Japanese Literature discussion

Our July 2025 group read is Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura.

I will add background information as we get closer. - Jack

Amazing! I have had this on my list for a very long time and even saw the movie (which I found really good btw!), but still need to read the book. Looking forward to the discussion!

This should be a fun and interesting read. I will try to cover the Manga and Movie versions too. I usually like to see how a good story is realized in multiple medias.

Awesome, Jack. Looking forward to that.

Here’s my review:

https://asianreviewofbooks.com/lonely...

I just reread this one. I think it’s going to be the focus text of my next podcast episode, Bullying in Japanese Lit. (Yeah, slightly a spoiler. But one that’s revealed pretty darn early in the novel.)

Tsujimura’s Yami-Hara is way under celebrated in English (Yen On! 😩), but it addresses some of the same themes.

I am around halfway through and am finding it an engaging read (even though I shouldn't have seen the movie before). It reminds me a bit of Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, the topic of bullying is quite visceral for me, even though this novel is less brutal in comparison.

Lonely Castle is brutal in comparison to Heaven?!

Alison wrote: "Lonely Castle is brutal in comparison to Heaven?!"

No no, Lonely Castle in the Mirror (fortunately) is less brutal as compared to Heaven, but bullying definitely comes back a lot.

😮‍💨

I was wondering how our readings were *that* divergent.

TBH, I prefer Heaven. But it’s a LOT.

How is everyone enjoying this book? Does anyone have a favourite character? And did you see the twist coming?

I quite enjoyed the book and was happy that I didn’t try to overthink how the story was going to play out. I plan to start on the manga version after the Tanabata celebration tonight.

I read this book last year & enjoyed it. I did not see the twist coming at all. I'd like to watch the movie soon. How does it compare?

I enjoyed the movie, and some of the later scenes are imagined in a nice way I would say!

There are really two twists, right? I got the first one (why they couldn’t meet up) a long, long time before the characters did, which really detracted from the book for me—although I liked the book better on a second read, when I would have known what that twist was anyway.

The second twist was more surprising. It was pretty cool, though.

Henk wrote: "I enjoyed the movie, and some of the later scenes are imagined in a nice way I would say!"

Thanks! I look forward to watching it.

I loved this book. Excellent foreshadowing throughout. I was able to guess the three major twists and loved seeing them play out. I love it when threads are well-laid and everything ties up at the end so nicely. The characters were varied and engaging, the subject matter intense but written superbly and treated respectfully, and overall I found this an engaging and frequently spell-binding read. For the second half I couldn’t put it down.

I have read the LN so now reading the manga adaptation then on to the movie.
I like the manga visualization of the novel.
On volume 3 now.
(Update 4 August) Finished vol 4 of the manga… still very good.

I finished the 5th volume of the manga. It was good but so much happens or is resolved in the last volume that I am not sure that I would have followed it if I hadn’t read the novel first.