Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

110 reviews

breeamccarver's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

darlingcarmen's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Kojima…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual harassment

pickledponyo's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

it’s a very raw and beautifully written story about bullying that shows how weak and how isolated it can make people feel. loved it so so much, wished there was more as it captured the feelings perfectly.

it also shows us the inevitable and slow deterioration of kojima and it felt so real. i do wish i could have known more of her ending.

beware though… there is like two scenes of the main kid jerking off…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Classism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Sexual violence, Violence, Mental illness, Self harm, and Torture

itsybitsyfrog's review

dark 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? It's complicated

3.25

my only complaint would be that momose’s monologue felt out of place. if he doesn’t care why did he need to monologue for so long ??

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts

j3sslou_'s review

dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Violence, Bullying, Body shaming, and Suicidal thoughts

lisvxdro's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

I picked this book at the Indigo bookstore in the Eaton Centre in Toronto. Recommended by one of the employees, I was told this was a story that would make me cry a lot. While there are some sad parts, I think the overall story is grim and rather hopeless. The main character (unnamed) is consistently bullied and it’s hard to process at times. There are glimpse of hope but not enough to make you feel like our lead is going to make it out alive. 

Greatly written but can be a bit to swallow. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

ddnreads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Vomit, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Body shaming

lilureads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

it was hard for me to to settle for a specific rating. Ultimately I decided to give this 5 stars. 

This book speaks to me in a way no other has so far. It’s really hard for me to review it. I will just say that it made me want to wander and think while gazing at falling leaves and by-passers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Body shaming and Eating disorder

extru's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

4.75

Amazing book. A little spoiler: Kojima is lowkey crazy🤠

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

_kouppi_'s review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness