Heaven Paperback – 12 May 2022

Heaven delves deeply into the intricate dynamics of bullying, exploring the perspectives of both the victim and the perpetrator. Meiko Kawakami's poignant narrative is a thought-provoking journey through the dark realities of human behavior. From the very beginning, the story grips you with its emotional intensity, immersing you in its unsettling atmosphere.There were so many good lines and so many thought provoking conversation about human thinking and why people bully others. Despite being a work of fiction, it felt hauntingly realistic during certain parts.What sets Heaven apart is its portrayal of intricate human emotions, which adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. It's a compelling read that stays with you long after you've turned the final page.I highly recommend this book. Meiko Kawakami is a literary genius and I cannot wait to read more of her books.!!!!!PLEASE DO CHECK THE TW's FIRST BEFORE READING!!!!!

Heaven triggered memories that should’ve been left alone and not touched. The memories of being bullied at school, by four boys who called me their friend, and yet would bully me every single day four five years.Heaven by Mieko Kawakami is perhaps all our story – of the ones who were bullied at high-school, the monstrosity of it all, the nightmare, and the solace found in unexpected people.The book isn’t an easy read. Kawakami will not make it easy and redemptive. The bullies will bully and will think of innovative ways of doing so, for instance, taking the unnamed narrator’s head and using it as a football. The description isn’t nice. It isn’t meant to be. It is raw and gritty.The unnamed fourteen-year-old (who also has a lazy eye) goes through all of this and more, till he meets someone at school – Kojima – a kindred spirit, a classmate who is also being bullied by a bunch of vicious girls, through exchange of notes, their friendship blossoming, and they rarely meet. Over a summer break, they visit an art museum, where Kojima plans to show him her favourite painting about men and women who have discovered harmony and joy after immense suffering. She calls the painting “Heaven”.The book is set in early 1990s in Japan and to me it was the most beautiful meditation on the nature of suffering, coming of age, and what it is like to perhaps overcome in some manner or the other. They aren’t lovers. They will never be. But they are bound by their suffering and constantly asking questions around it: What is it? When will it end? Why are they going through it?The translation by Sam Bett and David Boyd is concise and to the point. Having read Breasts and Eggs by Kawakami, also translated by them, I can say that the tone is spot-on. The atmosphere of the school world of Japan in the 90s is clearly communicated. I loved how the translation does not ramble away to explain anything – it lets the prose be for people to see and doesn’t tell anything.Heaven is a book that might seem YA as it did to me when I started off but worked on so many other levels. The poignancy of growing up, but to have to do so when being exposed to bullying made me go through all of my school life in my head, and it wasn’t easy at all. Perhaps it was extremely cathartic as I did find myself not reading after a point and tearing up, but it was also needed to revisit it all, for life like fiction to transform.

I adore mieko<3

what a sweet yet traumatizing story!! very beautifully written💘⭐💘⭐💘

It's nice novel on good and bad, right and wrong vs you are free to do anything you wish if you can. Eyes and Kojima, two victims of a horrible bad group of students in their class at the last year before the High School. Kojima attain her strength in last chapter and make the bad students to run away. Eyes has overcome the weakness and got lazy eye is corrected. by a surgery. He sees the whole world with fresh new vision. Relationship between Kojima and Eyes is beautifully written. Exchange of letters and secret meetings are highly poetical. The boy's mom also an understanding and Care taking Mom. A great story to read without any gap.SAMAYAVEL, INDIA

In this book Kawakami narrates the life of a 14 year old boy, who is bullied by his classmates. He began to get letters by a girl in his class who is also a victim of bullying. They soon became friends. Kawakami describes the deep emotions and thoughts of bullies and bullied through Heaven.

Arrived in great condition no damage

Had to force myself to finish it.