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minguyen's review against another edition
4.0
Đêm hôm khuya khoắt đọc quyển này, định đi ngủ ở trang 242 thì đập vào mặt là một cú twist. Vậy là phải cố nốt 60 trang cuối để biết kết chuyện.
Nói thật là mình thấy 50 trang đầu không hấp dẫn, đến mức mình đã đọc cách đây nửa năm và giờ mới mở ra đọc tiếp =))
170 trang tiếp theo thì cũng bình thường thôi, thực ra nếu không đọc nhiều trinh thám thì thấy cũng không quá đặc sắc. Cơ bản là mình đã đọc qua Sự trả thù hoàn hảo của bác Tử Kim Trần rồi, trong đấy có màn bắt cóc cũng đặc sắc lắm, nên thành ra không xa lạ gì với một vài thủ pháp trong quyển này.
Nếu truyện chỉ dừng ở đây thì nó chỉ được tầm 2.5/5, nhưng bác Keigo không để cho trái tim người đọc được bình yên đến vậy. Từ sau khi cuộc bắt cóc kết thúc thì câu chuyện hấp dẫn mới bắt đầu, twist up twist down, không thể đoán nổi chuyện gì đang xảy ra, cho dù các manh mối rải rảc khắp truyện rồi. Nói chung bác rất biết cách chơi đùa với những suy đoán của người đọc.
Mặc dù vẫn còn sạn trong tư duy logic và tâm lý nhân vật, mình vẫn đánh giá cao tác phẩm có nhiều tình tiết điện ảnh này, sẽ tìm phim xem thử.
Nói thật là mình thấy 50 trang đầu không hấp dẫn, đến mức mình đã đọc cách đây nửa năm và giờ mới mở ra đọc tiếp =))
170 trang tiếp theo thì cũng bình thường thôi, thực ra nếu không đọc nhiều trinh thám thì thấy cũng không quá đặc sắc. Cơ bản là mình đã đọc qua Sự trả thù hoàn hảo của bác Tử Kim Trần rồi, trong đấy có màn bắt cóc cũng đặc sắc lắm, nên thành ra không xa lạ gì với một vài thủ pháp trong quyển này.
Nếu truyện chỉ dừng ở đây thì nó chỉ được tầm 2.5/5, nhưng bác Keigo không để cho trái tim người đọc được bình yên đến vậy. Từ sau khi cuộc bắt cóc kết thúc thì câu chuyện hấp dẫn mới bắt đầu, twist up twist down, không thể đoán nổi chuyện gì đang xảy ra, cho dù các manh mối rải rảc khắp truyện rồi. Nói chung bác rất biết cách chơi đùa với những suy đoán của người đọc.
Mặc dù vẫn còn sạn trong tư duy logic và tâm lý nhân vật, mình vẫn đánh giá cao tác phẩm có nhiều tình tiết điện ảnh này, sẽ tìm phim xem thử.
duskx's review against another edition
5.0
‘The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping’ unfolds as a cerebral tapestry, woven with the threads of human cunning and the stark unpredictability of life’s chessboard. It is a novel that respects the intelligence of its readers, challenging us to think several moves ahead, to look beyond the obvious plays, and to appreciate the beauty of a game well played. The plot, while skirting the boundaries of believability, does so with such finesse that captivates and captures us within its hypnotic allure.
The story begins with an unorthodox proposition: a young woman, running away from home accepting a brazen proposition from a total stranger—a chance to be kidnapped. This counterintuitive decision thrusts them into an arena of psychological jousting, where trust is both a precious commodity and a prelude to treachery. The abductee and her captor are ensnared in a perilous pas de deux, yet Katsutoshi Katsuragi, their formidable adversary, is not one to concede defeat lightly.
What sets this thriller apart is its departure from melodrama of conventional thrillers. Higashino masterfully sidesteps the emotional excess often mired in the genre, presenting a more intellectual duel. His characters are not simply black and white piece in the game’s narrative; they are richly developed, each with their own endgames and hidden tactics, engaging in a battle of wits that is as much about personal triumph as it is about survival.
The narrative is strung like a high-tension wire, with the kidnapping scheme itself a work of art—intricate, calculated, and dangerously deceptive. Every element, down to the last penny of the ransom, is a deliberate move designed to outwit opponents. Higashino’s meticulous planning is apparent, as he scatters a trail of clues that guide us through an enigmatic forest of plot twists, each more bewildering than the last.
In his signature style, Higashino plays a cunning game with his audience through a series of forks and pins, planting the seeds of doubt and anticipation. We sense the twist looming on the horizon, yet its shape remains shrouded in mystery. When the revelation hits, it’s not just a turn in the tale; it’s a revelation that reshapes everything we thought we knew, leaving us stunned and hungry for more.
