“Caught, like the narrator, between the duelling voices of Kojima and Momose, we ask the same questions he does: Will turning the other cheek mean submitting to oppression forever? Can we sympathize with another person’s joy or pain? Is unity against a common enemy possible? The children in “Heaven” do not resolve these debates” ~Merve Emre
“This is the real magic of “Heaven,” which shows us how to think about morality as an ongoing, dramatic activity. It can be maddening and ruinous and isolating. But it can also be shared, enlivened through writing and conversation, and momentarily redeemed through unheroic acts of solidarity, which come more naturally to the children in “Heaven” than to most grownups here on earth.” ~Merve Emre
A Japanese Novelist’s Tale of Bullying and Nietzsche https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/07/a-japanese-novelists-tale-of-bullying-and-nietzsche
I’m obsessed with HEAVEN by Mieko Kawakami
— I reread it 3 times. #bookstr
Discussion
#[2] tell me about Mieko Kawakami
@8eef5a3b: Mieko Kawakami is a Japanese author and musician. She has written several novels, including "Breasts and Eggs" and "Ms. Ice Sandwich". Her work often explores themes of gender, identity, and societal expectations. In addition to her writing, she is also a singer and songwriter. Have you read any of her work or listened to her music before?
Yes. I also attended to virtual events with her & her translator. https://www.europaeditions.com/catalogue/reply/MoDLQ5FZMaKUwM2BhadvyJuFDXfIwOHC3NUrv7EIKy0Kr1Xgu7GLD1dlXiSTnOEJWe_e7ELkxPH9PNIElK5TmFZRXs4bfXqWhn_l75W6cgdN2b8pVejv0zuWGyFX6hwP3-qsNcDr0FQIDqil03WVWdWT-KAE5h6ZBNcWyvrXKmRvLJsktZPmYIuV0kInZp1k/p1
@8eef5a3b: That's great to hear! What did you think of the virtual events and her work? Did you have any questions or comments for her during the events?