A review by random_spider
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 ------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 4/10
Characters/POVs: 6/10
Prose/Style: 6/10
Themes/Messages: 10/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 9/10

OVERALL RATING: 7/10 (good)

Weird how I can't give this a confident rating...like it's meant not to be. Sometimes, a thing was simply written for the sole purpose of effectively putting out a provocative message. Indeed, a powerful literature.
"...You, me, we're all free to interpret the world however we want. We see the world differently. It's that simple..."



Synopsis and/or Premise:
We follow "Eyes" form an unexpected connection-turned-friendship with Kojima. They were a haven for each other against bullies. But soon, the harsh foundation of their special relationship began to crumble.

The Good and The Bad:
This book was about undergoing adolescence 🧒. Poetic on how the clear it presented the general chaos from that age, starting with sexual urges, uncomfortable feelings, family structures/dynamics, and the need to have a stable connection with fellow adolescents.

This book was about social hierarchy 👥 (specifically within a middle school context, where it is realistically evident.) By relentlessly showing readers how the weak will be preyed upon by those who's able to take advantage, it instilled the idea of how unjust and destructive some social constructs are.

This book was about suicidal thoughts 🥀. It wasn't afraid to dive into the thought processes of someone considering of ending things. It's haunting, it's grim, and it's unyielding.

This book, surprisingly for me, was about perceptions and how drastic one person's way of seeing things is from another. WHAT A THOUGHT-PROVOKING CONCEPT ♥️, especially as we witness the protagonist struggling to grapple those that belong to the people around him (as they justify) while forming his own. This theme was perfectly tied to the protagonist's condition, Lazy Eye, with the 'eyes' as windows to a soul.

This book was about the need to change. Some things are fine staying as they were 👍, but there are those that needed to be change for the better. And the book gently whispered that the process isn't something to be ashamed of, that it is not a bad thing. Change is, often, necessary.

And of course, if you couldn't get the gist of it, this book was philosophical 💭. I appreciated it's deeper meaning and how they reflect on society. It was meant not to be rushed, but instead to take time absorbing what the book laid out and ponder upon them.

Honestly, I couldn't find any mistake the book did other than having some paragraphs of meandering plot 〰️. Yeah, it slows the pacing or whatever, but it's a flaw I'm not even frustrated about. Like it's meant to be there...for a more natural book. And as if it served a purpose of balancing the heavy topics.

Final Thoughts:
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami is a brutally taut and unsettling novel that wasn't afraid to address subjects like bullying. The author's direction for it was simultaneously tender and sharp, capturing the fickle poignancy of real life. I also admire how she simply laid out the angles of discussion regarding the topics without siding on one, thus allowing the readers to choose for their own accounts. Like I said in the beginning, this book wasn't meant to be rated, because despite not of perfection, it just fits right for its purpose. Looking forward to more Japanese Literature after this. Any good recommendations?

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph