Heaven Is Small

by Emily Schultz

Award-winning author and poet Emily Schultz offers an immensely readable, funny, and sharp novel about a man who works for a Harlequin-like publisher, and gradually discovers that he has arrived in "heaven." Like Will Ferguson's international bestseller, Happiness, Heaven is Small is a smart, satirical novel from one of our best.

Heaven is Small is the funny, layered, startling, and profound story of Gordon Small, a degree-clutching slacker and failed fiction writer. Gordon is also, we discover in the first paragraph, recently deceased - although this is "an event he failed to notice." When Gordon finds himself suddenly employed at the Heaven Book Company, the world's largest romance publisher, he begins to notice that something is odd: his routines within the company's walls, though familiar in some respects, have taken on a strange cast - stranger than is usual in the average suburban office.

With sly deadpan humour, brilliant insight into the human condition, and exceptionally beautiful writing, Schultz explores what it means to be truly alive only after you're dead.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Literary Fiction, Humor, Book Club, Fantasy, Canadian Literature

249 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Emily Schultz is the co-founder of Joyland Magazine. Her newest novel, Little Threats, is forthcoming from GP Putnam's Sons for November 2020. Her novel, The Blondes, released in the U.S. with St. Martin’s Press and Picador, in France with Editions Asphalte, and in Canada with Doubleday. It was named a Best Book of 2015 by NPR and Kirkus. The Blondes was produced as a scripted podcast starring Madeline Zima, which has also been translated into French.

Schultz's writing has appeared in Elle, Slate, Evergreen Review, Vice, Today's Parent, Hazlitt, Minola Review, Black Warrior Review, and Prairie Schooner. She lives in Brooklyn where she is a producer with the indie media company Heroic Collective.

Reviews

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky novel about one Gordon Small who dies and enters Heaven, a Harlequin Romance type publishing company, where he's hired on as editor. Although at first he has no inkling or memory of his death he soon realizes that he, Gordon Small, is in fact deceased. And that's when G. Small attempts to enlighten his dead colleagues about their own deaths. A humorous story with a fantastic ending.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an odd little book. That may not sound like a compliment, but I mean it in the best way. I thought Heaven Is Small was going to be lighter than it was, but I was pleasantly surprised by its originality and wit. While I didn't find the writing especially superb, the concept made up for it: Gordon Small is dead, and his heaven is working as a proofreader for a romance publisher where no one really seems to know they're living the afterlife.

How Schultz came up with the idea that heaven should be the worst kind of corporate America I'm not sure. At first I thought this was sad, that the afterlife we tend to picture as divine end up being a factory that churns out ridiculous stories of unrealistic "love". But then I let go of all that shit and remembered I'm an agnostic who believes there is no possible way of knowing what the afterlife has in store for us. Why couldn't it be just as manufactured and controlled as Schultz depicts?

The last half of the book is a fast read as Gordon starts to fuck with Heaven's system through his attempts to make everyone aware of their death. He also reaches out to the land of the living by replacing a romance novel's text with his own. His actions transform Heaven Is Small into a compelling mystery that had me ploughing through the book at full steam. I'd recommend reading this as a respite after a particularly heavy book, but that's not to say it's fluff, either. This book kind of laughs in the faces of life and death at the same time, showing us that our notions of both can be truly absurd.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. A most entertaining and well written story. Hilarious and also thought provoking, and I liked the dramatic ending.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gordon Small is dead. We think. He's not sure, as he's too busy prepping for a mysterious job interview with the Heaven Book Company. Gordon is quickly hired to proofread cheap and plentiful romance novels; terrible books written in prose so purple the "ardour of the reading material left a taste in his mouth like old coffee." The specifics of his position are vague, but then, so is the entire enterprise; no one seems to actually go home at night (resulting in a very creepy scene in a parking garage), Gordon can't remember the last time he went to the washroom, and pizza deliverymen are always nearby yet cannot seem to find the entranceway into the building.

Schultz (whose novel Joyland is a real treat, seek it out) definitely enjoys traipsing about her central conceit, portraying the afterlife as not much different than life on this plane, full of office drones, unrequited sexual urges, and monotony. It wouldn't be fair to reveal every surprise the Canadian author lays for Gordon, but his dismay at his new digs quickly leads to a smartly realized scheme whereby his otherwise clueless fellow employees of Heaven "would realize that they deserved lives beyond what occurred at their desks."

