Manako Kajii is being held in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the murders of multiple lonely men, who she allegedly seduced with her delicious home cooking. Determined to land an exclusive interview with her, journalist Rika Machida writes a her a letter asking for one of her infamous recipes, and Kajii can’t resist writing back. So begins a strained and tumultuous relationship between the two women, one which will change Rika in more ways than she could have imagined.

I’m not totally sure what I was expecting this book to be, but it definitely took me by surprise. The story focuses not on Kajii’s crimes and whether she is guilty or innocent, but on Rika’s personal journey as she learns to cook for herself, gains weight, wrestles with other’s opinions of her new figure, and comes to terms with the death of her own father.

As marketed, there’s a lot of focus on the food within this book. As I’m not at all familiar with Japanese cuisine, it was difficult for me to picture or understand what a lot of the food being described was, and there was too much mentioned to be able to Google each and every different thing.

My overall feeling towards this book is that it was much too long. It’s a slow-burner for sure, and the many descriptive accounts of different food items definitely adds to the word count but, even without this, I think it would still have felt longer than necessary. I also found the writing style to be a little bit stilted, but this could be because it has been translated into English. It’s different to anything else I’ve read recently and I did enjoy it, but getting through the extensive descriptions of food and the many, many tangents was a struggle.

I read recently in a book (not this one), that a good story allows us to understand a lot about ourselves, and I think that, although the quote does not belong to this novel, this is precisely the case. The story of the alleged serial killer and the journalist who would like to interview her might seem to be a mix between Silence of the Lambs and Babette's Feast, but only superficially, because between the various tastes and smells and the small truths that emerge as a surprise from the mouths of not even too extraordinary characters of the story, these +400 pages flow quickly and satisfied me more than a Christmas dinner.

Ho letto di recente in un libro (non questo), che una bella storia ci permette di capire molto di noi stessi e credo che, nonostante la citazione non appartenga a questo romanzo, sia proprio questo il caso. La storia della presunta serial killer e della giornalista che vorrebbe intervistarla, potrebbe sembrare un mix tra Il silenzio degli innocenti ed il pranzo di Babette, ma solo superficialmente, perché tra i vari sapori e profumi e le piccole verità che emergono a sorpresa dalla bocca di protagonisti nemmeno troppo straordinari, queste +400 pagine scorrono velocemente e mi hanno soddisfatto piú di un cenone natalizio.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I was really intrigued by the blurb and very keen to review this title. It definitely didn’t disappoint. Whilst Butter is not an easy read I very quickly became absorbed. I feel that my review could never do the book justice. There are so many complex layers and themes surrounding Riko and both her personal and professional life.
You really need to read it to appreciate it.

I had such great hopes for this book! Loved the idea behind it, the food descriptions had my mouth watering and despite initially getting confused with the names of the two Japanese friends, Riko and Reika throughly enjoyed the first half! However, for me the story then lost itself and I was desperate for it to get moving, for something to happen! It didn’t and sorry to say I gave up!

On paper this should have SO been my kind of thing.
A character study, a focus on food, difficult women.
But I found this a real struggle and I can't quite put my finger on it.
It was a bit too long and I just struggled to stay engaged with it.
I also know this is a cultural thing and part of it is the point, but the obsession with characters' weight, including detailing their exact weights, I found quite troubling and I think some people would find upsetting.
I loved the food descriptions but this one wasn't for me, I just wish I could work out why.

3 stars.

I tried. I really tried but a dnf for me. Too long, slow and a lack of interest throughout.
Nevertheless, my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Fascinating on every level, an insight in to Japanese culture and the pressures society put on women and men to be "women" and "men" which are not exclusive to Japan. The food writing made my mouth water, I have to try rice with butter & soy!!

You are warmed to Riko and the other characters (maybe not all!!) and become invested in their relationships and lives.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read Butter.

Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a fascinating examination of the culture of misogyny in Japan , the nature of obsession and the visceral pleasure of food, even in its simplest forms as well as the complex relationships so many people have with food and eating. The book is inspired by a real life criminal case but is more driven by character than by plot, so readers expecting a thriller or court room drama may well be disappointed. On the other hand if you are looking for insight into another culture you will find plenty to sink your teeth into here. The writing is very descriptive, especially when it comes to the food that plays such a vital role in this book, so if page after page about streamed rice and butter sounds like something you would want to avoid this might not be the book for you. I did think about seting this book aside but I am glad that I persevered as by the end I was invested in the characters and how their stories would play out.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A journalist wants to write an article about a woman in jail for being involved in the deaths of some men. In order to open a dialogue they bond over food.
It's quite a long book but that means that the story develops slowly. It covers a lot of issues around body image, the expectations for women and relationships.
The main character Rika has to face up to lots of questions about herself and how the world works.
Really interesting and thought provoking.

