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There's something about this book...

I'd like to think of myself as a seasoned reader who can generally tell where a book is going before it gets to the end.

Hence, you can imagine my surprise when the last chapter of this book blindsided me like a frying pan in the face - and my mind was mired with a mixed sensation of both admiration and frustration.

Nakamura's 'The Thief' is a book designed to mislead. You're led to believe it's a mystery thriller set in Japan - only to have it end with a heavy dose of allegory tied into a cloth sack like a pile of rocks, and swung straight into your nuts.

And then once you recover from the pain - you re-read it, notice subtle nuances and multiple cryptic allusions to the "tower" - and you go - "Wait, was this ever meant to be a crime thriller? Was this an allegory all along? Did I set the wrong expectation going into this book?"

The author bends two genres and mixes them in a perplexing way that leaves you with many questions and many loose ends. However, you're then made to wonder if the loose ends are what, ironically, are meant to tie the story together.

Nishimura, the titular "thief", is a loner. A man ostracized by society and left to fend for himself by adopting one of society's worst job titles - that of a pickpocket.

The protagonist sees the rich and upper class leading a lifestyle that he was destined to never have. The perks of being high up in the hierarchy of society looms before him like a tower - he can only ever see it from below and never hope to reach the top. This leads him to revile the wealthy.

The side-cast of this story feature several characters that never got to be fleshed out, but at the same time, were probably never intended to be. Saeko, Ishikawa, the young boy and Kizaki all serve their purpose - yet never overshadow the protagonist at any point.

This is one of those books where several loose ends are left with regard to several characters, much to my chagrin. I felt betrayed.

However, when it hits you that the point of this story was probably never to tie up every plot point, but rather only focus on the protagonist's internal struggles, I felt 0.01% less betrayed.

The pickpocketing sequences are terrifically written (kudos to the translator) - and I absolutely enjoyed despising Kizaki, the antagonist, and what he stood for.

However, the jarring blend of thriller and allegory worked against the book's favor IMO - leading up to an ending that left me extremely unsatisfied. This disappointment is further exacerbated by the fact that last chapter of this book involves a fantastic crime sequence that was so, so good - only to have the last two paragraphs leave you high and dry. It was definitely a bold way to end the book - and I can see why a lot of readers would be miffed at the way things wrap up.

Maybe it's just me. But I feel like I've been duped by this book - and yet, this odd sensation which is equal parts frustration and admiration towards Nakamura? Well - I can't quite explain it.

There's something - something - about this book.