Read the rest of the review here.

[Emma Willoughby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into it and the ending was kind of disappointing but it had me for a little bit in the middle. I found it a little confusing and not the most gripping plot but parts of it were interesting and it actually had much more depth to it than I was expecting!

[Robin Spano]

This is a great book - a page-turner that explores bigger issues. The hook at the beginning is fantastic - Gordon Small is dead, but doesn't know it, and he's beginning a new job, at a publishing company called Heaven.

I kept reading for a lot of reasons. I wanted to know how the afterlife would unfold. Emily throws out lots of cool ideas and concepts, and I really enjoyed following Gordon's death arc. I wanted to see what happened with Chloe, his ex-wife, the romance writer superstar. I also kept reading for pleasure; I enjoyed the read from start to finish.

Emily's a really good writer. Every word is just where it belongs, but not in an over-stylized sense. In fact, I'd say she's spot on in stepping back and letting the story tell itself. As a writer, I admire that combination of precision and invisibility.

I am stoked to read Emily's next book, whenever that may be.

[Ashley Newell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schultz is truly a poet. She has a beautiful command of language and creates unique paintings of description. That being said, I was absorbed in her words, not always her world, and I as a reader love reading for the worlds author's build. I followed Small, G.'s journey, I could see Heaven as he wandered through it, but I didn't reach my "do not disturb my reading on pain of death" mode. The one moment where I couldn't put the novel down was Gordon's writing and the chapter that followed. I did love the uniqueness of the story, the questions about life, afterlife and the meaning within both that were provoked in me, and the quirkiness of the supporting characters. I feel that this is the journey of a poet, and unfortunately I am not a poet.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book because it's set in Toronto and it's supposed to be funny. I enjoyed the satire but I rarely laughed out loud. It's actually quite bizarre. Gordon Small has died but somehow gets a job with a romance publisher (I assume based on Harlequin). There are some scathing descriptions of formulaic romances and pretensious literary writing, but overall I didn't see the point. I thought maybe it was about the joy of living and then, acceptance of death, but don't think that's it.

[Barb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess I am in the minority on this one - I had a very difficult time getting through this. And honestly, I didn't think Gordon was in Heaven - I really believed he was in purgatory and would eventually make his way up the ladder to the real deal :( I suppose I should have been paying closer attention....

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started thinking this would be a quirky, fun read. It's so much more. Leave your preconceived ideas at the door and enjoy the ride. You might not look at romance novels the same way again.

[Jane Giffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about a man who dies and finds himself working in a romance novel publishing house in the afterlife.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprising little book. Starting off as a quirky workplace parody, it reveals its depth gradually, becoming a stranger and more profound story than its "the office meets the afterlife" tagline would suggest.

[Elhara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So few books I've read lately that are set in Toronto that I was excited to get into this one. Quite a story. I found it a bit creepy (night time in the underground parking), pretty imaginative details like no sweating and humour (sparse).
A very different story but left me "meh - disappointed"

[Heather Warner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t get it. I don’t know what to say because I just did not get it. Plus not liking the main character didn’t help. I’m giving it 2 stars because the premise was interesting and I happen to like this author and I think other people will like this book-it just wasn’t my cup of tea I guess.

[RustyShack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, but the concept has been used so many times this seems conventional and the messages trite. Many proofreading errors in the digital edition!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

{ ***\ 3.5 stars }
Charmingly offbeat.

[Daniel Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like so many books I love it is witty and funny but after you're done laughing you look in the mirror and do some thinking.

[Kristine Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

My husband picked this book up from the library but I snatched it from him to read first as I had heard about it. I read the other Goodread reviews and am trying to decide what to say about this short novel. Many of the other low raters felt that the book had a great premise but didn't deliver. Others expected humour, and it's not funny. It is in Schultz's words "a strange little fantasy". I thought it was creative and I liked the way it ended (really, how else could it end?). I read it straight through which usually indicates that it has grabbed my attention, but honestly I think I just read it through because it's short and I had a day at my disposal with not much else to do. Normally, I like poetical writing, but I found myself impatient with hers, "A cappella of Gordon, Gordon, Gordon. Gorgeous. A gap-toothed gamine gang singing in a chorus of G major..." Thankfully after about the third chapter she left off with these. Anyway, it is an interesting version of Purgatory and it's quick to read.

