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barath_6023's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse and Bullying
Moderate: Blood, Torture, and Violence
jovanas_cloud's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
I feel Kojima is the biggest contributor to the things I didn't like in the book. Her philosophy of Heaven, her philosophy on why they're being bullied, her reasons for being dirty, etc. To explain further, I don't understand what she wanted to say with renaming the painting because the actual name felt underwhelming. Her philosophy that they're being bullied because they're allowing it, is true to some extent because they never tried to fight back (which was easier for her to fix). The reason for being dirty, would be a great topic if she got some kind of help.
Another nonsensical thing I would like to bring up is the nihilistic conversation between the MC and Momose. First of all, not only is so dumb but the big words and theories these 14 year olds are using just seems very unlikely to happen. Like yeah it makes sense that a bully doesn't see why it's wrong to bully others but to have such big philosophy and so many points??
The culmination - I was just waiting for something big and dramatic to happen, it was always so close until it happened and the consequences were anticlimactic.
The last chapter was really underwhelming. I was hoping to get some more results with what happened at school, with Kojima, Ninomiya, and Momose, but got nothing of that sort. Just MC moving forward with his new sight.
I love bullying and trauma bonding works Kawakami somehow managed to get nothing done. The friendship felt rather shallow most of the time, except the gym scene
Graphic: Physical abuse, Hate crime, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Eating disorder
Minor: Death
For moderate, ED is not because of issues with body images but a way of coping for the character. Suicidal thoughts are mentioned several times.slimfolly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse
moongelli's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
near-dnf but completed since it was a short read, i saw it to the end.
Graphic: Sexual content, Bullying, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Ableism, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, and Vomit
nee_shelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Ableism, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Self harm, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Suicidal thoughts
1989ruth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Bullying, Physical abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
rachellen's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
I really liked this story and the first person perspective that wasn’t too informal.
I was sad that Kojima never took the lead to heaven! (I also only now realise that the lead’s name is never provided, only what his bullies call him, which feels pretty representative of how he feels invisible in the world). Though, this could have been entirely metaphorical and something not fated for their relationship. If the lead followed Kojima directly in her self-destructive rebellions to her bullies and mother/step-father, which to me read sadly as self-harm fuelled by a desire to have some control in her life after her family and bullying situations, he may have truly followed her to heaven but only in death. He contemplates suicide rather seriously, discussing suicidality and suicidal ideation. Both are in tragic situations, but the lead’s decision to discuss his eyes led to their separation, because he wasn’t following Kojima anymore. He often just says yes I understand, without understanding, but not knowing how to express that. I think this was right, to separate, but it was heartbreaking. I wonder whether Kojima receives help.
The relationship between Kojima and the lead narrator is interesting to me, because whilst they found solace in one another’s company I did find that it was under Kojima’s perspective of what terms their relationship required to flourish. I found it really sad that Kojima failed to understand that the lead’s opportunity to receive a medical procedure to improve his eye condition was about his quality of life, to see the word, not metaphorically but in actuality, as everyone else did. It was not just about aesthetics. The lead never looks in the mirror, this saddened me. He frequently mentions how he injures himself due to double vision, his pains, how it affects him. This reminds us of the character’s ages, as though the lead is often remarkably wise or realistic, they both are only children and are attempting to navigate very difficult situations and lives.
It was clear to me that the lead wouldn’t intend to change or ‘become a sheep’ after surgery after his bully tells him that he wasn’t bullied for his eyes, but because he happened to be in their sight. It was apparently just bad luck (which was a horrible gaslighting monologue to read but showed how the bullies did not even care to give a reason nor explanation outside of philosophical drivel that made them feel intelligent to harm weak people in a survival of the fittest sense, which is laughable considering it was 1v5?). It made me sad for Kojima, because she isolated herself from her only friend when he never intended on leaving her. I felt the lead had love for her. Even without his eye condition, he knew he would get bullied or be isolated socially anyway and remain the same as her.
The relationship I truly favoured was that of the lead and his step-mother. They have no blood relation, but do marital, and at first it seems they are rather cold with one another but then you grow to realise that they are actually just remarkably comfortable and similar to one another. When the mother gets hurt, quite badly, she noticeably plays it down and wishes to suffer alone, telling the lead to not tell his dad or accompany her to the hospital. She even laughs during the ordeal, and the lead has to clean the blood up once more. She only accepts company in her suffering when the lead offers to come with her to her sister’s funeral as the father wasn’t going. I couldn’t help but think that the lead learnt a sense of amiability or desire to suffer in silence from the mother and the very absent father. I was happy at her response about the bullying, as the bullies had made him believe he would be fucked to tell anyone, but he was not. In many ways, though dreadful, the climax of the story meant he could not hide what was happening to him anymore. He was forced into daylight. The character feels so very real. I suppose he is existent in many people’s lives.
I really could go on and on, I just found it to be such an interesting read. I recommend ‘Heaven’, as I do any Mieko Kawakami work!
Graphic: Vomit, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Blood
nooni56's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Bullying, and Blood
axbvk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
pipe_dream's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Vomit, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, Bullying, Blood, Body shaming, and Suicidal thoughts