Did something get lost in translation?

Set in Japan in the year 1991, 'Heaven' tells the tale of a 14-year old boy who has a lazy eye, which makes him the target of several bullies at his school. He finds solace and comfort in a fellow student, named Kojima, who also happens to go through the same amount of torment as he does from school bullies. Together, they use their relationship to help each other get through the physical and emotional scars caused by Ninomiya and his friends.

Bullying is always a difficult topic to read up on. Many of us have been victims of bullying in the past - either on the basis of how you look, who you are or what you choose to do. Much of the time in Kawakami's novel is spent in explicitly detailing the heinous acts Ninomiya and his friends perform on the young boy (nicknamed "Eyes") and Kojima - which gradually damages their self-perception with every passing day.

The two main characters find themselves at odds with how to deal with the bullying. Kojima believes that staying true to who you are, and not giving in to the bullies, is what makes you the better person - while the boy finds himself detesting his eyes and is ready to perform surgery on them, if it means that the bullying would stop.

Things take a twist towards the end of the book when Momose, Ninomiya's close friend, reveals that they aren't bullying the boy because of his eyes, but simply because "they can". This moment sheds a lot of light on the mindset of a bully - and the sociopaths they truly are.

I would have loved to see the author provide more support to assist the two bullied kids and their plight. There was a noticeable lack of responsible adults in this book - the kind who can pick up on signs of bullying. The boy's mother, and the doctor he interacts with, both come off as really dense despite clear telltale indications that the boy is going through some serious physical and emotional turmoil at his school. Did the author purposely eliminate any semblance of a supportive adult so as to write a tale of the extreme limits of bullying? If so, I found this aspect of the book a little exploitative.

The ending is a divisive one that tells the readers that giving into fixing your perceived flaws or standing strong beside them are the only two options to counteract bullying. But what about the most obvious solution? Seeking help from friends, family and even the authorities? Again, the author's decision to not involve any form of human intervention to stop the bullying seems calculated as a means to milk the most amount of drama from this tale.

I thought this book was ok. It left me feeling more icky than enlightened. I understand that bullying in Japan is a serious issue, and I wonder if maybe the essence of this book was lost in translation.

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1 person found this helpful

exceptional narration and loved it!

not an easy book to sit down and listen to but, Kawakami's words coupled with the smooth narration made it absolutely worthwhile.

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Engaging read - but too graphic for readers who are triggered by descriptions of bullying

This is an interesting read from the perspective of two teenagers who are victims of brutal bullying at school - it’s written from the perspective of the helpless and the harshness of the world toward those who cannot defend themselves. Descriptions of bullying are very graphic so proceed with caution.

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Touching

The narration is clear and extremely nice and the story itself very touching. A must read for anyone

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