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

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 :)