[Bradley Somer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schultz has flashes of brilliance in the novel but, unfortunately, they are not as consistent as those in her previous work "Joyland." The idea of this novel, a heaven turned cubicle hell in a romance publishing house, is clever but cannot sustain the story. The central character, Small G., is strong but the supporting roles seem to blend one into the next. In the end....without giving away any secrets, the story just fizzles out leaving the reader with little to take away.

On the up side, there are some beautiful passages and Schultz has many a hilarious jab at the romance genre. While I can't recommend this one, I can still look forward to reading her next novel "The Blondes" because "Joyland" left me with so much that I still have faith there is more good stuff to come from this author.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book was a somewhat heavier read than I expected (as in that the subject matter was not entirely as light and fluffy as it might initially seem), I loved it even more than I originally thought I would. The plot twists and turns in ways I never expected, the characters are perfectly crafted, and Schultz's ability to add a splash of quirkiness into anything she writes was right on target as per usual. I can't recommend this book enough as a fun, strange, and entertaining read.

Fun anecdote: Before I read this book, I heard Emily Schultz read from it three times. A bit much, maybe, but I enjoyed it each and every time!

[Ant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gordon Small is dead, a fact which escapes him as he applies for a job at Heaven Books, a sort of purgatory where his colleagues work away, oblivious to the fact that they are no longer alive. Slowly, Gordon becomes aware of his state and seeks to bring his colleagues to the same state of awareness as they continue to drone away at their jobs in an office environment straight out of Dilbert. The premise is intriguing and that is what initially captured my attention, but it went on too long to keep it.

[Debra Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky little book about life after death...at a book publishing company. Even if I didn't want to like this book, I believe I would have had to on principle alone. Through an obviously dark subject, Emily creates humour and light via her main character, Gordon Small, and his office co-workers at Heaven Book Company. While the ending was quite abrupt, I'm not sure what I was expecting for a book that was based on a subject that was already running on borrowed time. I look forward to reading more.

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as it came to me so highly recommended. But I just couldn't. Although the premise was fascinating and at times I did laugh out loud, I found it ran out of steam quickly and then I just got bored trying to get through it. It had great character development but almost too much so.i kept waiting and waiting for the book to get to the point. Instead, it was overshadowed by unending prose and jokes that went on too long.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always wonder when I read a book by a non-U.S. author if I'm missing something based simply on cultural differences. Anyway, I enjoyed this book and thought it was an interesting idea of heaven and one man's attempt to reconcile himself with, well, himself. The low-key language made discovering the author's ideas more enjoyable. Sometimes I had to re-read a sentence or turn of phrase because I knew I had missed something profound or entertaining.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Main character Small is a revolutionary inhabitant of Heaven's romance publishing company. He surprisingly finds himself there after probably committing suicide. His most intentional moments occur during his 'existence' in Heaven, but who cares? Most of the characters are as lifeless as you might imagine but I guess that's the point.

I enjoyed the clever concept but it didn't quite work for me as a novel I'd recommend.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book was a lot better than the actual writing. Gordon Small begins work in a company not unlike Harlequin. Then he discovers the actual truth- he's in Purgatory.

Very creative, even though I found some of the writing to be clunky.

[Trish · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book absolutely SUCKED... too bad because the author had a great idea for a story, too bad she sucks as a writer and can't execute the storytelling correctly. I was continually lost throughtout the book and wanting more details...

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME READING THIS ONE!!

[Marilyn Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book when it first came out, and then on a reread this year, enjoyed it even more. There's a lot of substance beneath its light exterior. I'm considering reading it again. Fun and multi-layered.

[Peace]

I'm sad I didn't like this more. I really liked the idea and the beginning, but somehow it lost my interest and I gave up at p. 170. I left it there for a year or more and finally skimmed the last 80 pages.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise but ran out of steam early and I got bored.