Audition

By: Ryu Murakami, Ralph McCarthy - translator

Narrated by: David Shih

Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

The long-awaited translation of the novel behind the cult classic Japanese movie.

In this gloriously over-the-top tale, Aoyama, a widower who has lived alone with his son ever since his wife died seven years before, finally decides it is time to remarry. Since Aoyama is a bit rusty when it comes to dating, a filmmaker friend proposes that, in order to attract the perfect wife, they do a casting call for a movie they don't intend to produce. As the resumes pile up, only one of the applicants catches Aoyama's attention - Yamasaki Asami - a striking young former ballerina with a mysterious past. Blinded by his instant and total infatuation, Aoyama is too late in discovering that she is a far cry from the innocent young woman he imagines her to be. The novel's fast-paced, thriller conclusion doesn't spare the listener as Yamasaki takes off her angelic mask and reveals what lies beneath.

Contains mature themes.

©1997 Ryu Murakami; translation copyright 2009 by Ralph McCarthy (P)2019 Tantor

Powerful tale

The slow, sensuous step by step development of the protagonist’s entrancement belies the power of the Climax. Four Stars. ****

Grisly

My first Ryu Murakami book and I enjoyed the narration very much. Although a bit too grisly for my taste, I really liked Murakami's sharp and precise writing. Looking forward to more of his works.

Liked it

Picked this up as a quick filler until I find my next book, and I really enjoyed it. Slower start, and a bit predictable towards the end, but I still found myself locked in for the last 60 minutes.

Great story, flat narration

I loved this movie and the book is definitely just as good. My only criticism is that the narrator reads the story, dialogue and all, in more or less the same flat, neutral tone that seems really inappropriate for the last two chapters.

It was okay

This wasn't quite a 3 star read, but almost. To preface, I did not see the movie nor had I heard of this book. It was short, which was the reason I was able to finish it; the pace was slow and at first I wasn't sure I wanted to finish, but I stuck with it to see why it was described as a cult classic. The action happened quickly at the end, and by then, you already knew what was coming, if not the details of how it happens. (Warning: There is an animal cruelty scene in this book.)

What starts as a long wooing session, turns into a quick horror show

While the story was decent, it focused more on the infatuation and meeting of the antagonist, and I felt like the horror ending was a quick blip... and then the book was done. I wish the author had taken more time to explain the antagonist's reasoning for all of this instead of having the protagonist read it off like a chore list. Still a good story though.

darkly humorous

I didn't love the movie Audition and the book version didn't change my mind. Despite finding them quite funny I so far have not fully enjoyed any Ryu Murakami works. I always have super mixed feelings about them. He isn't for me, I think.

Very good narration.

Very very slow moving

The first 4.5 hours of this book are super slow and absolutely nothing interesting happens. Then when the story finally hits its climax it only lasts for a few minutes and the story ends. One of my friends once told me that the movie was the most horrifying thing he’d ever seen. Maybe so, but the book is horrifyingly boring.

Not the best, not the worst.

Well written, psychological/ slow burn type horror or thriller story. it was hard to decide whether to give it 3 or 4 stars for me. ultimately went with 4 because I thought the build up and ending was well executed.

Just okay

Not as good as I expected, and the ending felt very underwhelming. I didn't like how not only the secondary characters but even the narrator were letting us know that Asami is evil, kind of desperate to create tension and built-up and it just doesn't pay up.