When I first received an invitation to read Butter, I was highly intrigued by the premise and expected a thrilling mystery.

Unfortunately the actual direction of the book was more philosophical and provided a commentary about societal pressures - particularly those on women to look a certain way.

As a former fat girl, one who still struggles with elements of Dismorphia and self esteem issues based around weight and appearance (thanks to years of childhood emotional trauma/abuse), this book made me HIGHLY uncomfortable. And had I known that it was less thrill and more whatever it actually is, I might not have accepted the invitation.

Or I might have been able to make an informed choice and go in knowing that it would be a confronting read for me.

I also found it difficult to gel with the writing and the characters. Apologies, but this one was not my cup of tea.

Thank you to Asako Yuzuki, 4th Estate, and NetGalley for inviting me to read this book.

Described as a novel about food and murder based on a true crime story, I knew immediately, Butter was going to be a book I would devour. On starting the book I expected a fast paced Japanese true-crime style thriller with some food thrown in but what I got was a meandering lustrous story about hunger. Hunger for food, for knowledge, for connections and above all for acceptance.

While yes Butter is all about the food, it is also about so much more than just the food and it is this intricate folding of tantalising food descriptions with pervading commentary on women's weight and beauty standards in Japan which had me hooked. Yuzuki’s skill of blending such contrasting topics enables the reader to challenge their own thinking without feeling too much confrontation. Asako also beautifully depicts many intricacies of Japanese daily living, customs and culture that it’s easy to sink into Rika’s surrounding world.

Yuzuki also shines a mirror on people’s relationships with food, and even their lack thereof, examining connections to childhood, trauma and even individuals’ character and level of self-acceptance, posing many deeper questions. Is food a stand in for pleasure and fulfilment or a representation of it?

A masterpiece in contrast, it somehow felt warmingly comforting, yet clawingly putrid at times. I didn’t so much devour Butter, but indulgently nibbled away and savoured its many layers. Think more of a sumptuous 10 course tasting menu that is hard to forget rather than a punchy 2 course early bird and you’re close.

'What's wrong with coating barren, flavorless reality in oodles of melted butter and seasoning it with condiments and spices.'

"Butter" starts as the tale of a journalist looking for an "in" to build rapport with a suspected serial killer, then spreads outwards from there like butter melting in a pan. Taking in the casual misogyny of Japanese society, the weight of expectations, the evolution of friendships and relationships, and the way that passion can become obsession (just as devotion can turn to loathing). Running alongside all of that is the journey of a young woman finding herself through food (in a way).
This book is delicious, and reading it will make you hungry.
Don't say I didn't warn you!
(Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC)

I went into this book completely blind, it definitely wasn't what I expected, I definitely though I was going to be reading a thriller, but I loved it nonetheless.

Butter is inspired a true story, based on a series killer/ gourmet chef and the journalist who wants to crack the case. Kajii is in a detention centre in Tokyo awaiting a murder trial for multiple business men whom she is supposedly seducing with her cooking. Kajii refuses to speak to anyone, not allowing the press of any visitors. That is until journalist Rika writes her a letter asking for a recipe, and Kanjii cant resist writing back. We then follow their bizarre relationship where Rika almost becomes like one of Kanjiis victims, completely seduced by her and willing to do anything she wants.

Although different from what I expected I enjoyed the combination of crime and observations on femininity and the role for women in Japan. I completely see why it's a cult classic in Japan.

Crime fiction fans craving something a little quirky and different in amongst the vast feast the genre has been offering in recent years, a palate cleanser if you will, may do well to dip into Butter by Asako Yuzuki. A cult bestseller in Japan several years ago, it’s now available for English-speaking readers thanks to the translation of Polly Barton.

