SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE

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

“Kawakami is a writer who doesn’t shy away from hard truths and painful experiences,” wrote the Japan Times. Told simply and directly but containing astonishing emotional depth, Heaven explores the meaning and experience of violence and the consolations of friendship. Bullied because of his lazy eye, Kawakami’s protagonist suffers in silence. His only respite comes thanks to his friendship with a girl who is also the victim of relentless teasing. But what is the nature of a friendship if your shared bond is terror?

Unflinching yet tender, sharply observed, intimate and multi-layered, Heaven is yet another dazzling testament to Kawakami’s uncontainable talent. A frank and brilliantly evocative writer who is “ceaselessly growing and evolving,” according to Haruki Murakami, Kawakami is, for The Economist, “Japan’s brightest new literary star.”

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK
The New York Times・The Washington Post・TIME Magazine・Oprah Daily・The Millions・CNN・Bustle・Ms. Magazine・A.V. Club

Mieko Kawakami
Mieko Kawakami is the author of the international bestseller Breasts and Eggs, a 2020 New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and the highly acclaimed Heaven, one of TIME’s Best Books of 2021. Her most recent novel is All the Lovers in the Night, which Hamilton Cain described as “her most accomplished novel yet” in Oprah Daily. Born in Osaka, Kawakami made her literary debut as a poet in 2006, and in 2007 published her first novella, My Ego, My Teeth, and the World. Known for their poetic qualities, insights into the female body, and preoccupation with ethics and modern society, her books have been translated into over twenty languages and are available all over the world. Kawakami’s literary awards include the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Prize, and the Murasaki Shikibu Prize. She lives in Tokyo.

• Jan 25 2024
  “Pulls at...heartstrings.”
  — Japan Times
• Aug 14 2022
  “6 Paperbacks to Read This Week”
  — The New York Times
• Aug 25 2021
  “A slim and wrenching meditation on the bounds of friendship and shame.”
  — Amazon Book Review
• Jul 23 2021
  “A supremely fascinating and compelling read.”
  — Asia Media International
• Jul 19 2021
  “Never lets us settle comfortably.”
  — Los Angeles Review of Books
• Jun 3 2021
  “Moving and surprising.”
  — Tampa Bay Times