Audition

Katie Kitamura is a Japanese American author known for writing works of literary fiction that feature a rich focus on psychology and introspection. Her characters often reflect on the metaphysical implications that reality has on their choices and experiences. Kitamura herself has stated that Audition is “in conversation” with two of her previous novels: Intimacies and A Separation (Daugherty, Elisabeth Hulette. “‘Intimacies’ by Katie Kitamura ’99.” Princeton Alumni Weekly, 10 October 2024.) The author implies that by examining these two novels, her readers can gain a better understanding of her dominant themes, which recur in different contexts.

A Separation (2017) follows the experiences of an unnamed woman who separates from her husband. When he travels to Greece and supposedly disappears, she decides to follow his trail. During her journey, the woman reflects upon the unhappiness that she felt with her moody husband, and she also considers the circumstances that led to their marriage in the first place. She frequently speculates on what other people think of her and of themselves, but as she navigates southern Greece, she constantly feels like an outsider.

Intimacies (2021) features an unnamed female narrator who works as an interpreter at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.