In this battle of intellects, where every decision could tip the scales between freedom and captivity, the ultimate question looms: Who will emerge victorious? This enigma keeps us tethered to the pages, desperate to uncover the fate that awaits these unconventional players.
The story begins with an unorthodox proposition: a young woman, running away from home accepting a brazen proposition from a total stranger—a chance to be kidnapped. This counterintuitive decision thrusts them into an arena of psychological jousting, where trust is both a precious commodity and a prelude to treachery. The abductee and her captor are ensnared in a perilous pas de deux, yet Katsutoshi Katsuragi, their formidable adversary, is not one to concede defeat lightly.
What sets this thriller apart is its departure from melodrama of conventional thrillers. Higashino masterfully sidesteps the emotional excess often mired in the genre, presenting a more intellectual duel. His characters are not simply black and white piece in the game’s narrative; they are richly developed, each with their own endgames and hidden tactics, engaging in a battle of wits that is as much about personal triumph as it is about survival.
The narrative is strung like a high-tension wire, with the kidnapping scheme itself a work of art—intricate, calculated, and dangerously deceptive. Every element, down to the last penny of the ransom, is a deliberate move designed to outwit opponents. Higashino’s meticulous planning is apparent, as he scatters a trail of clues that guide us through an enigmatic forest of plot twists, each more bewildering than the last.
In his signature style, Higashino plays a cunning game with his audience through a series of forks and pins, planting the seeds of doubt and anticipation. We sense the twist looming on the horizon, yet its shape remains shrouded in mystery. When the revelation hits, it’s not just a turn in the tale; it’s a revelation that reshapes everything we thought we knew, leaving us stunned and hungry for more.
In this battle of intellects, where every decision could tip the scales between freedom and captivity, the ultimate question looms: Who will emerge victorious? This enigma keeps us tethered to the pages, desperate to uncover the fate that awaits these unconventional players.
paperscrawls's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tildahlia's review against another edition
2.0
It’s hard to judge this book because it was clearly let down by extremely clumsy translation. But when push comes to shove it just wasn’t that good. The characters were implausible (but not in a fun way), the bulk of the story pretty boring (considering it was a kidnapping) and the twists at the end were pretty ordinary.
hawkes's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape
afi_whatafireads's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Leave it to Keigo for making me rid of my reading slump (its been a month good lord) and serving with a story that leaves your brain twisted till the very end. And it goes to show - Keigo is a mastermind in his trade and he writes well written stories that will will question everything that you read from the very start.
"To begin with, everyone wears a mask to some degree in going about their lives."
"It's an unlivable world otherwise. If you expose your true face, you don't know when it'll get pummeled. This world is a game. It's a game where, depending on the situation, you put on the relevant mask."
As usual with Keigo's stories, its better to go in without knowing much about the premise. But what I can say here - living true to the title itself, we will be following through the creatives mind of a human and how crafty and sinister we can be. At the end of the day, will you be the puppet or the master of the game? That, you will never know. And that's what makes this story so interesting and intriguing.
Keigo for me has been that author that can write anything and I will definitely eat it up. With this story, is differs a bit from his usual route for crime thrillers, but I sometimes wonder what goes through his mind when writing these stories. And with most of Keigo's stories, you will already know what's bound to happen, BUT, you will still be surprised when everything unfolds. Reading his books will give you that sense of disorientation - of not knowing who and what to trust and we, as readers, are strung along with the narrator as well. The characters and the plot progression for me was spot on, and I kind of loved that most of his characters are very smart too. It gives you joy in reading something that is well-thought and planned out , without losing the human touch and the exploration of human complexity and human nature in the process as well.
This book feels like watching a huge game and puzzle unfold. It will definitely leave your jaw gaping at some point (and I kind of expected what was about to happen) but it still left my heart racing. If you're in need of a quick, pick up book that will want you wanting for more , pick up this one. You can never go wrong with Keigo's books. And I'm thankful that Kodansha picked this up again for reprints cause Keigo's stories definitely deserved to be explored more to the world.
Personal Ratings : 4.5🌟
Thank you to Times Reads for one of the copies! I truly appreciate it :)
mirrorofneptune's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Not my favorite from Higashino, but still fun! The narrator is not very likable but the plot was interesting enough to make up for that
aishwarya24's review against another edition
3.0
Predictable. Least liked book by Higashino, but not horrible!
amberros77's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
heidenkind's review against another edition
3.0
The translation was super awkward at times. Or maybe the writing's just awkward and the translation was accurate. Either way, it definitely detracted from the fast paced and clever plot