Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

43 reviews

minariffo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Self harm, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Mental illness, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

caroisreading's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Bullying, and Body shaming

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

saoreads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Body shaming, Bullying, Torture, Vomit, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Medical content

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

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

firuz's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Bullying, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder

teriodvarkova88's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Because we're always in pain, we know exactly what it means to hurt somebody else.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Torture, Blood, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

kkryrak's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Violence, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

dsmw_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Bullying

laurenboisset's review

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

this is one of the most disturbing books i’ve ever read and yet i feel weirdly seen by it - my sad teenage self (not that my pain was directly 100% comparable to the protagonist’s) is looking out from the me of today and is kind of relieved that someone understands 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Bullying, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail