When We Were Orphans

Ishiguro continues to blow me away with his ability to write in different genres -- When We Were Orphans and Klara and the Sun being prime examples of his versatility. When We Were Orphans exposes the reader to pre- and post-World War II ex-pat life in Shanghai with a long intermission in England. What is ostensibly a simple story about a respected London detective searching for his parents in China feels much grander against the backdrop of the British opium trade, the struggle between Chinese nationalists and communists, and the menace of Japanese imperialists. Fundamentally, though, this is a story about solitary people who move within society, often achieving renown, yet they are simultaneously alienated from the people who comprise that society. 

Christopher Banks was born to English parents living in Shanghai and lived there for nine years. His best friend was a Japanese boy who, like him, resided in the city's international sector. After his parents disappear (purportedly kidnapped), Christopher relocates to England to live with an aunt. He grows up to become a well-respected detective. The lack of resolution about his parents' whereabouts seems to stunt Christopher's ability to form and maintain intimate relationships in adulthood. He cultivates a deep friendship with a socialite, one that could blossom into love and marriage, but he seems to (unconsciously) eschew choices to further that end. He volunteers to become the ward of a girl whose parents died, but, by his own admission, does not focus on her enough. Eventually, he heads back to Shanghai, acting on a lead on his parents' whereabouts. He utlimately does find answers, but they are not what he had expected. Is it a happy ending? Only a man who considers himself an orphan can answer that question.

As expected, Ishiguro's writing style was evocative and smooth. I listened to the audiobook, and John Lee's narration was superb. His cadences and intonation were authentic. His Japanese and Chinese accents sounded realistic without a hint of stereotyping. Although this is not my favorite book of Ishiguro (I would probably rate it 4.5, instead of 4), the engaging narrative and John Lee's reading made it a powerful experience.