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nicoleonbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
First of all, I highly recommend the audiobook.
Lonely Castle in The Mirror is one of those books that really captures the human experience, emotion, and thought. This definitely focuses on the characters and their stories, how each person isn't as different from each other as they may seem. The conversations around heavy topics are so authentic and handled with care, but also with truth. Lonely Castle in The Mirror is really good magical realism, with a dash of folklore. I think this story will really speak to middle grade kids, adults who struggled in school, and anyone who has ever dreamed of escape.
You have to be comfortable with being confused. Best read in a cozy spot with a warm drink and tissues nearby.
Lonely Castle in The Mirror is one of those books that really captures the human experience, emotion, and thought. This definitely focuses on the characters and their stories, how each person isn't as different from each other as they may seem. The conversations around heavy topics are so authentic and handled with care, but also with truth. Lonely Castle in The Mirror is really good magical realism, with a dash of folklore. I think this story will really speak to middle grade kids, adults who struggled in school, and anyone who has ever dreamed of escape.
You have to be comfortable with being confused. Best read in a cozy spot with a warm drink and tissues nearby.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
christinaanna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Child death
Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts
amsters's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, and Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
poppyinthebin's review against another edition
5.0
' I want to remember this, remember the others and you. I know you might say that's impossible, but I want to try.'
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
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
5.0
As a kid who began refusing school around the same age as Kokoro, I found myself reflected in her story very often. Tsujimura’s writing had me feeling spots of my soul I didn’t realize were still tender.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a masterful portrayal of many different kinds of childhood and adolescent mental illness and the many ways adults can both further harm and alternately support their children through them. I loved everything about this book. Easily a new top favorite of all time for me.
And also if you ever wanted to know exactly what it was like to live in my head specifically in 2006, this is it.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a masterful portrayal of many different kinds of childhood and adolescent mental illness and the many ways adults can both further harm and alternately support their children through them. I loved everything about this book. Easily a new top favorite of all time for me.
And also if you ever wanted to know exactly what it was like to live in my head specifically in 2006, this is it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment
chasinggrace's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It’s difficult for me to rate this book, because for the entirety of it I was (and still am) in some sort of a reading slump. So how I feel about the book might also reflect how disengaged I am from reading right now.
However, I want to say that this book is definitely YA - something that middle and high schoolers could and should read. Therefore, I didn’t find myself resonating with many of the characters. In addition, you don’t find out a character’s full story until the last 5% of the book, and feel quite disconnected from each of the seven children throughout the story.
I will say, I enjoyed how the novel concluded. I liked the connection to the fairytale, even if the story isn’t one that I recognize. I also LOVED the connection to Rion’s sister Mio, and I LOVED how Aki became the Free School teacher. Those two points really improved my experience with the book.
I found that I had to force myself to pick up the book, because it was so slow paced. And even though I liked the ending, I was rushing through it just to finish the novel. I’m simply not the target audience for this story and I struggle with how to rate it.
However, I want to say that this book is definitely YA - something that middle and high schoolers could and should read. Therefore, I didn’t find myself resonating with many of the characters. In addition, you don’t find out a character’s full story until the last 5% of the book, and feel quite disconnected from each of the seven children throughout the story.
I found that I had to force myself to pick up the book, because it was so slow paced. And even though I liked the ending, I was rushing through it just to finish the novel. I’m simply not the target audience for this story and I struggle with how to rate it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
relliepi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Terminal illness
Minor: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
wrenl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
randeerebecca's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Grief
feejae's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
the unexpected plot twist took me off guard, and i was really eager to see if all of them get to meet in person (they didn’t). kokoro was an amazing main character, and the other six kids (fuka being my favourite followed by masamune, ureshino, aki, subaru & rion). the last few chapters were the best in terms of character development as we get to delve deeper into each of the characters’. (although i wasn’t a big fan of having rion’s sister as the Wolf Queen, as i would’ve liked it if Wolf Queen was like the sister’s guardian angel or spirit or something).
my favourite chapter had to be the epilogue, and my heart feels so hollow reading it through as i realised how all 7 of them from the different time frames were all interconnected and how kitajima happened to be akiko and the special connection she had with kokoro makes me wanna cry.
7/10 would recommend this book to people who struggle with mental health everyday 🥹❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness