Reviews

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

readbymar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

innedc's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

jslive's review against another edition

5.0

"Heaven" by Mieko Kawakami is a sad, challenging book about a severely bullied school kid in Japan. It centers around his relationship with a fellow victim who idealizes her victimhood. Even though the book ends, essentially, in nihilism, it is a thing of beauty.

readcraftdanceaway's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

elixsdgn's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

What a beautiful beautiful book, the way she writes is so simple yet heartbreaking 

- i wish Kojimas ending wasnt so unanswered/traumatic 
(- took off 0.5 point later) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

lluuna's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

it made me think for soo long and the ending shocked me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Violence

Moderate: Torture

bethanyaedwards's review against another edition

2.0

This had so much promise but I was so disappointed by the end. The characters are so two dimensional and I had such a hard tie empathising with the narrator. It was weirdly sexual in parts where it wasn't needed and just felt awkward. Trying too hard to say something that it ended up saying nothing at all.

alyssums_reads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

jolly_joshy's review against another edition

5.0

This book isn't too long. It's a pretty straightforward read about a kid and another kid and they get bullied. I think there were some metaphors that I didn't really understand though. I haven't read the author's more famous book Breasts and Eggs though, so this might just be her style, and I kind of like it. The writing is definitely really aesthetic.

The story was cool and all, and deep and sad, and I definitely did ask some big questions about life from it, but I think there were some unfinished/unresolved parts to it. I want to discuss this with someone - like what happens to Kojima? It wasn't that happy of an ending to me. Also let's talk about what Mamose was saying about freewill. Very interesting stuff.

Also, was I the only one who thought the main character was a girl for the longest time (literally until the masturbation scene)?

Anyways, cool story - wish there were more to it. I can understand why some people don't like it though. It is quite dark.

nk123's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

3.75