A review by vanessaching
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

2.0

the plot development felt so rushed. i feel like it was 85% the actual bullying and 15% developing the plot. i get that it’s important to properly tell what happens in a story but it got so repetitive. it was just them beating him up and him saying it wouldn’t make a difference if he did something or didn’t. i also didn’t understand parts of it like how he said that they never left any noticeable bruises so they wouldn’t get caught but they literally fucked up his face and body constantly???
i’m not sure how bullying differs in japanese culture but it just felt so unbelievably. genuinely how did he go through all of that and not once did any teacher notice?? this might just be me not understanding though.
it also seemed so unnecessary to add in him jerking off??? maybe it’s because he’s in middle school but idk it felt so unneeded. i get that it ties into the ending but like idk.
i’m not sure if it was a poor translation or something but i also just did not enjoy the writing style at all. it was more like i was reading descriptions of events than a story if that makes sense.
last thing is i genuinely didn’t like kojima. i was fine with her until she deadass started guilt tripping him for wanting eye surgery?????????
wait no like actual last thing no fucking way a middle schooler said that shit that momose said. it was so bleak and didn’t even feel like dialogue