Audition

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about the big shift that the novel applies to the character dynamics in Part 2? Why does Kitamura present that shift so abruptly?

2. Did you sympathize with the narrator? Why or why not? What aspects of her character did you find most (or least) sympathetic? 

3. Kitamura frequently writes about identity, language, truth, and reality. Compare this book to her previous novel, Intimacies, and discuss Kitamura’s broader insights.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Have you ever engaged in any form of role-play? How would you describe your personal approach to role-play? Is it necessary to immerse oneself in the reality of a character in order to truly understand their circumstances?

2. How do you settle issues within your family or close circle of friends? Do you prefer to confront issues head-on, or do you wait for those issues to settle on their own? How does your approach compare to the reticence that Tomas shows?

3. What boundaries should guests observe with their hosts? Is the dynamic between guest and host necessarily biased to favor the host? How does Kitamura’s depiction of these boundaries subvert these expectations?

4. Do you ever find yourself frustrated with certain members of your family? How are your own family experiences mirrored in the tensions depicted within the family arrangement in Part 2?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Discuss your thoughts on the institution of marriage. Is marriage still relevant in today’s society? How does the novel portray that institution?

2. In An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, the philosopher John Locke argues that identity depends on consciousness, not on the body or the soul. How might Kitamura’s text reflect this insight? Can it be argued that when the narrator starts viewing herself as Xavier’s mother, this shift effectively redefines her identity?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Discuss the novel’s commitment to the narrator’s perspective. How does the novel’s structure support Kitamura’s examination of performance and selfhood? Why does the narrator constantly guess at the thoughts and motivations of the people around her?

2. Does this novel have an antagonist? If so, who or what most aptly fits that role? Does the narrator resolve the plot by overcoming certain people, or does the resolution occur within herself?

3. Kitamura does not explicitly state that the narrator, Tomas, and Xavier have entered into a faux-familial arrangement with one another. What textual hints allude to this arrangement? How do these clues deepen your understanding of the arrangement as the three characters practice it?

4. Discuss the thematic resonance between Tomas and the narrator’s rituals and the roles that the narrator plays onstage. What do the intimate rituals reveal about the true nature of their relationship?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Select a person from your book club and imagine that they are related to you. Specify how you are related and what the mood of your relationship is like. What details are necessary to believe in this role-play?

2. Imagine the novel from Xavier’s perspective. What motivations compel him to engage with the narrator? Given the novel’s ending, what might his life be like five years in the future?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.