Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Heaven

This is a triggering story. It's unrelenting in its descriptions of bullying. As with all her novels, Mieko Kawakami writes so beautifully about tragedy and loneliness, and our humanity that's so capable of both destruction and healing. This is her most depressing pair of characters yet, two brave outcasts, not yet high schoolers.

Our narrator is a young boy who has a lazy eye, the victim of intense bullying and physical violence from the popular students. His fellow student Kojima reaches out to him one day through a letter, and she is revealed to be a similar victim of bullying, and is described to be unkempt and unwashed. Their friendship grows through sweet and simple letters, and soon conversations outside of school. In contrast, we experience their helplessness, as they are shells of themselves at school, bracing for the beatings each day.

There is a conversation with one of the bullies, who proves to be a complete nihilist. He symbolizes the cold, emotionless, male antagonist who's all too familiar in our lives. It's every man for himself. Empathy is weakness. Kill or be killed.

I can't praise enough Mieko's artistry, and her way of pulling us through emotions, and the confusion her characters feel. She is THE master of female characters, as always. I especially loved Kojima and her strength, her frailty, her intelligence, her heart. I wanted to save her, though she was saving herself.

You'll appreciate this book if you like dark, intricate writing and characters, coming-of-age stories, and have been in an isolated period of your life.

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hjung's review against another edition

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challenging reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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sylvieleggatt's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No

5.0

bad idea to read this on public transport

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janinagnes's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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ddnreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

It took me 2 days to finish this book and 4 days later to write a review. What I can come up with is ✨nggilani✨.

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_kouppi_'s review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

Middle school was definitely a tough and challenging time for myself, and so it is for the 14-year-old narrator who goes through relentless bullying, including physical abuse, because of his lazy eye. The continuous torment has worn him down to the point where he feels defeated, believing that nothing can change his situation. However, things take a turn when he encounters a classmate, Kojima, who is also a victim of bullying as well. She starts sending him handwritten notes, and he's drawn to her unique writing style and her voice, which reminds him of a 6B pencil – soft and rigid, almost unbreakable. Even though they seldom meet in person, their friendship deepens through their written correspondence. During a summer break visit to an art museum, Kojima introduces him to her favorite painting, which she calls "Heaven." The painting depicts a man and a woman who have found harmony after enduring immense suffering.

Although "Heaven" wasn't my first Kawakami book, its definitely a different one. Set in Japan in the early 1990s, it looks like its going to be a coming-of-age story about two outsiders who find comfort in each other's company. However, they aren't seeking a typical romantic love. Trapped in their suffocating present, they are on a quest for answers to a fundamental question: why do we suffer? The narrator's and Kojima's in-depth conversations to explore this question. Kojima has a well-defined personal philosophy, which she shares through monologues. She believes that everything, even suffering, has meaning and can be transformative. She says that, in the end, we'll reach a place or understanding that wouldn't have been possible without enduring all the pain and hardship. But what do the bullies believe in? In a pivotal and heart-wrenching conversation, the narrator confronts one of his tormentors with this question. The bully, Momose, dismisses the idea, scoffing at the narrator's moral conviction and arguing that he shouldn't be responsible for considering others' feelings.

It's definitely a book focused on human condition. Messy and raw emotions of being a teenager. There's a definite vulnerability and passion in building friendships. The powerful contrast of the two main characters are a not so simple understanding of weakness. It's definitely thought-provoking and at times, gut-wrenching. The brutal encounters of the narrator, making us share in his fear and pain. The horrifying reality of childhood bullying is exposed to the maximum in this book. The meaning and understanding of pain is just incredible.

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