When We Were Orphans

De: Kazuo Ishiguro

Narrado por: John Lee

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 20 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 wont, 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.

©2000 Kazuo Ishiguro (P)2000 Books on Tape, Inc. and HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"John Lee conveys both Banks' intelligence and his uneasy depths in this fine performance, which far surpasses the print version as a reading experience." ( AudioFile)

"Goes much further than even The Remains of the Day in its examination of the roles we've had handed to us... His fullest achievement yet." ( The New York Times Book Review)

"With his characteristic finesse, Mr. Ishiguro infuses what seems like a classic adventure story with an ineffable tinge of strangeness." ( The Wall Street Journal)

A Lovely Reading....

John Lee is a superb narrator. His flawless expertise with a myriad of accents provides an unparalleled listening experience. Moreover, I am a fan of Ishiguro's writing, sometimes a dreamy, flowing experience which lends itself well to being read aloud. So, I'm happy with my choice here.

However. WHY did audible.com announce at the beginning of my download---in a very chirpy kids' chorus--AUDIBLE KIDS!! Did someone look at the title of this novel and incorrectly ASSUME this was a children's book? What happened, Audible??

great narration!

most of the book was amazing. the ending left several unanswered questions. great period piece

A forlorn story

Well written and narrated, this is a bittersweet tale. It reminds me of Remains of the Day.

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.