Somewhat inspired by a true crime Butter is a weird and rather wonderful slow-burn psychological thriller about a female gourmand and serial killer. Tabloid journo Rika Machida leads a rather empty existence; late nights at her male-dominated office, ramen noodles in her apartment, occasional sex with a sorta-boyfriend. But things start changing when Machida secures an interview with notorious killer Manako Kajii, said to have seduced lonely businessmen with her gourmet cooking. Kajii refused all interviews until Machida sent a letter asking about her beef stew recipe. Machida hopes to crack Kajii open via foodie chat, and serving as Kajii’s proxy with home cooking and dining at back-alley teppanyaki and Michelin-starred restaurants, but is she the one being manipulated?

Yuzuki, ably translated by Polly Barton, offers a sensuous, highly original tale where food is at the forefront of an underlying exploration of misogyny, fatphobia, past trauma, and patriarchal society. This doesn’t really fit with the modern Japanese noir or classic crime that has been increasingly translated in recent years. But its strangely delicious.

[review written for and first published in the May 2024 issue of Good Reading magazine]

This is the type of book that I could discuss for hours and still not come to any firm conclusions, still find more to cover and think about, and still not be able to say definitively whether I liked it or not. Compelling, complicated and frustrating not unlike Manako Kajii herself. A fascinating book.

It was the cover that immediately drew me into wanting to read this book, then I read the description and then I found out it was inspired by a true story! So it was always going to be on my list after that.

Butter follows a female journalist, Rika, who writes for a men's magazine and is all too aware of the misogyny in the workplace as well as in general society. She wants to write an article about Manako Kajii, a female suspected serial killer who would "lure" older lonely men with her gourmet cooking and swindle them out of millions and in some cases killing them. When Manako was arrested the case blew up nationally not because of a suspected serial killer on the loose but because she was overweight and how could she have possibly swindled men looking like that and this is what Rika wants to focus on.

Yuzuki uses incredibly beautiful prose to describe the food in the book. I never thought I would be so invested in the description of someone eating butter on rice but here we are. I did think that the book was maybe a tad too long, like it definately could have cut some parts down, there were times where I thought the book dragged on a bit.

In saying that though I think the book is rich with feminine commentary and does a great job of highlighting misogyny and sexism that is unfortunately ever present in today's society.

Thanks to Net Galley and Fourth Estate books for the ARC

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this novel but I think that was for the best. Butter is both plot and character-driven and shows how women in Japan are treated by society. It was an interesting deep dive (sometimes I wished it delved even lower) into the expectations placed on women regarding their work, health and maternity. I liked seeing the protagonist Rika grow throughout the story, especially with the help from the two women at her side, Reiko and Kaiji. I also appreciated the found family trope closer to the end of the book, showing Rika wasn't as alone as she thought. It was definitely an interesting introspective into what Japan's society is like in the modern century and how much is at stake when you're a woman.

I loved this book! It was so visceral and evocative, and I felt like I was becoming obsessed with Kajii just like Rika, I also loved the commentary on social expectations and feminism, and how something as traditionally feminine as 'cooking' could be so subversive. I couldn't stop reading it.

I have just finished #butter by #asakoyuzuki 🧈🧈🧈🧈

I feel like I haven't done a review in so so long. This was my most anticipated book for 2024 and it didn't disappoint. In my mind reading the blurb I was expecting "silence of the lambs" style interactions with a teacher-pupil type relationship building, I think there was an element of that for sure but for me the exploration of the female gender role in Japan and wider society was huge. Also the focus on self-confidence or self-worth came across strongly in really proving ways.

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I truly "loved" how the victims died and how the 'murderer' actually murdered them or didn't in fact. I think that is the big question it threw up for me. Can you truly blame someone should they wish to end a relationship with another person? The tipping point I think is how she made the men fully dependent on her, in an addictive way and given their individual issues, they were very quickly driven over the edge. Maybe that is on her, it throws up so many talking points!

