I can absolutely see why everyone is talking about this novel but it wasn't really to my taste (absolutely no pun intended). I'm not sure whether it'sthe translation or the prose itself but I found it fairly stilted and I just wasn't particularly captivated by the central story. It's well written with an appealing protagonist and I learned a lot about Japan, which I enjoyed, but the novel itself didn't really work for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A slow meandering read tackling a number of modern day topics. It’s full of food instructions, misogyny, fatphobia and murder. An electric mix that had me confused at the beginning and no better off on page 452.
Not sure if I could recommend this to anybody. I know it’s a cult classic, but I’m happy enough not to be in that cult.

I loved this. I really enjoy learning about new cultures in a book. I loved the references to the food and the descriptions were so vivid I wanted to taste all the dishes. A really great story.

A strange and unique read with important perspectives on feminism, self-image and diet culture in Japan. I enjoyed Rika as a character and watching her development was beautiful.

I had expected a faster pace book in the thriller genre, so this was not the type of book I thought I was going to read. I very much enjoyed it nonetheless. Would read more from this author.

WARNING: Do not read when hungry, the food descriptions are amazing!

Thanks: Received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing book!

I love the way the characters grew and discovered herself through her investigation.
I really enjoyed the description of food and how the new flavours affected the characters in the book.

I absoutely love the premise of this, and was really attracted to the whole package, but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. I felt it could be 40% shorter and found myself just trying to get through it, having not connected with the characters or the writing particularly. They're interesting themes and I did enjoy getting insight into Japanese culture, but this isn't one I'll be urging friends to read.

A book about food based on a true story , count me in !
But .... this is so much more than a food novel . We have obsession, loneliness, misogyny, feminism and A LOT of mystery too.
The food descriptions are so vivid but there is also the negative side to eating which is that of the whole diet culture . Women in Japan are under huge pressure to shrink themselves and our two main characters bond over the love and hate with food .
It's scary to think that this novel is based on a true story , it gives a lot of food for thought (pardon the pun) and it's a great one for a bookclub. My only gripe is that it was maybe a bit too long but it's worth the ride .

I read it all, it was awful. I want to say motre but I cannot fins the words. perhaps it was the translation but it was the gretest rubbish I have ever read

Manako Jajii has been detained in a Tokyo jail, convicted of multiple murders of lonely businessmen. She is said to have seduced them with her amazing home cooking. The case has enthralled the nation, that someone who doesn’t conform to the beauty standards could capture the hearts of so many men, and have them so entranced that they would hand over so much money before she killed them. She tried to make each murder look like an accident but got overconfident.

Kajii refuses to talk to the media. Until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter to her asking for her recipe for beef stew, to try and make a connection. Rika is the only woman in her news office and works long hours trying to prove herself. She doesn’t cook (more than instant ramen) and rarely indulges in food extravagance. A distorted relationship soon unfolds between Rika and Kajii, wrapped around meals that Rika begins to explore, directed by Kajii. As Rika tries to delve into the mind of Kajii, she finds herself opening up her own mind more and is not sure of what she is discovering.

This book is inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, "The Konkatsu Killer", real name Kanae Kijima. Knowing it is set on a real case makes it a bit of an unsettling read. It is not a quick and easy read. This book took a long time to get through, but was well worth it. It is a very beautiful journey through Japanese culture, at a slow and steady pace, which takes the time to look at relationships between friends, family, work, colleagues, food, and culture. It highlights the impact of expectations on women in society, for beauty standards, and perceived behaviour standards. I feel like I learned a lot from reading this book, not just about a historical case, but about a culture, food (I want to do cookery classes now!!) and about the importance of friendships, and cultivating them. It is a beautiful and powerful read, which you need to assimilate after reading and reflect on.

*I received this book from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.

Thank you for granting me early access to this novel.

I'm sorry to people who would read this book thinking it's crime fiction, because this is psychological fiction at its finest. I don't even want to put it in a box, the sentence structure in it is orgasmic. I enjoyed the slow pace of the book, character development was subtle but obvious. I enjoyed this a lot!

