I read this book for a book club hosted by Allison Paiges on Patreon. But I had already heard of it, because she had raved about it at great length earlier in the year, saying it was one of her all time favourite books (she had even gotten a tattoo of the wolf girl based on the book). I hadn’t been watching Ally’s channel for that long at the time, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was game to give it a try and excited about reading it as part of a community experience.
Set in Japan, this book centres around the fantastical phenomenon of seven teenagers’ mirrors suddenly becoming portals that take them to a magical castle. This fantastical occurrence is underlapped by a current of menace, as they are told that, among other rules, they need to leave the castle before sundown each day or risk being eaten by wolves who come out at night to prowl the castle. This feeling of menace is echoed in elements of the real lives of each of the characters as we get to know them and learn more about their experiences.
The seven are tasked with finding a mysterious key, the discovery of which will grant the finder one wish. Once the key is found, the castle will be sealed and they will never be able to return. If no one finds it, there is a deadline after which point the castle will cease to be accessible anyway. Seems simple enough – and they all have things they wish for – but as the book progresses, their relationships develop and they come to wonder if they may mean more to each other than they ever expected to.
This is a novel of questions. So, so many questions. From the obvious: how did their mirrors become entrances to this magical castle? Why were they chosen to go there? Where, exactly, is the castle? To the more subtle: who is the Wolf Queen? What connects these seven kids? What will happen to their friendships when their time at the castle is up? And as the book progresses, so do the depth of the questions it raises. I made it most of the way through the book before I started to piece together any answers, and most of them lingered until the final pages, which made them all the more satisfying.
I haven’t really encountered a book like this before. The writing style, the imagined world, the imagery, the way these teens interacted with each other and with their parents, the layers upon layers of details – it was all unique in my reading experience, and I found it to be a fascinating reading experience. I haven’t read much Japanese fiction, so I don’t know how much is cultural and how much is this particular author. The closest I’ve encountered is Haruki Murakami (The Strange Library had echoes of the atmosphere created here, if memory serves), but even that really wasn’t the same thing. It’s also tempting to draw on magical realism, but again that doesn’t seem like it really fits. This book really was something new, something different. And I really liked it.
Seven students are avoiding going to school, hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends, until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers temporary escape from their stressful lives. Passing through a glowing mirror, they gather in a magnificent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours. The students are tasked with locating a key, hidden somewhere in the castle, that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish. At this moment, the castle will vanish, along with all memories they may have of their adventure. If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon, they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle, an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen.
Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth, Lonely Castle in the Mirror shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability. – Goodreads
Book Title: Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Author: Mizuki Tsujimura
Series: No
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Doubleday
Released: April 22, 2021
Genre: Fiction, Intrigue, Found Family, Fantasy, Magical
Pages: 355
Date Read: September 1-24, 2023
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.30/5 (13,317 ratings)
[…] @ Rain City Reads reviewed Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura and it sounds like such an intriguing […]
This sounds really interesting! And reminds me a bit of a Netflix show with a haunted house and hidden keys, though I can’t remember the name. I’d love to read more Japanese lit so I’ll have to add this to my list. Also just what a fun cover
Yes, it was definitely a different experience! Unfortunately I can’t help you with the show as I avoid anything with the word “haunted” in it as I’m a huge scaredy cat, but it does sound a bit similar! I hope you get to this one at some point, because it’s definitely worth reading! Thanks for commenting!