Overall this is an incredibly well written book, the characters, places and plot are brilliant. The perspective and angle were really clever and thought provoking. I would encourage everyone to read it of course, but those into food and gender roles should really love this, just remember to wear a bib to mop up all your dribble from the food descriptions 😝😝😝😝

#honnomushi100 #reading #japanesefiction #translatedfiction #translatedjapaneseliterature #booksfromjapan #booklover #bookstagram #translatedgems #japaneseauthor #translatedjapaneseliterature #japaneselit #japaneseauthors #japaneseliterature

While I found reading about Japanese Culture very interesting, and this book has opened my eyes to how little Eastern culture is explored in writing that I tend to read and encouraged me to look for other (fiction) books from different parts of the world, it wasn’t for me.

I felt like it was much longer than needed to be (I’m not sure if this came from being translated). While the author has a skill in respect of detailing settings and flavours, I found that this was at the cost of characters being developed.

I did finish the book but I wouldn’t rush to pick it back up.

i was excepting something with a bit more bite...

The audiobook edition of Butter spans over 17 hours, yet its narrative could have been condensed into a fraction of that time. The story feels weighed down by excessive filler content, and while its intended themes hold potential they are belabored to the point of being ham-fisted. The characters, particularly the protagonist Rika and her friend Reiko, are often made to behave moronically for seemingly no reason other than to create conflict, but these misunderstandings and instances of idiocy diminished the coherence of the narrative.

The novel revolves around Rika Machida, a journalist in her 30s with a very poor work/life balance. Seeking a hit story, Rika reaches out to Manako Kajii who is currently serving time in the Tokyo Detention Centre after being convicted of the serial murders of businessmen she allegedly lured with her cooking skills. Kaji refuses to see her until Rika, at the suggestion of her friend Reiko, takes a different approach. Rather than asking Kaji about the murders, she asks for her beef stew recipe.
As they interact, their exchanges focus more on food and Kaji’s ideas of ‘etiquette’ than murder, prompting not only a personal introspection for Rika but a culinary awakening. Rika’s newfound appetite results in her gaining weight, and we see how that affects the way she is seen by the people in her life. Her boyfriend, who is just as work-oriented as she is, critiques her for it, seeing it as a sign of her ‘letting herself go’, and believes that women should be especially careful of their appearance. Rika’s closest friend, Reiko, also, despite once being outspoken on matters of sexism, expresses ‘concern’ over Rika’s weight, but her remarks may have to do less with Rika’s body than Reiko feeling jealous of Rika’s fixation with Kaji. Inspired by true events, Asako Yuzuki's Butter explores themes of misogyny, obsession, beauty standards and culinary pleasures in contemporary Japan.

The cover and blurb for Butter are somewhat misleading, as the novel proves to be less unsettling than they suggest. While the book does feature vivid sensory descriptions, particularly regarding food—its preparation, aroma, and taste—Yuzuki’s storytelling relied too much on repetitive depictions of glistening lips and sweaty bodies to elicit discomfort. There was an intensity ascribed to these descriptions that made many scenes feel unintentionally over the top (i was reminded of the business card scene from American Psycho…but in Butter these instances lack the former’s self-awareness and are delivered seemingly with seriousness).
Butter aligns more closely with contemporary social critiques like Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, Diary of a Void, Breast & Eggs, Boy Parts, Ripe, The Glow, and Natural Beauty, books that explore themes of women challenging or questioning gender norms and navigating misogyny and beauty standards within various societal contexts.

Throughout Butter, every scene appears to reinforce these thematic points. It delves into the double standards around aging and the pressures faced by women to conform to traditional gender roles, especially within cultures with more conservative values. The novel extensively interrogates ideas surrounding femininity and the expectations placed upon women, particularly the impossible standards of the 'ideal' Japanese woman. While I appreciate narratives featuring diverse portrayals of female characters and exploring complex female friendships, Butter falls short in this regard.

