NPR's Book of the Day Katie Kitamura's 'Audition' is a puzzle, but she says it's not meant to be solved
Apr 29, 2025
In a Manhattan restaurant, a lunch date reveals complex relationships and ambiguous emotions. Katie Kitamura's novel inspires a captivating discussion about the intricacies of familial connections and the impact of disorienting narrative structures. The conversation delves into themes of identity and duality, highlighting how the protagonist’s fragmented story mirrors her inner turmoil. Kitamura shares insights on her creative process, including her bold decision to cut the book in half, leading to reflections on similar artistic choices in film.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Contradictions in Universal Experience
- Katie Kitamura's novel "Audition" explores how a single moment can overturn everything you understand about your life.
- She is fascinated by contradictions like stranger and son that coexist in universal experiences like parenthood.
Storytelling as Destabilization
- The novel uses storytelling form to convey destabilization and the feeling that someone familiar can suddenly seem a stranger.
- Kitamura wanted to capture this disorientation through a storytelling mode like a hall of mirrors.
Narrative Split as Story Device
- "Audition" is split hard in half to enact a major change in understanding of relationships and story.
- Kitamura took a "big running jump" with this form to surprise and unsettle readers like certain films.
