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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
WWII era violence in Shanghai; mild war scenes
Language
None
No profanity
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
Unreliable narration; themes of memory, identity, and self-deception
What this book is about
Ishiguro's 2000 Booker-shortlisted novel follows Christopher Banks, a detective who travels to 1930s Shanghai during the Japanese occupation to find his parents. Features mild war violence and a surreal, unreliable narrative. For older teens and adults.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
War violence in Shanghai
Psychological unreliability
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