Lonely Castle in the Mirror

The no. 1 Japanese bestseller and Guardian 2021 highlight.

Imagine the offspring of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle with The Virgin Suicides' GUARDIANTranslated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami

How can you save your friend's life if she doesn't want to be rescued?In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining. At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle filled with winding stairways, watchful portraits and twinkling chandeliers. 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. Tender, playful, gripping, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection.