Audition (novel)

Audition

Front cover of the Bloomsbury English translation
Author Ryu Murakami
Original title オーディション
Translator Ralph McCarthy
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Genre Horror
Publisher

Bunkasha (ぶんか社)

(Japan)
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (UK)
Penguin (US)
Publication date
 1997
Published in English
 2009
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 213 (Bunkasha)
ISBN 4-8211-0549-7
OCLC 37518572

Audition (オーディション) is a Japanese novel by Ryu Murakami published in 1997 and published in English in 2009. It was the basis for the film by Takashi Miike released in 1999 and an upcoming English-language film adaptation.[1]

Plot summary

Aoyama is a documentary maker who hasn't dated anyone since the death of his wife, Ryoko. He lives a placid existence with his teenage son, Shige, dreaming of remarrying. One day, his best friend Yoshikawa comes up with a plan to hold fake film auditions for young women looking for a breakout role; unbeknownst to them, they are actually auditioning to be considered for a romantic relationship with Aoyama. Of the thousands who apply, Aoyama only has eyes for the young, beautiful Yamasaki Asami - a shy, modest girl whose dreams of becoming a ballerina were cut short by an accident. Aoyama is infatuated by her and instigates several dates with her after the audition. Despite learning about her troubled past, which included consistent abuse as a child by her crippled step-father, Aoyama believes he is falling in love with her. He is given warnings by Yoshikawa that Asami may not be all that she seems, but Aoyama ignores him, seeing only the perfect woman he imagines Yamasaki Asami to be. It is only when it is possibly too late, that Aoyama discovers the horrifying truth about his new girlfriend.

References

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External links