mimyexplore's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Es un libro muy entretenido y a la vez un libro muy reflexivo. Aborda temas muy complejos de una manera muy sutil.
Β Creo que es libro, ideal para adolescentes.
Β Creo que es libro, ideal para adolescentes.
butterflyllama856's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
4.25
zainabluck's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.75
klara_badalikova's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
emblue's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i just loved this so much
alexbe2ab4's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
andreeavis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
#πππππππ£πππ€Β
ππ³πππππ πͺπππππ ππ πππ π΄πππππ, πππ§π’ππ ππ π’ππππ’ππ
βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ(5/5)
#andreeareviewsΒ
This book is very special to me. The story tackles bullying and loneliness among teenagers under the cover of a magical, fantastic story. This is also a translated story from Japanese.Β
Kokoro (whose name means ββππππ‘β in Japanese) canβt go to school. The thought of going to school causes so much anxiety that she gets physically sick. Kokoro spends all her days in the house, watching TV or reading, without memory of the book she read or the shows she watched at the end of the day. She would play video games, but her father had taken them away, so she wouldn't be encouraged to stay home.
Her parents are worried, care for Kokoro, and accept her not attending school, but do not cope well with the situation. Her mother tried and found another school she could go to, one she could attend only a few times a week, where people who canβt integrate into public school go. However, when the first day of school comes, Kokoroβs stomach starts aching again. She feels sick whenever she has to go to school, so Kokoro does not attend this new school either.
One day, when her mother leaves in the morning, Kokoro sees the mirror in her room glowing. Curious, she touches it, even if it seems a bad idea. Surprisingly, sheβs pulled through the mirror into the other side. Here, Kokoro finds a magical castle, all lit up. There are six other teenagers with her, all around her age. The castle is run by a little girl wearing a wolf mask who calls herself the Wolf Queen. The Wolf Queen will call the teenagers Little Red Riding Hoods and give them the castle rules: they are there to find the key to the Wish Room, which will grant the person who finds it one wish, no matter the wish.Β
They have one year to find it, until March 30, before the start of the new school year (in April, of the following year). If they donβt find the key, the castle will disappear, and they will remember their experience in the castle. If one person finds the key and makes a wish, the castle will disappear, but all of them will forget it ever existed, and they will also forget each other. They canβt be in the castle after 5 p.m., as a monster wolf will eat them. They have to leave each day before 5 p.m.
The hunt for the key begins, but the children who meet in the castle daily will go through an entirely different journey. Slowly, friendships form among the children, and they will start sharing their stories. Each story is heartbreaking: bullying, parental abuse or neglect, sibling loss, tragedies that ruin entire families, parents who do not know how to cope and children who suffer. Each character shares the pain of being a teenager, misunderstood and betrayed by the adults.Β
The stories are told in a way that fits with the Japanese writers; pain and suffering are subtle and suggested, not directly evoked. However subtle, you can feel it through each story and tear the teenagers share. The result is a hopeful, positive story, even though the stories are dark. There is also lots of innocence in how the story is told, as we learn from Kokoroβs perspective and feelings; therefore, all is disclosed from the view of a teenage girl.Β
Overall, it is a beautiful, magical story with an ending that gives you both goosebumps and hope.Β
irrationalikepi's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
tsy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5