Synopsis
In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining. They are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle. In this new sanctuary, they are confronted with a set of clues leading to a hidden room where one of them will be granted a wish. But there's a catch: if they don't leave the castle by five o'clock, they will be punished. As time passes, a devastating truth emerges: only those brave enough to share their stories will be saved.
I loved this book! It's not something I would have ordinarily gone for becuase of the fantasy element but this book is so much more! It explored childrens mental health and relationships in a accessible way.
The chapters are very long (one is almost 100 pages) so I thought it would take me forever to read but it's written in such a compelling way that the long chapters were not an issue. Each chapter tells the story of a month in the castle which really helped!
I also really liked the twist at the end - the whole way through the book I was trying to figure out why those children where picked and how they related to each other. The ending was really clever!
I'd definitely recommend you pick this up - I actually think it's one of my favourites of the year!
[originally posted on May 7, 2021]