Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

114 reviews

cute_emo_bookboy's review

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-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


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biesterba's review

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challenging dark sad medium-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

3.0


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tangerinejellies's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Not completely sure how to feel about this book, it was a very heavy read and some of the characters’ outlooks on the world were quite unsettling, though not impossible to understand. They’re kids who still have a lot of maturing to do, and don’t necessarily understand the world around them that well yet, so I can see how they’d think like that, which all the more adds to the sort of pain I felt reading this, witnessing the hardship of navigating the dark parts of the world and trauma and violence and things like that at such a young age. Rough. 

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pezinho's review

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

It's sad how to Kojima, the thing that makes their friendship possible is their trauma or "signs". It's as if she can't see him for anything else other than his signs, while he sees Kojima as a friend and someone who understands him. 

Because her signs are not something innate, but something she actively decides to do to stick out, she can't understand how it is to have to deal with something out of your control like he does, so her judging him for wanting to change felt even more tone-deaf. To me, it showed she never truly understood him.

I enjoyed seeing "Eyes" relationship with his mom develope closer to the end of the book. It was hopeful to see him be able to open up to her, speak his mind and make the decisions he felt was best for him, to actually have control of his own life for once.

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frankieclc's review against another edition

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3.0


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reyyreads's review

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challenging dark hopeful 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


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llorona's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I would describe this as beautifully raw, painful, dark and melancholy. 

Mieko Kawakami’s writing style is simply art. I greatly enjoyed the book despite it truly breaking my heart. I loved this book so much and the absolute tenderness in which the characters are written to life as complex, flawed beings with often conflicting, selfish, broken, HUMAN ideas and identities. It’s incredibly sad and raw and a surprisingly short read. I felt super reflective after reading this book. A great view into a perspective I had never considered. 

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plumblossom_'s review

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dark emotional 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

4.25


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diaadiary's review against another edition

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dark emotional lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

There is a special kind of power and skill that comes from writing a wonderful, meaningful story in under 150-200 pages. Kawakami has written a masterpiece and I will stand by that opinion forever. While reading this book I felt a kaleidoscope of feelings; this is the kind of book that will take you on a fucking ride. 
 
The writing made my brain twisty and turny. The story begins with a creation of a wholesome and lighthearted friendship, including breezy and simple dialogues of youth that embody innocence. Kawakami makes the beginning so desirable and nostalgic, that you can’t help wanting to stay there forever. At times I did feel bored, but I cannot help appreciating those mundane parts of daily life. 
 
However, amidst the youthful joy, there is an underlying threatening mood. The reader quickly realizes that there is an impending doom on the horizon. Kawakami perfectly displays the complexity of the human condition, all inclusive of its horrors, delights, wants, or needs. She executes this through conversations and monologues. Her characters not only discuss innocent themes of life, but fervently talk about the existential, philosophical, and confusing parts. It was interesting to experience each character’s values on love, loss, guilt etc. These middle schoolers challenged what it means to be hurt/to hurt, how/why people inadvertently hurt their loved ones, and the meaning of death. 
 
Kawakami’s prose is effortless yet profound. The split between carefree living and existential dread was craaaaaazy ok.  This book was bittersweet, disturbing, and reflective. Not to be dramatic, but I will proceed to curl up under the covers in the fetal position and stare at the wall. 

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stllyltc's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is an odd book; as I see it, it brings out perspectives worth reflecting on, but I find it infuriating that no justice was done. Being seen as different should not be a reason to be treated awfully, simply because they wanted to? It was hypocritical at most and selfish at best. They stuck to their own definitions, but it's frustrating to read something that seems to offer insight but provides nothing at the same time.

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