Sumire and K are the primary relationship within the novel. Miu and K’s unnamed girlfriend are also entangled within that relationship, though not as directly. Compare and contrast these women’s roles in the lives of Sumire and K. How do they each lead Sumire and K to a transformative revelation?

Discuss the different ways in which the characters deal with unrequited love and desire in the novel. How do their methods reflect their characters, and what effects do their choices have on their lives?

Murakami frequently uses figurative language in Sputnik Sweetheart, relying on both similes and metaphors to set the tone of the narrative. How do these literary devices impact the atmosphere of the narrative and influence understanding of the characters’ emotions?

How does Murakami’s suggestion that there is another side to reality, that characters can unknowingly slip in and out of, situate the novel in the genre of magical realism?

Each character’s experience with the blurred lines of reality prompts some kind of internal shift within them. Compare how Miu’s experiences differ from K’s, as well as the differences in how they look toward the future afterwards.

Music is a common motif in Murakami’s work. What role does music play in Sputnik Sweetheart, and how does it help to illustrate the notion of unreality?

Analyze the novel’s treatment of satellites as a metaphor for human existence and relationships.

Writing is a means for Sumire to understand herself and the world. How does Murakami use Sumire’s writing, in the form of letters and written documents, to tell the story? Additionally, how do Sumire’s first-hand accounts differ from K’s telling of her story? Does the use of her perspective, and what it reveals, leave room to consider K as an unreliable narrator?