great. The writing is gorgeously lyrical and it definitely delivers on the promise of it's Studio Ghibliesque vibe.

I'm really in love with this cover and it's the reason I requested it, but, honestly, I think I would have DNFed it if not for 1) my current job in Japanese education (and therefore my curiosity as to why students in Japan wouldn't go to school, and the whole package) and 2) my netgalley ratio, lol. The start is just... really slow.

So while I did really love the ending, I did feel like it fell a bit short. I did get attached to the characters and liked how their circumstances were developed and slowly revealed, as well as the bond they slowly developed. It was also heartbreaking (and inspiring) to see the different reactions Kokoro got from the adults in her life. Sometimes, kids are able to find the support they need and sometimes educators shouldn't be in the system (or the system is just not what it needs to be).

Bullying is clearly a problem (in many places) and I don't know how it is or what literature there is in Japan to broach the topic, but it sounds like this one is definitely trying, and I hope it helps

Hay veces que lees libros que vienen con una vitola de fama que te acaba pareciendo injustificada, y eso es lo que me ha pasado con Lonely Castle in the Mirror. No negaré que Mizuki Tsujimura trata un tema de gran relevancia en el mundo actual como es el bullying, con unas estadísticas aterradoras en Japón, pero la forma de hacer es un poco facilona, sobre todo por lo infladísimo de la primera parte del libro, que aunque remonta en la fase final no acaba de compensar el aburrimiento de los dos primeros tercios de la lectura.


El castillo al que hace referencia el título es una zona a la que acceden desde los espejos de sus cuartos siete estudiantes con problemas en el colegio, hasta tal punto que han decidido no ir a las clases. Allí les recibe la Reina Loba, que les explica cuál será su misión: buscar una llave escondida que concederá a quien lo consiga un deseo.

No es que empiece mal, podría considerarse una fábula con un pátina antigua, pero es que los estudiantes rápidamente se desentienden de la búsqueda y se dedican a jugar a videojuegos, cuando van al castillo que tampoco es todos los días. Y aunque la autora va dejando algunas pistas, este tramo es insufrible porque imaginaos lo apasionante que puede ser leer como alguien ve a otros jugar a una consola. Vamos, que parece más interesante ver crecer el moho y mucho más ágil.

Hacia el final del libro sí que empiezan a especular sobre qué les ha reunido allí y qué características comunes pueden tener, lo que lleva a la conclusión de la novela, que con las pistas que ha ido dejando la autora desde el principio de la novela pues no resulta para nada sorprendente si no más bien inevitable. Es cierto que es un libro que quizá no está destinado a un público adulto pero aún así le hace falta una buena poda al principio. Ya digo que los temas que trata, como la salud mental y la creación de redes de amistad y apoyo contra el bullying me parecen muy relevantes, pero el desarrollo es soporífero.

I was really able to relate to the characters in this book. I feel like anyone that's been the victim of bullies can relate. This book ended up being very charming. Very gentle magic, but ultimately a heartwarming coming of age story about how people can come together and heal their traumas. Keeping in mind that this book was originally written in Japanese and translated to English, the writing style was very lyrical and sometimes felt like I was reading a poem instead of a novel. A good read for anyone interested in a comfort read.

Bullied to the point of dropping out of school, Kokoro’s days blur together as she hides in her bedroom, unable to face her family or friends. As she spirals into despair, her mirror begins to shine; with a touch, Kokoro is pulled from her lonely life into a resplendent, bizarre fairytale castle guarded by a strange girl in a wolf mask. Six other students have been brought to the castle, and soon this marvelous refuge becomes their playground.

The castle has a hidden room that can grant a single wish, but there are rules to be followed, and breaking them will have dire consequences. As Kokoro and her new acquaintances spend more time in their new sanctuary, they begin to unlock the castle’s secrets and, tentatively, each other’s.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a mesmerizing, heart-warming novel about the unexpected rewards of embracing human connection.

Rate : 3.5 out of 5
Thoughts : J-lit in your area. This is a pretty whimsical and magic like story. Highly recommend if you like this kind of story!
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

2.5 stars

This was just okay, and the whole time I was listening to it, I couldn't help but feel like it should have just been in manga format. The audiobook is 12 hours long while the movie (I only found out last month) is just 2 hours long 💀

I feel like some dialogues didn't cross well in translation and felt really cringey in English compared to me listening if it was in Japanese with the subtitles ( I was a lot of anime, lol).

Overall, there was a lot of telling instead of showing. However, the last portion of the book is good, especially the reveals. But was it good enough for me to read 200 pages of dialogue? I think not. Honestly, it should have been shorter and less repetitive.

But at the end of the day, this is my opinion as someone who mostly read Western writing style, so it didn't appeal to me as much as the target audience, which are the Japanese readers.

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Absolutely and utterly spectacular. A tender and moving character-driven fairy tale about friendship and growing up.

A very character-driven story wrapped up in a portal fantasy - until it turns into something a little different.

I have to say, I found the beginning... not boring but hard to get into. Kokoro's life follows a very predictable pattern and for being a teenager, she talks like an adult. In general, I found the way the conversation between her and the other students who are in the castle to be both stilted and overly detailed. But at the same time it also highlighted how socially isolated they all are and that there were deeper issues going on.
The deeper I got into the story, the more I realized how deeply I cared for these characters and how much I could understand why they decided that school was simply not worth it.

The last third is what really pulled the story together for me. Seeing these characters from their own points of view, learning the reason why they were not going to school and how the situation with the Wolf Queen and the key was resolved were very emotional.
So it's a worthwhile time but it got a while to get there.

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I find it endearing that it's not just us Germans who use Japanese themes and aesthetics in our stories but how Japan apparently has an equal fascination with Germany. Who knew I wanted a Japanese interpretation of a German fairytale.

The cover caught me, but the book dropped me. I ended up DNFing it. 😔

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

DNF at 9% only because I am older than the target age demographic and it read too young for me. It seems like a lovely story though.

This book has melted my cold, dark heart.

Easily one of my favorite reads so far this year, this lovely, sweet, and wholly original Japanese translation is both a terrifically unique and clever fairy tale reimagining and a wonderfully moving and well-thought out meditation on the desire to belong and be understood.

Though the premise of this is rooted in Narnian fantasy tropes, it’s heart is in fairy tales, the ache to belong, and the idea of being the hero of your own story.

This is wonderfully complex in message, in character development, and in plot structure, and I almost couldn’t believe how gorgeously and flawlessly it all came together in the end.

I know translated fiction can be a tough sell, but I’m
really surprised that this book hasn’t gotten more attention. It’s a terrific read for both adults and the YA audience. What an absolute gem of a book.