I was totally engrossed in this novel, and it’s one I’ll be recommending to others.
I recently read Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, a short novel shortlisted for the International Booker prize, and translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd. This book was a tough read in many ways, but I found it to be an incredibly poignant exploration of a fragile friendship between two teenagers who are both being bullied at school. The story follows an unnamed fourteen-year-old boy and Kojima, a girl in his class, as they become closer and provide each other with much needed support and consolation. Through their conversations, the author is able to explore the psychology of bullying, why it happens, and how best to deal with it. This book was a beautiful and heartbreaking read that I would highly recommend to other book bloggers.