✨What do you get when you combine a gourmet chef femme fatale with a journalist who just about manages to survive on microwaved food? ✨

Answer: A fascinating insight into the world of Japanese culture, misogyny, fat shaming, the pleasures of delectable cuisine and obsession.

When Manako Kajii is convicted of murdering three men who coincidentally were also her lovers, journalist Rika Machida, the only female journalist at her news office, decides she will be the one to reveal Manako’s motives to the nation.

While she works relentlessly to solve the mystery of Manako, she ends up discovering more about herself than the murderer she is supposed to be interviewing.

While this novel is miles away from the cosy Japanese literature I have read of late, Butter is a compelling, sometimes jarring read that is to be slowly devoured…just like any good meal. 😉

Read if you’re into:
· Vivid descriptions of food
· Japanese culture - obvs
· The messiness that female relationships often find themselves in
· The complexities of families
· Strong women

Oh and just in case you need more reasons to read this book, it’s based on the real life case of Japan’s ‘Konkatsu Killer’.

“There are two things that I simply cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine.”

I devoured Butter, (and not just literally) it took me some time to finish but that was because it made me hungry! I had to keep stopping to make some of the recipes, I made rice with soy sauce and butter, and pancakes with artisan butter, both were amazing. But onto the novel.

“Kajii had given herself that permission. Ignoring other people’s yardsticks, she had decided that she was enough as a woman.”

I loved the discussion of feminism and femininity throughout the novel. Kajii from the start is very clear that she hates feminists but in my opinion she’s portrayed as quite the feminist. Kajii chooses to go against the standard of weight, of womanhood and of social expectations in Japan, which to me is what being a feminist is all about having the ability to choose for yourself. Which I found was in contrast to some of things she would say which were very subservient towards men, a direct contrast but as you read on you see how it all plays out together, in a wonderful display of Kajii’s true ability.

“All women should give themselves permission to demand good treatment, but the world made doing so profoundly difficult.”

The above quote I felt resonate throughout the book, especially at the end, with the public response to Rika - which if you have read the book you may feel the same, but if you have not I will not say more.

I found that Butter is more a vehicle for social commentary that it is a thriller with a murder mystery element, which is fine for me. I enjoyed the social commentary aspect slightly more, but I did enjoy the murder mystery a lot as well, it was enjoyable trying to piece the story together with Rika, and trying to understand Kajii and her motivations.

The pacing was interesting, I found it to be very slow, but looking back on the novel I’m glad it was. One because it’s translated and the translation should be as faithful to the original work as possible but second because Rika’s investigation was over a decent period of time and I don’t think all the plot lines would have come together in a fulfilling way (especially Kajii’s actions) if it had been sped up for the sake of page count.

I was famished for a good book but Butter has me sated. My physical copy is on the way and I look forward to annotating the heck out of it.

Thank you to Asako Yuzuki, Fourth Estate and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was certainly original but I'm not sure I completely understood it, or what the author was trying to say. The first half was really quite a slog to get through, unless you love detailed descriptions of food. It all picked up around the time Rika and Reiko went to the sister's house, but only for a few chapters before it all tailed off again. I also found the ending to be a bit of a flop.

I appreciated the insights into contemporary Japanese culture and societal norms but, overall, the boo felt a bit flabby and could have done with some editing. There were too many peripheral characters and a few too many messages to have an impact.

Absolutely fascinating book. Enthralling, unsettling - really couldn't put this down and recommend highly.

Thanks to 4th Estate and NetGalley for ARC.
Journalist Rika Machida has been trying to interview the infamous convicted killer Manako Kajii for some time. She decides to try a new tack and contacts her to talk about food and cooking, starting a series of events that will change her life and those of several people around her. This is a pearl necklace of a novel - multi stranded, imperfect and beautiful. It asks a lot of questions about the role of women and men in modern Japanese society as well as exploring our fascination with women who kill, social media pile-ons, and the importance of animal fats. Easy to see why it's a cult hit

I have been so excited to finally pick up Butter by Asako Yuzuki after hearing so many good things and it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Whilst I did struggle a little with the pacing which made me feel like I was getting nowhere at some points, the story itself was very endearing and a read worth investing in if you don’t mind a slightly longer read!

