I really enjoyed reading Katie Kitamura's Intimacies so was looking forward to Audition. Sadly this was a book that I felt was too smart for me. I objectively enjoyed the writing but honestly I have no idea what it was meant to be about!

Part 1 sets the scene with the main character, an older actress, having a meal with a much younger man. He believes he is her son based on an interview she did decades ago where she said she gave up a child. Part 2 completely turns this version of the story on its head. I really wish I could describe this better but the plot was strange. I connected with it less and less as part 2 unfolded.

The two parts are linked via the sub plot of the play the actress is starring in. She struggles to play the mid scene and that is mirrored through the overt plot. Mothers, mothering, and family dynamics - it's all happening! But I just did not understand what was going on.

I wanted to love Audition but it was not a winner for me.

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for my #gifted copy.

What makes an actor - an audience, or the awareness of one? How do you stop yourself from modulating your performance when the audience is only the ones that are meant to know you best? How do you know if what you're intending to portray is what the audience is receiving? This short novel is going to be bouncing around my head for a long time. The perfect bookclub read.

The longer I sit with this book, the more brilliant I think it is. The premise is deceptively simple, an older woman meets a younger man for lunch, and we slowly learn of their connection and the motivation and reasoning behind their brief encounter. And yet, just when you think you've understood the characters and their relationships the narrative flips again (and again and again). Kitamura's prose is taut and compelling; it almost read like a thriller in parts and there were sections that I just could not put down. It felt disorienting and ambiguous and captivating.

A book that demands that the reader pay attention, that asks you to bring your own experiences and understanding to help create meaning. There's no neat resolution here but there are countless opportunities for discussion, questions and a greater understanding of identity and the ways we are all performing in our own lives.

After loving Intimacies, I was quietly hopeful this book would be another great read, and I was so happy it lived up to my expectations! Katie Kitamura is an expert on thought-provoking internal monologues, taking what could be mundane conversations or events and turning them into intriguing case studies on human behaviour, facial expressions, and body language. Her writing honestly makes me feel more in tune with the world around me and makes me more interested in everyday interactions. This story is one of complex characters, confusion, mystery and overall made me question my own sanity at times (in a fun way). SO GOOD!

You’ve probably seen Audition floating around - the cover is so striking! It’s Katie Kitamura’s new novel and let me tell you upfront: this confounded me in the best possible way.

I don’t know about you but I love a book that sparks conversation. Talking about a book enriches the reading experience so much for me, especially one like this which presents the reader with a challenge – its up to you to decipher what’s going on, to take Kitamura’s clues and draw your own conclusions and theories.

I don’t want you to be put off by this. Consider it half the fun, chatting with other readers about what you think is going on. But I WILL say that it’s a book that benefits from you taking it slow, letting the details sink in. The writing is deceptively simple, but don’t be fooled – there’s so much going on both in plain sight and under the surface.

I only want to mention the plot briefly, because so much of the enjoyment comes from experiencing its conceits yourself. This is literally a novel of two halves, beginning with an actress meeting a younger man in a restaurant. It’s a relationship about which we know nothing, but as the book unfolds and we learn who he is, we think we understand all the elements of this story.

The part two hits, and we realise we actually know nothing.

Kitamura is the master of controlled tension, though she steps it up a notch here. You will WANT to turn the pages fast, and I can only recommend that you don’t! She lets the pressure simmer and simmer, and when boiling point hits I literally didn’t know where to look or what to think. Her characters always contain elements of the unknown, and I have been mulling over that in conjunction with the title of the book, Audition, and what that means in relation to family and friendships. How much of our life is a role we play? And how does our performance of that role impact how people treat us?

I know sometimes getting all the answers from a book is incredibly satisfying. But sometimes being open to a book that pushes you to form your own opinions is equally gratifying, and this one is open to so many fun interpretations. It would be a fantastic book club pick, and I for one look forward to talking about it more with people!

A woman meets a much younger man at a restaurant where he claims he is actually her son, but can't be possible, right?

The unnamed narrator is an actor and the two parts of this novel represent two different roles. I love the overall concept and the questions you are left with after reading. From reading other reviews, I have discovered this style is quintessential Katie Kitamura which I really appreciate. I loved the dynamics between the main characters and how vivid the portrayal of emotions are throughout this whole book. The only thing that was missing for me was ENTERTAINMENT. I don't know why, because again I loved the concept and the main character was interesting, but the plot didn't compel me to keep reading. I felt like it was a chore to finish this book, probably exacerbated by the fact there is no real resolution at the end (which I normally love in literary fiction). It is entirely possible that I would've enjoyed this significantly more if I'd read it in a different mood but I don't think I will try it again anytime soon.

Audition - Katie Kitamura ARC review
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The best way I can explain and try to describe this book is that it traces the contours of a woman’s performance — not on stage, though she is an actress, but in life, in love, in desire. This isn’t a story of revelations — it’s about the slow unraveling of self, the way your identity slips when you're too used to performing.

This was my first book by Kitamura and her writing is absolutely precise, alluring and addictive. The story follows an unnamed, accomplished actress in New York City who is rehearsing for an upcoming play. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets a younger man named Xavier, who claims to be her son. This encounter challenges her perceptions of reality and forces her to confront the roles she plays both on and off the stage. The narrative dives into the blurred lines between personal and performed identities. I also think it was quite impressive and interesting that it examined how individuals navigate societies expectations and our personal desires. ​

I felt like the unnamed narrator moved through the story like a ghost at times. Even at the end the book, it left me with this haunted feeling. At times I was confused, curious and concerned. Kitamura writes with a kind of chilly elegance, every word feels deliberate, like she’s holding something back on purpose, and I felt that throughout the entirety of the book.

Thank you Penguin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this early!

This is a multi-layered, fascinating psychological thriller that presents the reader with an entirely new and unexpected way of viewing the creative forces at play in the mind of an actor. The protagonist is a forty-nine year old woman - actor and wife - whose meeting with a twenty-five year old man leads to a series of events that will have you on the edge of your seat. There are even subtle elements of horror in the narrative, adding further surprises to this relatively short novel told in two equal parts.

But this novel is much more than just a gripping read. It also works brilliantly as a series of metaphorical vignettes shedding light on the stories women choose to create, and choose to believe, about their professional and personal roles. For fans of Sheila Heti, Ayşegul Savaş and Rachel Cusk - this book adds a much-needed new dimension to the idea of motherhood and the role an adult child might play in the continuing ebb and flow of a woman's creative forces.

This is a book for readers who are open to symbolic/surreal elements and lack of absolute closure. I requested this book as an ARC because I loved Kitamura's previous book ("Intimacies") and I was not disappointed. "Audition" is a page-turner which I have already read twice, and I believe I will be thinking about its many facets for some time.

For a more detailed review please see my YouTube channel.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Australia, for sending me an ARC of this book.

I loved the idea of this story, but probably should have looked into Kitamura’s work before reading, because this style just wasn’t for me.

There is really interesting commentary throughout about race in theatre, forcing you to ask so many questions, but I personally just found it a hard one to push through.