Audition is a 2025 novel by Katie Kitamura, published by Riverhead Books. It was released on April 8, 2025.
Synopsis.
Set in New York City, the novel follows an actress who is in rehearsals for a play called "The Opposite Shore". For lunch, she meets a younger man named Xavier who, at times, claims to be her son. She, however, thinks that's impossible.
Background.
Kitamura came upon the idea for the novel in the 2010s when she read an article about a woman who had encountered a stranger claiming to be her son. After writing and publishing "Intimacies" in 2021, she began to write "Audition".
Kitamura considers "Audition" to be "in conversation" with her two previous novels, "Intimacies" and "A Separation".
"Audition" appeared on lists of highly anticipated novels set for publication in 2025 published by "Time", "The Guardian", and other outlets.
Critical reception.
In a starred review, "Kirkus Reviews" concluded that "In this searing, chilly, and psychologically profound story lies insight into some harrowing human questions."
"Vogue" said that Kitamura "writes with a spare, almost clinical efficiency, but that doesn’t limit the depth of her characters or the complexity of the dynamics she depicts" and concluded: "The strange pendulum swing from one scenario to the other catches you off guard—and isn’t that the mark of truly exciting fiction?"
Lauren Groff stated that ""Audition" is eerie, a book so cold it feels hot.”