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A review by duskx
The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping by Keigo Higashino
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.