Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami

Name: Kakigori Summer
Rating: 4 (5 reviews)
Author: Emily Itami

Kakigori Summer

A Novel

by Emily Itami

Critics' Consensus (5):

Published:
Jun 2025, 336 pages

Genre: Literary Fiction
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Book Club Discussion Questions

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Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Kakigori Summer is narrated through each of the three sisters' perspectives. What do you think these multiple viewpoints adds to the novel? How do you think it would have impacted the story if it was told only through Rei's perspective? Or Ai's?

The Takanawa sisters call themselves haafus, half white and half Japanese. Each of them, in different ways, has adopted aspects of non-Japanese culture. Rei, for example, relocated entirely to England. In what ways do Kiki and Ai live less traditional Japanese lives, while still living in Japan?

What are stereotypes that you know about oldest, middle, and youngest siblings? How do the Takanawa sisters fulfill or not fulfill these roles?

On page 173, Rei says that she doesn't want Ai to be a victim to the "catastrophe of the Takanawa personality." How do the sisters try to break generational patterns in their family? How do you see them succeeding and failing at this?

What do you think Obaachan's role in the story is? What about her role in the family?

Throughout the book Rei struggles with her conflicting love of London and love of her hometown, Ikimura. Have you ever found yourself caught between two worlds? How did you handle it?

On page 273, Ai says that she struggles with Buddhism because "you have to hold all opposite ideas in your head at the same time. And you have to have compassion for everything." How are these principles reflected in the story? What else did you learn about Buddhism throughout the novel?

Hikaru's brief disappearance, and discovery by Obaachan, is a turning point in the book. What do you think changes for each of the characters after this event?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Mariner Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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