Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura
Review of Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura, translated by Phillip Gabriel
“We’ll fight this. It might be a long battle, but let’s fight it.”
The Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura (2021). Published in English by Doubleday.
I stumbled across this book on a bunch lists detailing must-read books out in translation, ones that were particularly by women writers. What drew me into this book specifically was its cover; I was intrigued by the girl wearing the wolf mask on the cover and the subtle pink tones, ones that implied femininity and childhood to me.
And, upon reading the premise, my original hunch was right. This was a book that was based on fairytales and its plot would be rooted in an original fairytale of its own, one inspired by the German and Danish one so many Westerners grew up reading. This book was a massive hit in Japan when it came out in 2018 (I believe it was 2018, it may be late 2017) and was a bestselling and award winning novel.
And, after reading it, I can see why. I don’t see the comparisons to Convenience Store Woman outside of the fact that both books have female protagonists and they touch upon the topic of mental health. Outside of that, I think they’re completely distinct from each other and don’t have a lot of similiarities. Perhaps this is a marketing strategy to try and get people to buy this one, since people are now quite familiar with Murata’s novel and it has become a favorite on many shelves.
With that being said, let’s jump into this review!
Content
This was a book I read in one sitting, and, I will admit, I shed a few tears after reading it. Our main character’s name is Koroko and she is being heavily bullied at school. She decides to stop going and her stomach hurts whenever she tries to go to the alternate school her mother has suggested she go to, and so she sits at home and watches television all day.
Until one day, her mirror is shimmering and she falls through it. There she meets the Wolf Queen and six other children. They are told the castle will be open from 9-5 every weekday, and they have until March to discover the key that will grant only one of them a wish.
The novel is then split into chapters by the month that the castle is open. It closes on the thirtieth of March, and, naturally, that is when our story too will come to a close. The seven students thrown into this castle come from seemingly different lives, but there is a common theme unifying all of them: they don’t want to attend school.
They’re actually ditching school to be at the castle. We slowly come to realize each and every one of them has had a hard and lonely life, and the majority of the students are being bullied.
Our main character Kokoro many can completely relate to. Her bullies harassed her to the point where they followed her home and tried to break in. Her main bully is a popular girl at school and the Class President, so no one will take her side if she chooses to report it, yet they’ve literally tried to attack her.
It leaves Kokoro in shambles, too anxious to step outside of her house for months, and completely unable to fathom the thought of returning back to any school. It’s so sad when you think about what has occurred, and I’m sure there are bullies that will do this in any country, although it seems a bit drama-like and exaggerated.
I do wish we learned about the other kids in the castle as well. We only follow Kokoro’s perspective, so that’s whose story we only truly get to know. Everything she learns about the other kids is what we learn. They all are so unique and have beautifully sad stories, but we only get to hear about Kokoro really. I’m curious, dammit. They’re all bonding and becoming friends with each other and improving their mental health which is just so beautiful to watch and spectate on the page. Absolutely stunning.
There are also several plot twists present in this novel that take it to a new turn and keep your interest piqued. I absolutely loved the incorporation of classic fairy tales into the actual castle and story itself, as this seemed like its own fairy tale in the making. I 100% could see this novel as a Miyazaki film.
Overall Thoughts
I could see how this one isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally loved it. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider at school or in life, you can relate to all of these children. I will say it takes a lot for me to cry at a book or movie, and this is the first book since Crying in H Mart that I’ve shed a tear for. I think it’s worth giving a shot if you find it online or at your local library. Definitely give this book a chance.
