This is such a cinematic and magical novel! With fresh, succinct prose and a plot that tantalizes with so many questions and a treasure hunt-ish mystery, it was almost impossible to put it down. "Lonely Castle" is also heartwarming; watching the characters slowly grow and become vulnerable with one another is deeply rewarding! Love love love this one. ( )

Actual rating 4.5/5

CW: bullying, mental illness, anxiety/panic attacks, death, sexual assault

Lonely Castle in the Mirror is one of those books that left me thinking about them long after I finished them, its themes and characters still living in my mind weeks later. To be completely honest, this is one book I wasn't too sure about initially since I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it, but I'm so glad I gave it a go!

I went in knowing very little (I'd only read the blurb) and even so I found something quite different from what I'd expected. For starters, I thought the fantastical elements would be a lot more central to the story. That wasn't so, and I'm actually glad that the book developed in the way that it does. This book is its characters more than anything else and they are real kids facing all-too-real problems. Magic intervenes to pull them out of their daily lives and into the castle through the mirror, but from there it's all up to them.

If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know that good characters are one of the key elements that will make or break a book for me and these characters definitely stole my heart. The book follows primarily one of the seven children, Kokoro, who stopped attending school due to bullying but cannot bring herself to open up with any of the adults around her to tell them what she went through. Kokoro's pain and struggle with anxiety in the aftermath of a serious incident were nuanced and depicted incredibly delicately and accurately. I really wanted to just hug Kokoro most of the time, as I could feel her pain and fear.

The other children were all equally fighting their own battles, struggling with mental health, bullying, death and sexual abuse, and were all equally compelling. I loved how we slowly got to see and understand more of who they really were and how they were feeling as they grew more comfortable around one another and started trusting each other. The friendships and tensions all felt extremely realistic, and I found myself getting attached to each of the characters as Kokoro did. While we got a glimpse into other characters' POVs, I would have liked to get to know them more intimately as we did Kokoro, even though it's probably best that we didn't as this kept the interactions more real, even in a fantasy world. Some of the children seemed slightly better developed than others, which was a shame, but overall they were all extremely compelling characters.

The only thing I really struggled with was the pace, which at times slowed down a bit too much for my liking. A few of the scenes in the castle, especially towards the middle of the book, felt like they dragged on a bit. This was more than compensated in the second half of the book. The pace picked up considerably with around 100 pages left to go, and I found myself completely unable to put it down! The ending was also incredibly satisfying and I completely did not see it coming, even though in hindsight all the hints were hidden in plain sight. I also got very emotional towards the end!

I don't know much about Japanese culture, so I really enjoyed learning more about it through this book. In particular, I had no idea that school abandonment and bullying were such serious issues in the country, and of the mental health crisis facing children and teenagers. This book does a wonderful job of raising awareness of these issues, which are also prevalent in Western societies, and in telling everyone who might be struggling: You are not alone.

Overall, this is a gorgeous read tackling complex and painful subjects, while at the same time acting as a reminder of the beauty to be found in genuine human connection and relationships. A tale of friendship and hope and the power of love in all its forms that I will definitely return to in the future. Highly recommended if you love character-driven stories and don't mind a slower pace.

Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the e-arc review copy. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Tojo said "it's only school, after all". That was an epiphany for Kokoro. School had been everything to her, and probably to the other six young people invited to the castle. A change in perspective gave Kokoro the courage to return to school, plus the knowledge that she has friends, albeit in a different time zone. Even if things do not work out, there are other schools to go to. She could go anywhere, it would not be easy and there would always be people she disliked. But there are alternatives, and the school is not the only place she belongs. The same for the rest of us struggling with school or work. Don't see it as the be-all and end-all. ( )

Honestly, this book was so beautiful. At first, though I was excited about the premise, I wasn't ready for how deep each character is, along with the story itself. The beauty in discovering that being a nice person is so valuable and makes one special. I found myself confused by the "how" of the castle world, and began to fall in love as I read of its origin in this story. I honestly plan on rereading this now that I've read the end. I feel as though I'll see more from the perspective of the wolf queen. ( )

If I rated this it would be 2 stars and the reason that I’m not officially rating it is because the biggest issue was the writing - it was cold, bland and lifeless and I believe that is due to it being translated.
The story itself was also lacklustre. The first 70% is incredibly boring. I didn’t care about any of the characters. The twists at the end were decent but they couldn’t save the book