Audition [Hardcover]

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747589488
• ISBN-13: 978-0747589488
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,873,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but not for everyone., May 7, 2011

By 

Rogan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Audition (Paperback)

I just finished this book, and it was a refreshing, page-turning thriller. This was the first book I have read by Ryu Murakami, but I will definitely be reading more. Before reading this book though, you should know that Murakami lavishly describes every single detail of the intense scenes, whether that be of sex or extreme violence. If you cannot handle that, don't read this book. If on the other hand you love that sort of thing, I also recommended to you Natsuo Kirino's "OUT."

The key to getting the most out of this emotional roller coaster of a book is reading it in one sitting. It is pretty short, and I read it in about 5 hours. The rhythm and building of the story is of vital importance, so taking breaks makes it hard to appreciate it.

A movie was made out of this novel, so I am very excited to see it!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Book of horror, April 6, 2011

By 

bookreader "Melanie" (Snoqualmie, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Audition (Paperback)

This 190 page novel tells the story of a middle aged widower looking to remarry. A film maker friend proposes that they do a casting call for a movie that they never intend to film. In this manner, they hope to find a perfect wife for Aoyama. What follows is a very slow but a gradual, suspenseful build up toward a horrific conclusion. I normally don't watch horror films or read horror novels, now I remember why..at least in the movies I can cover my eyes...not true with a book. I recommend this story to those who are ok with a few pages of "horror," otherwise it was a good, interesting short read and I was pretty absorbed in the story from start to finish. I had to keep reading to find out what danger lies beneath beautiful Yamasaki. A bit gruesome for my taste at the end however...

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Romance and horror, October 22, 2010

By 

Elizabeth Talbott - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Audition (Paperback)

Audition is at first a romance. Aoyama, a widower, decides get remarried after many years of being alone and raising his son. His friend comes up with the idea of creating a movie that will probably never be made to host an audition. Then Aoyama can specify what kind of woman he wants and have his choice in that group. It's a bit misogynistic, but sounds like a typical sweet romance set up. Aoyama meets Asami, a former ballerina with a melancholy air about her. They go on a few dates and then she disappears. This is also when the novel descends into madness.

I love Takashi Miike's film adaptation of Audition, so I was really excited when I found out it was finally translated into English. I thought it was interesting that the book excelled where the movie failed and vice versa. In the first fifteen pages in the book, the reader knows more about Aoyama and his family than in the entire movie. Giving Aoyama a realistic background endeared him to me and made me forgive his shortcomings more than in the film. The courtship between Asami and Aoyama was much more interesting and believable in the novel. There were many more dates than in the film and it involved more normal conversation, plus Aoyama fussing about what to do like a teenage boy. The first three quarters of the film were extremely boring, but provided a great contrast to the last quarter of the film. The only thing I'm going to say about the ending of the story is that the film was much better and much more effective. I wish I could combine the good parts of both versions of the story.

Overall, the book was very good. The crazy ending seems pretty out of the blue and abrupt, unlike the film, which has more of a lead into it. I loved the fleshing out of all the characters into people I can relate to and care about. I would especially recommend this book to fans of the film.