A review by xlaraxk
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced
  • 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

Not my favourite book by Kawakami but she's still a brilliant writer on bad days. Some scenes in this book are incredibly hard to read; the bullying portrayed in this is so cruel and brutal that it made me a bit nauseous at times. Some parts felt a bit too slow even though its a rather short book. There is not that much happening, so if you're not that interested in reading character-focused stories, I'd skip this one. But Kawakami is truly a master at showing us complex human relationships through wonderful poetic language. Unsettling, sad, and simultaneously inspiring and hopeful.
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