"Still, the consternation that her weight gain had elicited in the people around her seemed to be extreme. The changes to her body hadn't caused them any trouble, and yet people's reactions were critical, even fearful."

In a nutshell, Butter is intriguing and has lots and lots of layers. The story follows Rika, a journalist who becomes fascinated and obsessed with the life of convicted serial killer, Manako Kajii. Rika retraces Manako's footsteps by recreating the food that Manako served her partners before they died. Butter is significant to all these recipes and by gorging on butter-rich dishes, Rika ends up gaining weight and is judged and body-shamed by those around her, hence opening up the debate about female body image. Not only does she gain weight, but her whole outlook on life and the way that she perceives things and relationships changes as well.

Through Riko's meetings with Manako Kajii at a detention centre, Kajii proves to be manipulative and a psychological power play ensues. Kajii's character has been based after the real-life serial killer Kanae Kijima.

There are plenty of people around Riko who lend to the story - the most important being her best friend Reiko.
I did find Butter to be quite a long read and it could have definitely done with being shorter in parts. Having said that, Butter certainly was an interesting read.

Rika is a thirty-something journalist, living a quiet life in Tokyo. She encounters Mankato Kajii through her work. A convicted serial killer awaiting a retrial for the murders of three former lovers that she may/may not have committed.

Over the course of a series of interviews in her Detention Centre, Rika becomes increasingly fascinated by Kajii. She is a slippery character: enigmatic, vulnerable and deeply manipulative. However, does this mean that she is a murderer?

The themes of the novel are powerful: body image, the role of women in society, friendship, desire, status and our relationship with food. Yuzuki also gives us a number of unctuous passages about food, cooking, our tastebuds. This is a good read that keeps you guessing to the end.

Absolutely brilliant. Such a compelling story with incredible detail on institutional misogyny permeating life and work places. I thought the gradual changes in Rika’s behaviour as a result of her meetings with Kajii were so eerie. Thank you to 4th estate for the proof!

I recently dove into "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki, giving it a solid 4 stars. Right off the bat, this book feeds right into the current craze for foodie literature, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Every dish mentioned, from tarako pasta to kamo seiro, had me hitting up Google and daydreaming about a culinary adventure in Japan. Yuzuki has a knack for making even the simplest rice with soy sauce and butter seem like a gourmet experience.

At the heart of the story is Kajii, a convicted serial killer with a taste for older men and a high-life that ends in their mysterious deaths. Her comparison to Holly Golightly is intriguing, though her traditional views on women's roles are bound to raise some eyebrows. Enter Rika, a journalist who spends a year visiting Kajii in the Detention Center, crafting an expose that ultimately transforms her life. Watching Rika's journey and evolution throughout the novel was a highlight for me.

However, it's worth mentioning that the story does drag a bit towards the end. A little tightening could have kept the pacing more consistent. Overall, "Butter" is a deliciously intriguing read that blends food, crime, and personal growth in a way that's both engaging and thought-provoking. If you're a food lover with a taste for complex characters and twisty plots, this book might just be your next favorite read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of its release!

Butter is a dark and compelling story following journalist Rika as she develops a kinship with serial killer Kajii, who is in prison for murdering lonely businessmen after seducing them with her cooking. I found this book to be really original and fascinating, although at times it did lose me a bit and certain parts of the book were a lot stronger than others. Overall though, I enjoyed this read and loved diving into this tale of loneliness, food, crime, and womanhood.

A cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case - this book should have held me in it's thrall but sadly I found it very slow and the translations were clunky. Based on a true story, the killer, Manako Kajii, is in the Tokyo Detention Centre awaiting her fate and refusing to speak to the press. Fascinated by food and supposedly seducing men with her cooking Kajii's interest in sparked when journalist Rika asks her for a recipe. Rika at this point has little interest in food but she finds herself reeled in by Kajii much in the same way as the victims were.
Having lived and worked in Japan many of the references in this book were familiar to me and I've enjoyed many other works by Japanese authors. However I didn't warm to Rika and was disconnected from the other characters. From the tag lines I was expecting more of a thriller but the book was packed with a lot of introspection and philosophical thinking. I found the strong anti feminism and negative body vibes extremely alarming - a very western viewpoint, I know, but this book is being read in the west too.
Rather than drawing me in the constant grand descriptions of food became less sensual and rather cloying, a case of less would have been more for me.
In short I enjoyed the cultural references, but the book was overly long and drawn out and I finished it with a sense of relief.
With thanks to Netgalley and 4th Estate for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

This absolutely wasn't what I expected - this is all about Rika, her sense of self, her relationships... the so-called serial killer is a feature of her self-discovery, as she finds out what is important to her, what she wants from her life, work and relationships - and her discovery of food, including butter (this definitely whetted my literal appetites - I do need to eat some rice with butter and soy sauce!).
It's also an interesting view of Japanese culture too - of gender roles and expectations.

