A review by annescorner
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

I’m not very sure what to think about this novel. I liked it and also disliked it. The bullying was horrific, but what really disturbed me even more were the attitudes of some of the characters. I was really questioning whether those people are actually 14 years old, because some of the things they said, attitudes they possessed and the way they spoke just did not fit with teenagers. If they’d been about 17-18, then maybe, but 14? I don’t know.. Some world views and things felt a bit too mature in my opinion. However, I did like in that context the discussion of morale, right and wrong, and actions and their consequences. As I mentioned, the bullying was truly horrific and it was a lot of the times difficult to read. But I also did not quite understand why our protagonist and narrator - btw is my memory that bad or did we never get to know his name? - was so adamant about not telling his mum. At one point he even said/assumed, that his mum/parents do not want anything to do with him once they knew, to which I’m like what?? (idk if this is a cultural thing but in reference to the last chapter I don’t think so) Also, I’m very sorry, but however bonding and nice the friendship between him and Kojima was at first, it grew damn toxic over time. How can your friend, even she herself is bullied, tell you that you should not get a surgery if it would alleviate your living experience? How can a friend say, they should just let the bullying continue and “get it over with” and endure it? Of course, there definitely were a lot of mental health issues at place - from Kojima and from him - but I just cannot get behind a friendship that ‘supports’ bullying instead of trying to do something against it, together. I liked the doctor though and the mum. And I do think this story teaches us a lot about humans in general - however deranged they might be. Though I do have to say, that the ending was not completely satisfactory for me. I cannot quite pinpoint it, especially as I liked that one aspect did get resolved, but the way the aspect of his lazy eye was solved and the last few paragraphs, I don’t know … Not that it was rushed, and I like the hope it implies, but still. In comparison to the rest of the story it almost felt too happy - which I know is a weird thing to say. Anyways, I did like the writing style a lot and will definitely pick up another novel by Mieko Kawakami. Do read this novel after taking a look at trigger warnings though; I knew that it was going to be heavy, but oh man, rock heavy it got.