Lonely Castle in the Mirror

A surge of Japanese women are redefining their nation’s literature * VOGUE *
Strange and beautiful. Imagine the offspring of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle with The Virgin Suicides * GUARDIAN *
A moving, reflective and surprising novel… anyone who has ever struggled with feeling isolated, had difficulties at school, or had mental health struggles, will find this novel to be a cleansing balm. * CULTUREFLY *
Neat twists and a genuinely affecting denouement. A story of empathy, collaboration and sharing truths, this is ‘a modern, all-ages fairy tale’ that should appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman and Studio Ghibli animations * FINANCIAL TIMES *
There’s a warmth to her writing, and Tsujimura has a mature ability to allow the story to speak for itself without narrative * JAPAN TIMES *
An original and tender blend of social commentary and magical realism * THE JAPAN SOCIETY REVIEW *

Mizuki Tsujimura (Author)

MIZUKI TSUJIMURA is the much-loved author of million-copy-bestselling mystery and puzzlebox novels. Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon explores our relationship with the memories of deceased loved ones and what gives our lives meaning. It was made into a high-budget Japanese-language film and won a newcomer award. Its sequel, How to Hold Someone in Your Heart, was also a huge bestseller, cementing the appeal of Tsujimura’s unique combination of emotion, mystery and magic. She is the author of the groundbreaking novel Lonely Castle in the Mirror, which was also adapted for anime and manga and which combines real-world fantasy with important themes of mental health and friendship. Tsujimura has won many awards, including the Japan Booksellers’ Award and the Naoki Prize, and is published worldwide. English-language editions of many of her works, including True Mothers and Arrogance and Virtue (now a major Japanese-language) are due to be published soon.

Philip Gabriel (Translator)

Philip Gabriel is the author of Mad Wives and Island Dreams: Shimao Toshio and the Margins of Japanese Literature and Spirit Matters: The Transcendent in Modern Japanese Literature and has translated many novels and short stories by Haruki Murakami and other modern writers. He is recipient of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature (2001) for his translation of Senji Kuroi’s Life in the Cul-de-Sac, and the 2006 PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for his translation of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.