Kotaro Isaka's thriller, first published in Japan in 2010, is, as the cliche goes, a wild ride. It's also now appearing at a theatre near you, to mixed reviews. Haven't seen the movie, but I can recommend the book, which I devoured in about one day. It is exciting, funny, and very well translated by Sam Malissa. Our assassin/hero is Nanao– also known as Ladybug– who suffers from terrible luck, but somehow keeps getting rehired because, all things considered, he's damn good at what he does. Our 14-year-old villain is The Prince, and he is convincingly evil. Aside from Ladybug, the favorite character of every parent of a certain age is bound to be Lemon, another thug who happens to have encyclopedic knowledge of all matters Thomas the Tank Engine.
As for the film (unseen), I have to say that casting Brad Pitt as Ladybug is not half bad, although I tend to think of Brad as more the lucky bumbler than the unlucky master. Anyway, if you find yourself on a long train (or plane) ride, the book would be a great way to pass the time. And yes, there is a snake.
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