Heaven

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami is a deeply moving novel about adolescence, bullying, violence, loneliness, and the complicated ways in which people search for connection and meaning in the face of suffering. The story follows two fourteen-year-old students who, isolated by their classmates, find comfort and understanding in their friendship.

For the Bulgarian edition, I wanted the cover to reflect the tension at the heart of the novel: something that appears playful and almost innocent, but becomes unsettling when looked at more closely. I chose scissors as the central image, incorporating eyes into their handles. The scissors refer to the violence and cruelty present in the story, while the eyes connect to the protagonist’s lazy eye - the physical difference that makes him a target for bullying. At the same time, the eyes suggest the feeling of constantly being watched, judged, and exposed.