Lonely Castle in the Mirror

Der Anfang ist etwas slow-paced, aber danach nimmt es Fahrt auf und wird zu einem page-turner. Tolle Charaktere die alle gut ausdifferenziert wurden. Das Buch hat mich gepackt und war wie eine liebevolle und tröstende Umarmung.

This will always be one of my (very few) 5* ratings. I love this book with all of my heart. It managed to make me cry with a single word. I wish I had a signed copy so badly. Can't wait for more books from Mizuki Tsujimura.

A beautiful novel that totally took me by surprise. It deals with the topic of bullying and social anxiety so well and at the same time it's magical & mysterious. I absolutely loved this reading experience.

ich wünschte ich hätte dieses Buch bereits früher entdeckt, es hätte mir das Leben in der Schule ein bisschen leichter gemacht, denke ich. Für jeden, der sich, vor allem während der Schulzeit, aber auch darüber hinausgehend, einsam gefühlt hat und so, als wäre er/sie im Leben abgehängt worden. Ganz große Empfehlung :)

4.75* This is a tender yet emotional tale about daily survival, the power of friendship self-love, and the state of our society and the school system. A story about 7 kids who can't attend school for various reasons and get invited through their wall mirrors into a castle in another world. There, they can spend their time instead of alone at home while also looking for a key to unlock a wish come true. But that mission is just secondary compared to the connections of trust and support these children learn to form with each other. The novel shines a light on the mental state of many school children in Japan in general and particularly on the various reasons children might not be capable of attending school. In that aspect, the novel did a remarkably great job of being respectful, not preachy, and very careful of a realistic portrayal of the children's circumstances. None of the background stories seemed over the top dramatic or scandalous, but still infuses them with emotion and understanding. I loved how realistic the struggle, the inner walls, the setbacks, and the very slow opening up between the members of the group were described. It's a journey back to oneself, about the importance of supportive relationships and trust in oneself and others. I don't want to spoil the end, but all the revelations had me crying my eyes out, and I think the story wrapped up beautifully. Such a great start into a new reading year.