Heaven Audiobook By Mieko Kawakami cover art

Heaven

A Novel

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection of titles.
Yours as long as you’re a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for $8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Heaven

By: Mieko Kawakami
Narrated by: Scott Keiji Takeda
Try Standard free

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.00

Buy for $17.00

From the best-selling author of Breasts and Eggs and international literary sensation Mieko Kawakami comes a sharp and illuminating novel about the impact of violence and the power of solidarity in our contemporary societies.

Hailed as a bold foray into new literary territory, Kawakami’s novel is told in the voice of a 14-year-old student subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate who suffers similar treatment at the hands of her tormenters.

These raw and realistic portrayals of bullying are counterbalanced by textured exposition of the philosophical and religious debates concerning violence to which the weak are subjected.

Kawakami’s simple yet profound new work stands as a dazzling testament to her literary talent. There can be little doubt that it has cemented her reputation as one of the most important young authors working to expand the boundaries of contemporary Japanese literature.

©2009 Mieko Kawakami. Translation © 2021 by Mieko Kawakami (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing Coming of Age Literary Fiction Emotionally Gripping Psychological Friendship Genre Fiction Feel-Good

Critic reviews

Indie Next List

New York Times Pick

Oprah Magazine Pick
Compelling Story • Profound Imagery • Excellent Narration • Brilliant Aspects • Honest Portrayal

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
A young boy and his girlfriend philosophise about being bullied. Also with his same-age tormentor.

Fascinating true narrative about preteen bullying.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Even though how clueless humans can be, the wisdom and power within didn’t give into any of weakness, and that kept helping to seek the light to Heaven.

Beautifully written!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I rethink my own adolescence and wonder: "Was I ever that cold and unfeeling?" I wasn't physically violent, but yes - in retrospect, there were times I steamrolled more vulnerable kids without realizing at the time I was doing damage to them - not due to physical differences or disabilities, but simply bc I was intellectually smarter (and emotionally chaotic, having been traumatized by abusive parents). I would never have encouraged the boy to avoid a simple operation that would improve his life significantly, as his "friend" did. This book is a very tough listen, but it's an honest one. The narration is VG.

The cruelty is nearly overwhelming

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is the kind of book that makes you look back at the kind of person you were when you grew up. It does not matter whether you were participating or a witness, the thing is you were part of it.

A gentle story about darkness and light

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A wonderful book that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book relatable and generally well written. I further highly recommend this book.

A great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews