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A review by libbyy
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
This review does contain spoilers; proceed with care.
I've been putting off reviewing this book for quite a while now. This was probably one of the most bizarre books I have read. Initially, I was interested in what this book had to offer as many reviews praised it's profound nature. Then I read it and was disappointed.
There were many things that confused me in the story such as the whole conservation with the protagonist and one of his bullies who was really a bystander more than anything. Another thing I couldn't wrap my head around is why we were not shown the painting and why it did not play a significant role in the story at all after they inevitably didn't see it. The whole book is named after this painting so why do we never get even a description or how if affected Kojima? Also, Kojima really started to get on my nerves. I can't fathom why she thinks being dirty will help her keep her connection with her father. Why not understand his character and show your connecting through contining his legacy or his values instead of voluntarily making yourself stinky because your dad is financially struggling? Like it's not like she doesn't have access to the facilities to maintain her hygiene, she simply just doesn't want 'for her dad' which doesn't make sense. I'm sure your father would rather you think about others around you and how your personal hygiene such as your stench affects them instead of being on some self-righteousness high because your so much better than everyone else because you stink. She deserved the bullying. Okay, obviously no one should be victims of bullying but Kojima's reason for her being a target of the bullying is genuinely crazy.
Additionally, the amount of times the main character masturbated made me super uncomfortable as well as the bullies telling the two main characters to have sex and Kojima taking off all her clothes at the end for no reason but because she could and it let her 'break free' of the bullies (no, you are just committing the crime of public indecency). I am not far off in age of the two main characters and there is no further exploration of the concept of young children understanding and engaging in sexual acts and/or how this can affect them. It makes me feel like author put it in the story for shock value or so it can be written off as being 'dark' or 'edgy'. Maybe I'm not 'intellectual' enough to comment on this book but I feel like it really did not accomplish much apart from an anti-bullying sentiment which I'm sure most held before entering this story. I did enjoy the set-up of the two communicating through notes but I did not understand why they couldn't talk to each other during school, they never gave a reason and I wish it did because I believe it would have given the story some stakes on what would happen if they got caught or something along those lines.
Overall, I wanted to like this book and for it to be this profound work of literature people proclaimed, but unfortunately, it did not happen. At least this novel made me feel overwhelming anger instead of nothing at all, and it's that what art is meant to do, make you feel.
I've been putting off reviewing this book for quite a while now. This was probably one of the most bizarre books I have read. Initially, I was interested in what this book had to offer as many reviews praised it's profound nature. Then I read it and was disappointed.
There were many things that confused me in the story such as the whole conservation with the protagonist and one of his bullies who was really a bystander more than anything. Another thing I couldn't wrap my head around is why we were not shown the painting and why it did not play a significant role in the story at all after they inevitably didn't see it. The whole book is named after this painting so why do we never get even a description or how if affected Kojima? Also, Kojima really started to get on my nerves. I can't fathom why she thinks being dirty will help her keep her connection with her father. Why not understand his character and show your connecting through contining his legacy or his values instead of voluntarily making yourself stinky because your dad is financially struggling? Like it's not like she doesn't have access to the facilities to maintain her hygiene, she simply just doesn't want 'for her dad' which doesn't make sense. I'm sure your father would rather you think about others around you and how your personal hygiene such as your stench affects them instead of being on some self-righteousness high because your so much better than everyone else because you stink. She deserved the bullying. Okay, obviously no one should be victims of bullying but Kojima's reason for her being a target of the bullying is genuinely crazy.
Additionally, the amount of times the main character masturbated made me super uncomfortable as well as the bullies telling the two main characters to have sex and Kojima taking off all her clothes at the end for no reason but because she could and it let her 'break free' of the bullies (no, you are just committing the crime of public indecency). I am not far off in age of the two main characters and there is no further exploration of the concept of young children understanding and engaging in sexual acts and/or how this can affect them. It makes me feel like author put it in the story for shock value or so it can be written off as being 'dark' or 'edgy'. Maybe I'm not 'intellectual' enough to comment on this book but I feel like it really did not accomplish much apart from an anti-bullying sentiment which I'm sure most held before entering this story. I did enjoy the set-up of the two communicating through notes but I did not understand why they couldn't talk to each other during school, they never gave a reason and I wish it did because I believe it would have given the story some stakes on what would happen if they got caught or something along those lines.
Overall, I wanted to like this book and for it to be this profound work of literature people proclaimed, but unfortunately, it did not happen. At least this novel made me feel overwhelming anger instead of nothing at all, and it's that what art is meant to do, make you feel.