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The Thief
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
A literary crime masterpiece that follows a Japanese pickpocket lost to the machinations of fate. Bleak and oozing existential dread, The Thief is simply unforgettable. The Thief is a seasoned pickpocket. Anonymous in his tailored suit, he weaves in and out of Tokyo crowds, stealing wallets from strangers so smoothly sometimes he doesnt even remember the snatch. Most people are just a blur to him, nameless faces from whom he chooses his victims. He has no family, no friends, no connections.... But he does have a past, which finally catches up with him when Ishikawa, his first partner, reappears in his life, and offers him a job he cant refuse. Its an easy job: tie up an old rich man, steal the contents of the safe. No one gets hurt. Only the day after the job does he learn that the old man was a prominent politician, and that he was brutally killed after the robbery. And now the Thief is caught in a tangle even he might not be able to escape. From the Hardcover edition.
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review
LeftyDv
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Pickpick

Symbolism permeates this book about a thief who is reckoning with his past and his future all at one time. The dark underworld of Japan is its own character - bristling with dread and unquenched desires. Are we to trust the narrative of the thief? Or has he metaphorically stolen something from us as we distract ourselves in the tale? Nakamura leaves it open-ended enough for us to decide for ourselves.

review
erzascarletbookgasm
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Pickpick

The Thief follows a skilful and complicated pickpocket who got mixed up in the criminal world. It lets you glimpse at the dark, underbelly of criminal world, how it can control the politics of a city/country. I was fascinated with the analysis of pickpocketing, and the book comes across as a bit philosophical, and perhaps it‘s an allegory, as I didn‘t understand the appearance of the ‘tower‘. Not a thriller or crime novel, more of a Japanese..⬇️

erzascarletbookgasm ..noir? And the ending.. I wished it was different. I don‘t know if it‘s been adapted to screen yet, I feel it‘ll work better on screen. 8mo
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quote
LiterRohde
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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“‘Do you believe in fate? Was your fate controlled by me, or was being controlled by me your fate? But in the end, aren‘t they just two sides of the same coin?‘”

📷: Made with Typorama & Google Images

63 likes1 stack add
review
LiterRohde
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Pickpick

My second book by Fuminori, while not as dark as Evil and the Mask, still involves criminal and violent behavior, as the title implies.

This book was a quick read; I needed to know what happened next. However, much of the novel was a meta-examination. Through the eyes of the thief, we witness the consequences of criminal behavior. A lot of thought went into the details of the criminal world.

(Continued in comments...)

📷: Google Books

LiterRohde Because of the detail and meta-analysis, The Thief may not be as fast paced as a typical crime thriller, though I‘m no expert. But for my tastes, it really worked. I look forward to reading more by this author. 6y
arubabookwoman One of my favorite Japanese crime authors. 6y
LiterRohde @arubabookwoman I want to read more! Cult X and The Gun look good. Any suggestions? (edited) 6y
arubabookwoman @LiterRohde Those are the only 2 I‘ve read by Nakamura. Other Japanese crime writers I like are #KeigoHigashima, #ShuichiYoshida, #SeichoMatsumoto (esp. #AQuietPlace) and #NatsuoKirino (esp. #Out). 6y
70 likes3 stack adds5 comments
blurb
LiterRohde
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Still a few more hours to go (right, like I‘m just going to stop because the clock strikes 13).

✴️ The Thief is finished. Reviews and quotes to come. Same for Dorothy Must Die. A bit more thinking to sum them up.

✴️ Gonna get back to the #KaTet with the next book. It will be nice to catch up.

✴️ Fruit snacks are now unencumbered by their annoying little bags.

#13inThree

📷: Made with PhotoGrid & Google Books & iPhone & iPhone screenshot

Samplergal You know you have Monday too? 6y
LiterRohde @Samplergal I know! It‘s crazy how much reading I am getting done. Or maybe it‘s crazy how much of a life I don‘t have. Anyway, I can see now rereading my post, that I was maybe not clear. There is only so much you can say with 451 characters. I meant I only had a few hours to the 13 goal. I have a ton more hours in the readathon. I‘ll see how epically I can crush that 13 into the dust. (edited) 6y
laurenlovesliterature I want some fruit snacks! Yum!!! 6y
LiterRohde @laurenlovesliterature Come on over. I‘ve got plenty to go around. Sheesh. 🙄 6y
69 likes5 comments
blurb
LiterRohde
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Finally ready to start reading today.

Reading checklist:

✴️ Tagged Book - 70% finished, so this one should go quick. And no shortage of backups after that.

✴️ Fruit snacks, anyone? Leftovers from the school year. I buy in bulk for my students and made a slight miscalculation. Reason 1408 why I teach reading and not math! 🙄

#13inThree

#TeachersOfLitsy

📷: Made with PhotoGrid & iPhone

Liatrek Those are my favorite 😊 I buy them in bulk but for work snacks. 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love these!!! 6y
Linear I love these but i think i like the berry ones more. I can never remember so i always buy both haha 6y
89 likes3 comments
review
Nickinpa
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
Pickpick

A short book. I liked the writing and will read more by this author.

blurb
Brie
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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A small selection of #twowordtitles that I've read. I unintentionally went for a blue/black/white/red theme here. #anditsaugust

Brie @Reviewsbylola Me too. I have Modern Lovers but haven't read it yet. She seems to like two-word titles. 7y
See All 7 Comments
Brie @RealBooks4ever I can't wait until the 3rd book. The wait has been forever! 7y
Libby1 I loved Burial Rites and Wolf Hall. 7y
Libby1 @RealBooks4ever and @Brie - me three! I heard part 3 has been delayed until 2019. 😱 7y
Brie @Libby1 I know, that's so far away! Burial Rites was great, so atmospheric and tense even though you knew what was going to happen. 7y
70 likes7 comments
blurb
Lkardos12
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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The cherry blossoms are coming out in DC and a Japanese crime novel feels about right 🌸

#novel #translation #Japan #crime

Cinfhen Cherry Blossoms 🌸💞🌸 8y
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quote
MrWindUpBird
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura

"The most important thing about carrying out a crime is planning. People who commit crimes without planning are idiots. ... But because they're idiots in the first place they still commit the crime. They can't help it."

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review
DiruVamp
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
Pickpick

I didn't enjoy this as much as The Gun (which was absolutely amazing!) but it was still good and a quick read. A seasoned pickpocket involuntarily becomes something of a teacher to a little boy while also being confronted by someone from his past he'd rather not encounter again. I will definitely check out more by this author.

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Good to know about - excited to read The Gun 8y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
quote
SarahKay
The Thief | Fuminori Nakamura
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Musings from a master pickpocket. From The Thief.

4 likes1 stack add