Sputnik Sweetheart (Japanese: スプートニクの恋人, Supūtoniku no Koibito) is a novel by Haruki Murakami, published in 1999. It follows the lives of three main characters through the eyes of one of them, and is largely concerned with the themes of love, loneliness, self-identity and the meaning of friendship. The lonely Sputnik satellites orbiting Earth serve as an ongoing piece of symbolism throughout the novel.
This book contains examples of:
- Author Appeal: A running trait in Murakami novels. This one has characters obssessed with reading, and a lot of classical music.
- Dream Sequence: Several. One of the key ones forms the basis of a piece Sumire writes.
- Love Triangle: K is in love with Sumire, who is in love with Miu.
- One-Letter Name: The narrator, only known as K.