Rika, the protagonist, comes across as painfully uninteresting and exists seemingly only to convey certain messages. Her experiences, such as gaining weight and rejecting societal pressures regarding relationships, feel didactic rather than authentic. Despite Yuzuki’s attempts to depict complexity and contradiction in her female characters, their behaviors often feel contrived and surface-level, emerging only to serve the narrative's thematic agenda. I wouldn't have minded as much if said themes had been explored in-depth, but I found the story's treatment and portrayal of misogyny somewhat superficial. There are several scenes in which Rika reflects on societal expectations regarding women's appearance and behavior (and comes to the conclusion that no, women should not have live their lives in accordance with what men find sexually attractive) and that show her professional integrity being questioned by a male colleague (who assumes that she couldn't possibly have a male friend and that she is exploiting said man to gain information for scoops). And the novel also touches upon the cultural expectations placed on married women to prioritize their husband's well-being, including taking care of household chores and cooking for him.. But I just wanted more, especially given the novel's 'run-time'. But Yuzuki never delves into the more insidious aspects of sexism and misogyny. If anything, I found her takes somewhat naive. For instance, portraying a woman who emerges unscathed after spending time with a dubious man who is certainly a creep and could have also been involved in a murder. The lack of consequences felt overly idealistic to me.

The supposed tension between Rika and Kaji, the central dynamic of the novel, lacked oomph. Kaji's influence on others, including Rika, feels unconvincing given her grating demeanor and, for all her portending to be an expert in culinary matters, her ‘hot takes’ weren’t all that hot. While Rika eventually sees through Kaji's facade, her prolonged influence on Rika's perspective on food and possibly life seems disproportionate to her actual impact. Kaji's character, at first presented in an enigmatic manner akin to Hannibal Lecter had neither the charisma nor depth necessary to maintain my interest.

If Butter had delved deeper into Rika’s experiences at her workplace and prioritized the development of her friendship with Reiko, perhaps I wouldn’t have felt so exasperated at this story. I found the narrative to be full of unnecessary dramatic moments (including Reiko impulsively playing detective to prove…something? What was going through her head? And then what…she just gives up like that?, Reiko is traumatized by her parents' open relationship and by the fact that her husband, like her father, also finds physical intimacy between spouses wrong—using her father’s words almost verbatim—Rika’s own trauma around her father’s death and cooking, the whole stuffed turkey thing at the end).
Several plot points are introduced that seem promising enough but ultimately lead nowhere. The characterization of Kaji remains shallow, failing to evolve beyond her initial portrayal, making me wonder to what extent Rika truly understood her ‘twisted’ psyche. The novel’s conclusion was jarringly cheesy, as Rika and the people around her advocate for self-acceptance (a trite "found family" trope is shoehorned for good measure), which felt contrived and lacking in depth.

Rika's inadequacies as a journalist are... noticeable. She’s a shit journalist. She claims to want to write an article on Kaji but her tactics to get Kaji to open up are incoherent (she does what Kaji wants her to do, but then asks very stupid questions or makes tone-deaf remarks—she tactlessly complains about her weight gain—that are bound to alienate someone as demanding and misanthropic as Kaji). Also, why didn’t it occur to Rika, like it did for Reiko, to find the man Kaji was staying with prior to her arrest?
The exploration of Kaji's family and past feels cursory, presenting a cliched portrait of a Daddy’s Girl without offering meaningful insight.

The narrative dangles several intriguing threads—such as the implication of a character's predatory tendencies and Kaji's alleged crimes—yet Yuzuki fails to follow these up satisfactorily. Despite being referred to as a serial killer, Kaji's actions and motivations receive only a surface-level examination and consequently Rika's view of Kaji is rather simplistic and her newfound understanding of her feels unearned (Kaji’s vices are emphasized throughout the narrative—her body too is described in a way that left much to be desired as if to emphasize just how ‘uncontrollable’ and defiant to norms she is— but then at the end we are meant to find her pathetic and kind of a victim—of her internalized misogyny, of the public’s gaze, of her need for male validation). Kaji's real life counterpart was also convicted on murder charges despite the lack of evidence, and Japan does have an incredibly high conviction rate...so why did not have Rika question whether Kaji deserved to be convicted? Or seen and spoken of a serial killer...? Kaji is antisocial, narcissistic, callous, manipulative and she doesn't seem to feel any remorse over the fact that she targeted/defrauded men…but then again their relationship seemed to me very much transactional…so why does Rika so readily accepts that Kaji is this 'serial killer'?

