I'm sad it's over, and the ending was lackluster and very vague, BUT I fully enjoy the ride. I was happy to get back in the universe and all the weirdness. 

I know a lot of people were put off by how everything is left unsaid all the time, and how everything is confusing, and I understand. The series and this book is just not for you. From book 1, we know detective work and other extra curricular activities in those places are full of politics so obscure no one can voice any of it clearly unless they want to wind up dead. And I'm going to miss these kind of layers upon layers of what feels like a bizarro land cake of mysteries and secret services shenanigans. I'm absolutely looking for another series with the same vibes. There's something somehow refreshing about mystery and crime set with a fucked up political regime in the background. Also, one could say each culture has it's own way of communicating and conducting business, and I find that fascinating.

While detective like Poirot, Bosch or Columbo all have their own style and their own little issues with the world around them, Inspectof O and his nephew are not even on the same planet it seems like. It's a completely different code of conduct, language (in a metaphorical way), world understanding, etc. Every person they meet is both a foe and an ally, and a secret third thing in between. You almost cannot even trust your own self. Everything is up in the air all the time and they have to juggle with knives that have no handle; what ever you do, one thing is sure; you gonna get stabbed. And since I'm so far remove from this kind of miasmatic universe, that is still presented in somewhat of a lighthearted way nonetheless, I find a good deal of escapism in this series.

Now this book wasn't perfect, and it wasn't even one the best of the series etheir. I miss Inspector O POV in the last book, but the dual POV here could have been handle better. I also think there were parts towards 3/5 or 4/5 of the book that dragged a little. I've already talked about the ending, but my issue is also partially because I don't feel like it's a good ending for the series. There's still stuff that could have been expanded or that felt like they needed a nice bow on it, which we didn't get. I know the series doesn't really gave out that many bows, but still. We do have some kind of closure on Inspector O seemingly taking a real retirement tho. That being said, I like the whole "noodle-dumpling" mystery, even if I don't feel like it was resolve at the end. How just the mention of dumplings became kind of dangerous, something so banal becoming a source of tension (with a hint of wtf and hilarity). I'm still unsure about the machine tho: who ordered it and to do what exactly. We do have answers, but it's somehow not super clear as to what the real purpose and results. It mostly feels like Inspector O and Major Bing don't have to handle it anymore so it doesn't concern them, "hoping for the best, tee-hee".

Anyway, on to the next fucked up little detective world!