When We Were Orphans

By: Kazuo Ishiguro

Narrated by: John Lee

Narrated by John Lee

""John Lee conveys both Banks' intelligence and his uneasy depths in this fine performance."" —AudioFile

A masterful novel from Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, author of the Booker Prize–winning novel The Remains of the Day, and one of the most admired writers of our time.

Christopher Banks, an English boy born in early-20th-century Shanghai, is orphaned at age nine when both his mother and father disappear under suspicious circumstances. He grows up to become a renowned detective, and more than twenty years later, returns to Shanghai to solve the mystery of the disappearances.

Within the layers of the narrative told in Christopher's precise, slightly detached voice are revealed what he can't, or won't, see: that the simplest desires—a child's for his parents, a man's for understanding—may give rise to the most complicated truths.

A feat of narrative skill and soaring imagination, When We Were Orphans is Kazuo Ishiguro at his brilliant best.

Great Reading of a Not So Great Story

Lee's performance is terrific. His excellence carried me through much of the last half of this novel. I shall almoat certainly select my next audiobook from one he narrates.
Ishiguro's story is... disappointing to read. About three quarters of the way through I decided this was the work of a man who was not really feeling his story, but simply writing out something hastily plotted. This is the first of Ishiguro's novels that has failed to completely floor me, or reduce me to an awed, wet-eyed devotee.

Too Long

They could have cut an hour from this. Way to much detail. Plus parts of this made little sense. His search at times reminded me of Moby Dick. Obsessive. I won't say more so not to spoil it for others. But this was a disappointment.

Nothing

I loved his writing, but the Storyline seemed a bit contrived at times. performance was excellent.

absolutely devastatingly beautiful

a story about tragedy of circumstance. You won't know where the story is going to take you In the best possible way. ive heard it said that the author considered this book, " not my greatest work". I don't know if this is true, but I think this book is just phenomenal. there is just so much emotion.

Finding the Parents

"Old-fashioned write style that was perfect for the situation and the time. Good character development.