When We Were Orphans

Rating:
Summary: Difficult, but well worth the effort
Review: This book begins as a charming and compelling view of one's man's somewhat distorted views of his life. By the end, you are caught up in bizarre events that tie to reality only via the main characters strangled connection to the past. It is not an easy book, but it is well worth it. Once I realized fully what was going on, I couldn't help but wonder at the mastery required to pull this off the way the author did. Unique and special.

Rating:
Summary: A very complex story with excellent character study...
Review: This is one of the most complex novels I have read in quite a long time. There are bits and pieces that don't seem coherent at first, but then they make perfect sense. And that is how I was sucked into this fascinating novel. When We Were Orphans tells the story of Christopher Banks, a young boy whose parents disappear under mysterious circumstances while they live in Shanghai. Christopher is sent back to England to live, where he grows up and where the mystery of his parents' disappearance begins to erode his grip on reality. Christopher achieves some notoriety in London (or at least he thinks he has) as a private investigator. He returns after many years to Shanghai to finally try and solve the mystery surrounding his parents' disappearance. He believes he knows what happened to them, even before arriving back in Shanghai. It is his misguided beliefs that lead him into an almost Kafkaesque spiral into unreality and delusion. This section of the book must be read as a partial deluded episode because much of what happens is implausible. The book and Christopher ultimately return to reality and we understand at least part of the truth of Christopher's life and what his parents' outcome had been.

The story is told in first person narrative, and almost from the start Ishiguro tips us off to the idea that Christopher may not be telling us the whole truth, that he may not be able to grasp the whole truth. Christopher's story and the way he tells it is fascinating. Ishiguro is able to navigate seamlessly from time frame to time frame. I thought this was a brilliant work, not as a detective novel, but as a character study of someone who has been fooling himself his entire life. Some readers may find the narrative and the events confusing at times, I did, but I advise readers not to give up on it. This seemingly confusing story is actually an extraordinary, literary experience. When We Were Orphans is one the most thought-provoking books I've read. I recommend this beautiful, staggering novel.

Rating:
Summary: A real piece of work
Review: When an off-kilter investigator goes to Shanghai to uncover the mystery surrounding his parents' death, all bets are loose. Is the story you're reading the actual account, or is it all the figment of the leading character's imagination. You'll just have to read and find out. man oh man this is an awesome read!

Rating:
Summary: Cool, complex book
Review: You may find this book confusing for a while, but it is an awesomely written piece of work. Do not miss out on reading this incredible book.