Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Heaven

**** SPOILERS AHEAD ****

I really liked this story and the first person perspective that wasn’t too informal.

I was sad that Kojima never took the lead to heaven! (I also only now realise that the lead’s name is never provided, only what his bullies call him, which feels pretty representative of how he feels invisible in the world). Though, this could have been entirely metaphorical and something not fated for their relationship. If the lead followed Kojima directly in her self-destructive rebellions to her bullies and mother/step-father, which to me read sadly as self-harm fuelled by a desire to have some control in her life after her family and bullying situations, he may have truly followed her to heaven but only in death. He contemplates suicide rather seriously, discussing suicidality and suicidal ideation. Both are in tragic situations, but the lead’s decision to discuss his eyes led to their separation, because he wasn’t following Kojima anymore. He often just says yes I understand, without understanding, but not knowing how to express that. I think this was right, to separate, but it was heartbreaking. I wonder whether Kojima receives help.

The relationship between Kojima and the lead narrator is interesting to me, because whilst they found solace in one another’s company I did find that it was under Kojima’s perspective of what terms their relationship required to flourish. I found it really sad that Kojima failed to understand that the lead’s opportunity to receive a medical procedure to improve his eye condition was about his quality of life, to see the word, not metaphorically but in actuality, as everyone else did. It was not just about aesthetics. The lead never looks in the mirror, this saddened me. He frequently mentions how he injures himself due to double vision, his pains, how it affects him. This reminds us of the character’s ages, as though the lead is often remarkably wise or realistic, they both are only children and are attempting to navigate very difficult situations and lives.

It was clear to me that the lead wouldn’t intend to change or ‘become a sheep’ after surgery after his bully tells him that he wasn’t bullied for his eyes, but because he happened to be in their sight. It was apparently just bad luck (which was a horrible gaslighting monologue to read but showed how the bullies did not even care to give a reason nor explanation outside of philosophical drivel that made them feel intelligent to harm weak people in a survival of the fittest sense, which is laughable considering it was 1v5?). It made me sad for Kojima, because she isolated herself from her only friend when he never intended on leaving her. I felt the lead had love for her. Even without his eye condition, he knew he would get bullied or be isolated socially anyway and remain the same as her.

The relationship I truly favoured was that of the lead and his step-mother. They have no blood relation, but do marital, and at first it seems they are rather cold with one another but then you grow to realise that they are actually just remarkably comfortable and similar to one another. When the mother gets hurt, quite badly, she noticeably plays it down and wishes to suffer alone, telling the lead to not tell his dad or accompany her to the hospital. She even laughs during the ordeal, and the lead has to clean the blood up once more. She only accepts company in her suffering when the lead offers to come with her to her sister’s funeral as the father wasn’t going. I couldn’t help but think that the lead learnt a sense of amiability or desire to suffer in silence from the mother and the very absent father. I was happy at her response about the bullying, as the bullies had made him believe he would be fucked to tell anyone, but he was not. In many ways, though dreadful, the climax of the story meant he could not hide what was happening to him anymore. He was forced into daylight. The character feels so very real. I suppose he is existent in many people’s lives.

I really could go on and on, I just found it to be such an interesting read. I recommend ‘Heaven’, as I do any Mieko Kawakami work!

Content Warnings

nooni56's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

“A time will come when everything will be clear. Even the other kids will understand. A time will come, I’m sure of it, when everything will be alright.”

Content Warnings

axbvk's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I find it hard to find what to say after reading this book, but one thing is for certain. It was great. Each moment of sadness or fear from the main character felt like it was my own, which made some sections feel particularly difficult to read. This feeling completely amplified my love for the book and my immersion in its story. I fully recommend this read to anyone looking for something involving adolescence and the hardships that people may face during it. Also, watch All About Lily Chou-Chou if you liked this book!!

Content Warnings

andikaraditya's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

pipe_dream's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

Content Warnings

mabelyn's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

Content Warnings

leanne_who_reads's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Trigger warning - This book centers around bullying and mentions suicide and suicidal ideation. One particular chapter in this book is quite hard to get through and you'll have to consider if you feeling mentally able to digest this book or choose to read something else.

The characters in this book are well developed and the writing style is easy to digest. I felt triggered by Momose when the protagonist confronts him outside the hospital because he has zero empathy for the protagonist and Kojima in that scene, even so, it added to the story and made it more nuanced. At the same time, I can see how Momose could think that way.

You learn to feel so much empathy towards the protagonist as the story progresses and I quite enjoyed the ending because the protagonist got to experience some joy and beauty in the world after everything he had gone through.

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