Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder
Ratings26
Average rating3.8
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer, and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in the Tokyo Detention House convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, whom she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination, but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew, and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a master class in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii, but it seems that Rika might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body. Do she and Kajii have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of a convicted con woman and serial killer—the “Konkatsu Killer”—Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance, and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
Tags
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
This book was everything ‘I didn't' expect it to be and nothing I did expect. I liked a lot of how it was more or less like social and psychological commentary of not just the Japanese society but also most other cultures and societies.
But it wasn't why I picked up the book and that's perhaps why it was kind of a let down? It also could've been a tad shorter for some bits felt quite unnecessarily slow. I did really appreciate the explorations of our relationship with food, however.
Contains spoilers
Why, when her desire was the most natural thing, was she not brave enough to look it in the eye?
phenomenal characters; the women particularly felt refreshingly whole & distinct, despite the novel exploring their similarities. the in-depth characters made the relationships so much more satisfying--rika's growing obsession with kaiji, only interrupted by her life-long love for reiko, rika's banal romantic relationship with makoto, her grief regarding her dad and her mom... incredibly beautiful & well-written.
More like 3.75, I loved the writing but this book should have been about 100 pages shorter.
Riko is trying to score the biggest interview of her career with convicted killer Manako Kajii- a food blogger who is in jail for murdering her older, rich boyfriends. Riko is trying to be successful in a world in which women cannot get the highest office AND have a family. Women must conform to most of society's standards, and they must be thin. Manako opens Riko's eyes to another way of being, but one that landed Manako in prison.
I loved Yuzuki's writing. I loved the small details she picked up on and I loved learning about contemporary life in Tokyo. I didn't mind the descriptions of food and specific dishes.
What I didn't love is the sheer length of this book. We didn't need Reiko's side quest when she goes all Nancy Drew. I super didn't care about Riko's friends with benefits situation with Makoto. The novel even seems to run out of steam explaining the appeal trial.
There was mad sexual attraction between Riko and Reiko that was never addressed.
I loved the ending and the ideas behind the ending.
Just don't do into this with an expectation of Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham story. I am a little guilty of that.