Overall, Butter fell short of delivering the darker, psychologically gripping narrative I had hoped for. Rika's journey towards uncovering the ‘truth’ feels aimless, and the murder aspect of the story is glossed over in favor of these overly dramatic moments that fail to provide a meaningful exploration of the novel’s thematic elements. I had expected the novel to explore Rika's (supposed) 'corruption', but it never happened (unless you count gaining weight and learning to love food again as 'bad'). As a result, her own anxiety and Reiko's concern about her growing too close to Kaji seemed somewhat uncalled for. Like, chill. Not like Kaji is urging Rika to kill men. To give the author the benefit of the doubt, one could argue that she deliberately crafted a narrative of smoke and mirrors, teasing depths and thrills without fully delivering on them.

I just was hoping for something darker, something more on the lines of a psychological cat-and-mouse game. Maybe on the lines of The Silence of the Lambs, or something in the realms of Barbara Vine or even My Sister, the Serial Killer. And, sure, maybe I thought that this book would deal with, shall we say, more monstrous appetites (i do love a cannibal story).

Was this novel terrible? No. Was it frustrating? Sure. But, as I said before, it was so annoying as to be almost amusing. The type of book that makes you want to rant to someone about how unbelievably stupid the characters are or how ridiculous the story is.

I wanted to genuinely like this novel as I am fond of the woman-being-weird-about-another-woman subgenre, but Butter missed the mark. Yuzuki's attempt to balance seriousness, realism, and drama didn't quite coalesce into something cohesive, resulting in a narrative that tone-wise felt very uneven. Even her exploration of misogyny, though earnest, lacked depth and wasn't all that thought-provoking. There seemed to be potential in delving deeper into Reiko's experiences as a stay-at-home wife, but her perspective only receives brief attention towards the end of the novel. Similarly, the portrayal of Rika's challenges in a male-dominated industry could have been more compelling, especially considering the doubts cast upon her professional abilities (then again she is a shite journalist so...).

I've read plenty of books that tackle the themes this novel sets out but fails to explore them deeply. And if I were to view it as a slice-of-life narrative about the experiences of women in the workplace, in marriage, and so on, Butter wasn't as compelling as most female-centered dramas out there.

If this novel is on your radar, I recommend you check out more positive reviews or give it a try. Who knows, you might find something in it that resonates with you in a way that it didn't for me.

Also, credit goes to the narrator of the audiobook, Hanako Footman. I really enjoyed her performance and I doubt I would have managed to finish this book if not for her narration.

'Butter' offers a unique blend of culinary intrigue and psychological depth, weaving together themes of misogyny, obsession, and the power of food in unexpected ways. While the exploration of these themes is intriguing, the narrative occasionally loses its focus, leaving some aspects feeling underdeveloped. However, the dynamic between the two main characters, Rika and Kajii, is compelling, offering a nuanced examination of their complex relationship. Overall, 'Butter' serves up a thought-provoking read that will leave readers pondering its themes long after the final page.

📚Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Butter is as slippery as its namesake. I never quite knew where I was with this novel, translated from the Japanese by Polly Barton who is one of my favourite translators, I don’t speak Japanese but I think she does such a fantastic job of making you feel as though you’re reading in the cadences of that language. The overarching story of Butter is meant to be based on a real life serial killer and in the novel this is manado Kajii who has been accused of murdering her lovers through her delicious home cooking and the young, quite literally hungry journalist Rika who sets out to be the first to write her story.

