Blurb:
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.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.
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. 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 masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the 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.
My Review:
I picked up “Butter” by Asako Yuzuki in a bookstore because the cover intrigued me, and I guess I had been seeing people post about it. But, I never read reviews, nor did I read the blurb when I bought it.
So, I dived straight into reading this book, not even sure if “Butter” meant the butter as we know it or something else. And I would say, I was not disappointed.
The story starts with food, and it ends with food. Needless to say, the book is filled with detailed recipes and extraordinary presentation of the dishes, the cooking process, and even the tiniest ingredients. I am not a foodie, plus I am vegetarian, but the way the author has used descriptions — from stunning visuals to various aromas to brilliant textures — you can’t stop but fall in love with food. (PS: I wasn’t grossed out by the non-vegetarian description of eggs, turkey, beef, etc., which is a great feat of the author.)
Apart from food, the story touches upon various themes: feminism, patriarchy, body shaming, slut shaming, gender roles in relationships and parenting, the role of community and friends in one’s life, etc. Women’s idea of self-worth is the most important theme of all. Each topic is introduced with a flurry of opinions by various characters.
The characters are so well-developed that you can’t despise any, no matter how much you are against what they are saying. Good or bad, you understand their perspectives and where they are coming from and can empathize with them. Every opinion is so tastefully presented, that for once you want to listen to the other side.
Women-writing-women is something I absolutely love. And the author has done a wonderful job with the characters of this book. An interesting aspect of the characters is the use of very similar names. For example: Rika Machida and Reiko Sayama; Manako Kajii and Makoto. It can be confusing in places, but you get a hang of it.
The book is not a murder mystery as one might imagine from the blurb. It is an insight into the minds of some people from Japan (and can just as well be from any other country). The ultimate message of the book, according to me, is that as humans we are very quick to judge others. How people perform or don’t perform their duties, how they look, and how they behave, are all areas where we judge others. When we stop judging ohers and step in their shoes for a while, we learn more about them and maybe understand why they are the way they are. We might end up learning a few new things from them and also things you absolutely don’t want to do like them. Making it a perfectly win-win situation.
The book sets a perfect ideal of how community and friendships should be. While every romantic relationship in this book is far from perfect, each one is unique and fulfilling in its own way and provides growth to each character involved.
“Butter” by Asako Yuzuki is a must-read for EVERYONE! Men and women, foodies and eating-for-survival types, cooks and can’t-boil-water types…