Absolutely loved this! What an enticing pair of characters: an accused murderer and accomplished home cook who reportedly seduced with food, and the journalist charged with reporting her story who has never even baked a cake! Touching on topics such as Japanese society’s perception of the ideal female body, culinary arts, seduction, and all the while revealing the truth one prison visit at a time - a truly brilliant read.

Butter had a vociferous appetite and provided the goods to satisfy any reader craving a complex culinary delight of a book.

This is such a stunning book. The prose is excellent and totally captivating, with the descriptions of food stimulating your every sense. It is about the preparation of food and the love that represents, as well as the various emotions we might associate with a certain meal or type of food. However, this is also very much a story about appetites in a wider sense, sometimes spilling over into obsession and indulgence There is a wonderful exploration of desires and being able to pursue your own until you are fulfilled. This is particuarly highlighted in Japanese culture with Yuzuki depicting on page the societal attitudes towards women, their expected roles and their desires, though it rings true within a wider context as well. It is startling, surprising and such a spectacular read.

The way Rika is shamed for eating, for gaining the slightest bit of weight but also for wanting more from her life. It forces this dichotomy of work or family, not allowing for any nuance within this conversation. It is also so aesthetics driven, with an intriguing throughline about appearances and male appetites. I thought it was a fascinating and different take on the male gaze, focused through a specific cultural understanding. It was difficult to read at times and also explores complicity within the patriarchal system from women, upholding these outdated stereotypes and assumptions. There are some subtle methods through which this is challenged and that final scene filled my heart with hope, like the most delicious and comforting meal. Rika’s trajectory over the course of the book is brilliant to witness and ran very close to home for me.

Butter was delectable reading, whetting my appetite for a character focused and deeply fascinating story that combines murder, patriarchy, appetites and finding a path to who you are.

Butter, by Asako Yuzuki, takes as its basis, a macabre true story, a female serial killer. This is not simply a straightforward crime novel - it takes time to delve into the psyche of its characters, Kaji the killer and Rika, the investigative journalist tasked with finding out if the story is true.

There are some wonderful descriptions of food here - it plays heavily in the story - and the story ticks along at a fair pace. It was engrossing, chilling and mouth-watering all at once! A unique combination.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Manako Kajii is a convicted serial killer. She’d seduced three men by cooking them gourmet food and then killed them off, one by one. Or did she? There is a degree of ambiguity surrounding the circumstances of each death. Perhaps she’s just been unlucky and the deaths were actually caused by suicide, accident or misadventure? A retrial is scheduled and it’s the talk of Tokyo. Manako is remaining tight lipped and is refusing visitors, but one woman - journalist Rika Machida - is determined to speak to her, to wheedle out Manako’s account of events.

Inspired by a real case, that of a 34 year old woman labelled The Konatsu Killer, this story is part murder mystery, part cookery book. Manako is portrayed as a somewhat portly woman (something highly unusual and also, it seems, socially unacceptable in Japan), someone who is unrepentantly fond of eating lavishly prepared dishes. So in order to ingratiate herself to Manako, or at least pique her interest, Rika starts to correspond with her on the subject of food. Eventually, she manages to get permission to visit her in prison and a relationship of sorts is developed.

There are other characters close to Rika here too, but really it's this central relationship between the journalist and the convicted killer that’s at the heart of the story. In the course of the weeks that follow Rika’s interest in cooking - and eating - accelerates to the point that she too begins to gain weight. Several people comment on this, none positively. There is a good deal of detail here on food preparation, cooking and the experience of eating the painstakingly assembled dishes. In truth, I began to find this all a little monotonous. But what did interest me was the associated impacts of these events on Rika’s life: the way she was perceived by and treated by others around her.

There are features of Japanese culture covered here that I was hitherto blind to, or at least somewhat dismissive of. These include what seems to be institutional misogyny in the workplace and a work ethic that is collectivist, in the sense that each worker forms ‘a family’ with their colleagues and anything less than total commitment to the cause is deemed to demonstrate of a lack of loyalty. Manners matter a great deal and adherence to unwritten standards of behaviour are paramount. I found this to be an absolute education. I liked some elements and wished we employed more of these in my own country, but others I found to be strange and disturbingly controlling.

In the end, I thought the story rather petered out, without coming to a definitive or rounded ending. The lessons learned by Rika, and to a lesser extent some of her friends, being the only real points of focus. I think the book could have done with some serious editing (less on the food) and also more rounded summary of how things played out at its conclusion. That said, there’s a certain quality to the writing and in particular the way in which characters are developed and portrayed that I found engaging. Overall, it’s a three star rating for me.