From the Publisher
"[Asako] Yuzuki takes a thrilling look into female relationships, revealing the complex nature of modern-day social conventions pertaining to a woman’s appearance and her place in the home, and enriching the proceedings with mouthwatering descriptions of food. Like the meals Yuzuki describes, this leaves the reader satiated." — Publishers Weekly
“The novel cleverly intertwines paeans to the pleasures of eating with indictments of Japan’s standards for women.”
— New Yorker
“The lure of Butter is the lure of butter: rich, salty and unctuous. . . . Butter is both an exploration of the life of an unusual femme fatale and a subtle polemic against the impossible beauty standards to which women are held.”
— Washington Post
"Asako Yuzuki has turned [Butter] into not just a fascinating psychological puzzle but also a damning indictment of Japanese misogyny and fatphobia." — New York Times
"An unputdownable, breathtakingly original novel about true crime, loneliness, and female appetite in all its tricky, transgressive glory. I will be spoon-feeding Butter to every woman I know." — Erin Kelly, author of The Skeleton Key
"A delectable meditation on appetite, fatphobia and misogyny in modern Japan – Butter is a salty morsel with one hell of a bite." — Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller
"An intriguing and unusual novel with a fresh perspective [that] defies categorization: part psychological exploration of misogyny and fatphobia, part social commentary on contemporary Japan and the roles and expectations of the women who live there." — Library Journal Advance Reviews
"Ambitious and unsettling … a thought-provoking and surprisingly feelgood take on friendship, transgressive pleasures, and society’s impossibly contradictory expectations of women." — Guardian
"Exuberant, indulgent romp of a novel … Butter is a full-fat, Michelin-starred treat that moves seamlessly between an Angry Young Woman narrative and an engrossing detective drama and back again. Yuzuki has crafted an almost Dickensian cast of fleshy characters, with just as many surprise connections … Let this book bring you under its spell." — The Times (UK)
"It'll make your mouth water." — Irish Independent
Shosetsu Shincho
An indubitable masterpiece.”
Library Journal
03/01/2024
Journalist Rika Machida works for a weekly magazine in Tokyo. Her life is centered around work, with little time for outside enjoyment or friends. To further her career, Rika is determined to get an interview with elusive convicted woman serial killer Manako Kajii, a former gourmet chef currently incarcerated in Tokyo Detention Center. After several unsuccessful attempts to converse with Kajii, Rika takes the advice of her friend Reiko (who shares Kajii's interest in cooking) and gains access after asking Kajii for a recipe. As Rika and Kajii start talking regularly, Rika begins to better appreciate food and develop cooking skills herself. Time goes on, and Kajii's subtle manipulations of Rika become more overt, taking a toll on Rika's mental health. Will Rika be able to regain her sense of self? Can she objectively write the article on Kajii that will make her career? And is Kajii guilty of the crimes of which she's been convicted? VERDICT An intriguing and unusual novel with a fresh perspective, this 2017 best seller (Yuzuki's first to be translated into English) defies categorization: part psychological exploration of misogyny and fatphobia, part social commentary on contemporary Japan and the roles and expectations of the women who live there.—Katy Duperry
FEBRUARY 2025 - AudioFile
Hanako Footman's authentic accent and nuanced delivery provide an immersive portrayal of Rika Machida, a Japanese journalist. Rika is investigating the case of Manako Kajii, a gourmet cook who is imprisoned for seducing older men with her culinary skills before allegedly killing them. Footman's measured pace and light intonation add intrigue as Rika becomes increasingly consumed by Kajii's world, drifting away from her best friend, Reiko. The almost-breathless quality in Footman's voice pulls listeners into the mystery as Rika draws closer to the unsettling truths behind her fascination with Kajii, making for a rich listening experience. Inspired by real events, BUTTER is a mystery that intertwines the sensual pleasures of food with its deeper philosophical significance, and is a sharp reflection on gender roles and societal expectations of women in Japan. M.F. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine
