When We Were Orphans

When We Were Orphans

by Kazuo Ishiguro

★★★☆

Christopher Banks is only a young boy living with his family in China when he is orphaned. He is sent to live with an aunt in England where he grows up to become a well-respected detective, driven into that line of work because of his deep desire to solve the mystery surrounding his parents’ disappearance.

In many ways the book is clearly a recreation of Great Expectations; even down to the details of a large inheritance providing a future for the main character and his infatuation with a cold and calculating woman. When Christopher returns to China midway through the novel, the plot becomes muddled. We drastically shift gears and the book never quite recovers. The first half was beautifully written and paced and the second half never seems to be able to decide which story it wants to focus on, that of Christopher’s search for his parents, his childhood friendship with Akira or his infatuation with Sarah.

I also wasn’t expecting it to be a detective novel of sorts. Ishiguro’s writing still completely captivated me despite the flailing plot. It almost doesn’t matter what the subject matter is, I just love his writing style. From the dystopian Never Let Me Go to the period drama Remains of the Day, he hasn’t let me down yet.

BOTTOM LINE: I will never regret reading a Ishiguro novel. Even if it doesn’t live up to my expectations it’s still a lovely experience. I would recommend starting with Remains of the Day if you’re new to his work. Save this book for after you become a huge fan of his work.