This however is not a novel about the murder of men; it is a novel about women and their hungers. So much of the fascination of the novel lies in the discussions of pressures that women in Japan face. It’s not a culture that I’ve experienced much of and I somewhat naively believed that the petiteness of Japanese women was genetic but the author is at pains to show how much of it is conditioned and how food - or the lack thereof - is the most important thing in most women’s lives. Each of the characters has a hunger, for friendship, success, independence and love and their intersecting stories make this a novel that sits with you long after you’ve finished it. It’s a slow burn of a read and perhaps one that you dip in and out of rather than binge as the pace and meditation of the novel is very languid.

I found this book an absolutely fascinating look at Japanese culture in relation to women and food. Through the exploration of the recipes and restaurants used by the Gourmet cook Manako Kajii, journalist Rika Machida tries to understand the convicted murderers motivations. Visiting Manako in the detention centre Rika tries to create a bond between the two women. She begins to admire and emulate to some extent the eccentric cook. I found the reactions of Rika's friends, family and work colleagues reactions to the change in Rika the most fascinating. The ideals that women have to hold themselves to seems unattainable and damaging. The interactions with Manako change Rika's life and threaten her career but in doing so she learns the fulfilling need to satiate herself with friendships and meaningful connections rather than food.

A really well written and intriguing novel that I was hooked on from the first page.

Butter is everywhere at the moment and deservedly so. I loved everything about this fascinating, enthralling story about a female Japanese serial killer. Don't miss it

Butter by Asako Yuzuki, translated by  Polly Barton
Paperback release: 29 February 2024
⭐️⭐️ 2 stars
Thank you to 4th Estate and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. Journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.

On paper, this was the perfect Sandra book. In reality, it put me in a slump so bad that it ruined my reading in February and I should have DNF'd it - I would have if it hadn't been an ARC.
There are a lot of things to like about this book: the writing is good, the descriptions of food and its enjoyment are vivid and sensual, to point of visceral, and I appreciated the author touching on beauty standards in Japanese society, misogyny and discrimination.
But I could not get into it; this book is 300 pages, but it felt 3 times longer than it actually is. There was nothing I could grab onto, nothing that kept me hooked - which makes me sad as I was so excited to read it and I wanted to love it so badly. As I said, this should have been the perfect Sandra book, and maybe it was the right book but at the totally wrong time and it did not work for me.

I am afraid this was a 'did not finish' for me. I don't think it is the story, characters, or author that is the problem, but perhaps the translation. I found the writing impossible to sink into and frankly quite grating, to the point where I simply didn't want to read it anymore. I rarely fail to finish a book, so this is saying something.

I saved this novel until I went on a trip to Japan. It was wonderful reading it whilst in the country and eating the food.

Young journalist Rika Machida is thrilled to be able to visit and interview Manako Kajii, a woman convicted of killing three men, planning to write an article about her. Manako is infamous - not just for the murde men despite being overweight. Rika is intrigued by Manako and influenced by her begins to take food and cooking seriously. What follows is an exploration of the expectations put on women in Japanese society, particularly around size, and also of Rika's own development as she begins to cook more and more and along the way consider her own life, role and relationships, as much as Manako and her guilt or innocence.

I enjoyed the book a lot. It is perhaps over long, the recipes Rika cooks are described in loving detail and the intrigue around Manako's involvement (or not) in the men's deaths is dealt with rather hurriedly. I did learn a huge amount about Japanese society, as an aside I noticed when there that virtually no one is even slightly overweight as far as I could see, men as well as women. But from this novel it appears, maybe unsurprisingly, that the pressure on women to be thin is greater.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
rs but a worse crime in the public eye is apparently that she managed to attract and beguile these

Butter is a delicious and compelling story of mystery, misogyny and murder in Japan. We follow Rika, a journalist, as she interviews, researches and befriends an alleged serial killer, Kajii.

I particularly enjoyed the use of food (particularly butter) as a means for Rika to understand herself and Kajii. The descriptions were mouthwatering.

Butter was a meaty and dense read, but very enjoyable. I would recommend this for book clubs or for those seeking a more literary, less tense twist on a thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.