Butter, a cult Japanese bestseller by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton can only be described as Master Chef meets true crime documentaries. Plus this novel is inspired by a true story!

This slow paced thriller, shows the unraveling of Rika, a journalist who is investigating a convicted serial killer, Kaji who has killed many of the men she has dated.

But this is not a simple whodunnit. The author also explores found family, the cult of loyalty to your career, and the role of women and society's expectations in Japan. The characters are more than just an investigator and murderer but are real people with motives and desires.

Rika bonds with Kaji over food during her visits to prison. Rika's world starts to expand beyond her beige food as she experiments with recipes and new restaurants so she can report back to Kaji. The food writing in this book was divine, beware this book makes you hungry!

Did Kaji kill her boyfriends and will Rika find out?

Thank you @netgalley for the ebook version of Butter!

A startling touching book about the need for connection and acceptance set amongst the backdrop of a foodie's delight.

I gained weight just by reading this! Two things are certain: I’m going to try Echiré butter and I’m making boeuf bourguignon. This book is quite intriguing - it’s about (female) friendship, trauma, self-discovery and acceptance in spite of cultural norms, misogyny and what is viewed as acceptable by the Japanese society. It’s slow paced and contemplative. And it is based on the true crime story of The Konkatsu Killer. The murderous Manako Kajii is fascinating. It’s a good story with lots of symbolism that offers an interesting insight into the Japanese culture. Thanks to NetGallery for the ARC!

While everyone thinks Kajii has done the murder of her three boyfriends, Rika has a different view of this matter. Trying to get other perspectives on Kajii’s life and prove that she may be innocent, Rika has tried everything she can to get an inclusive interview with Kajii. However, Kajii was not an easy woman to approach as she was narcissistic and misogyny. Rika found the only way to make Kajii open up to her story was through the love of food. Meanwhile, Kajii found Rika's attraction to her an excellent opportunity to ‘use’ Rika to her advantage. Things were all mouthery and yummy for Rika as she ventured into the culinary world through Kajii’s guidance until one day, Rika’s best friend, Reiko, was found missing, and Rika suspected the only person who may know Reiko's whereabouts was Kajii.

The synopsis seems simple, but this story has more in it. I think that, overall, it may suit the themes of psychological fiction. Reading how much Rika wants to interview Manako Kajii because, perhaps in all her misogyny, arrogant, and not achieving the ‘beauty standard set by society’ (Kajii is a bit chubby and decent in her appearance), she may be innocent with the murdered charges. This has also created tension for Rika and her company. Less than she knows, her new bud relationship with Kajii significantly impacts her life and those around her. It all starts with an ingredient we call Butter. It was the first introduction to Rika’s culinary adventure, as she called it, ‘butter awakening’. The food glued people to each other in this book regarding traditions and memories, regardless of the outcome.

The book mainly covers culinary art and food, but the plot accelerates when Reiko starts missing. Everyone in this book has toxic traits, but no one is perfect. I may side with Kajii in the first few chapters because of her choice of being what she is without worrying about what other people say, but in the end, Kajii is not the person I want to keep as a friend. I meant that Kajii’s personality has a certain charisma but lends more to the dark side. Rika’s attraction to her changes throughout the book as she becomes more confident and discovers that Kajii is the last person she wants to be. It all comes to the piece that no matter what we are doing, the public still judges, and in the end, it will only come to us to find the best way to take care of our mental health and decide the path we want.

It is a story about women in many forms, toxic traits, living up to the standard that society sets, but also friendship and family, coping with negativity, and the ultimate quest to find your true self. I like it and may reread it if I have time.