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.

Butter is a book about hunger - hunger for food, friendship, love, acceptance and connection. It is also a book about seeking recognition and gender equality.
The creation and consumption of food is a key theme of this book, which is representative of far more than just cooking and eating. Food is a means of engagement, manipulation and coercion. The serial murders which the central character is accused of committing are almost secondary to this key theme.
The characters are unique, interesting, diverse and sometimes disturbing.
This was an enjoyable read, but a little slow and drawn out at times. Thanks to 4th Estate, the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and 4th Estate for the ARC. Loosely based on a true story this is a translation of a Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook/serial killer and the female journalist trying to get to the truth of the allegations and the story behind them. On the whole I enjoyed the story, although I felt it was over-long and the story and writing could have been tightened up and cut down without losing anything of the pace, narrative and character development. Not as hard-hitting or critical of misogyny and patriarchy as I was hoping/expecting, this is still an interesting portrayal of the pressure, particularly for women, to look and behave a certain way and achieve exhausting standards of appearance and career progression. Possibly the most developed and lovingly portrayed character in the novel was food itself - the descriptions will make you ravenous!

Given the subject matter of a female serial killer I was a little hesitant as it isn’t a topic that I feel comfortable reading. However I must say that I am glad I have read this book. The food descriptions are really interesting. The characters are too. It seemed quite something that Rika the journalist, paid so much attention to what Kajii (woman accused of killing three men) told her to do. Such as eating a certain dish after having sex (in the early morning).

Journalist on a weekly creates national sensation by interviewing an alleged female serial killer in jail ... she breaks through the killer's reserve (or so she thinks) and is influenced herself by Kanji's seductive culinary methods. The journalist's life changes are what intrigues x the author, along with detailed explorations of food preparation... the cultist aspect of food, eating it, and assembling to do so for a Japanese woman gives book an intriguing ambiance throughout. I was drawn into focusing on recipes too .. sometimes for first time .. maybe I even picked up some ideas too from mythical (fictional) Madame who is guru for so many women in this novel. Curious novel, but you are dragged along in direction you didn't expect .. not really a murder mystery, then, more about fulfillment as Japanese woman.

Rika and Reiko have been friends since university. Rika is now a journalist on a weekly magazine and Reiko has given up her job to concentrate on starting a family with her husband.
Rika wants to interview Manako Kajii, a woman who is currently in the detention centre having been convicted on killing three men. She is not the typical Tokyo woman as she is fatter than the standard skinny female.
Having found a way to get to see her, Riko is led on a series of experiences, all food based and suggested by Kajii. Over the course of the weeks, Rika puts on weight but starts to accept herself and feel comfortable in her skin.
The book is more about relationships and learning to love yourself and the value of friendship.
It was very interesting.

Being honest, I picked this up purely for the cover. It looks weird, I love Japan and the bloody fingertips intrigued me so much. Whilst this wasn't anything like I thought it would be, it was a fantastic read. I thought it would be more focused on Manako and the murders. However, it's definitely much more a story of Rika and her finding her calling in life. It's emotional, funny and overall a wonderful read. A word of warning, I would make sure you have some butter in the house before reading this. I have never craved butter so much in my life! The way Asako Yuzuki talks about food is so breath-taking.

Savour This Carefully…
Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre having been convicted of the killings of several men. She is labelled a serial killer. She is also a startlingly good chef. It is alleged that she seduced all of the men that were killed with her incredible culinary skills. Kajii refuses to talk - until one particularly astute journalist makes contact with her and asks for a recipe. Inspired by an incredible true story, this intriguing slow burn and deliciously crafted tale is at once immersive and disturbing whilst delving deep into the depths of female relationships, obsession and the human psyche. Savour this carefully,

I ultimately found the concept of Butter much more engaging than the end result - some books can be hard to get into, but i initially found this absorbing before gradually finding it more and more of a struggle to pick up. It’s a really interesting principle - the female journalist having to prove herself and act like a man, before becoming ?obsessed? with the convicted killer and developing a love of food. The passages describing the food are rich and sensuous, but the story they hang on wasn’t as much fun as I initially wanted it to be - less killer, and more the nature of female relationships in modern Japan. Which could be interesting, but just wasn’t working for me in the end. My own fault I feel - an author hasn’t failed for not giving me what I want! I did wonder if the translation was perhaps an issue as the dialogue didn’t ring true and kept taking me out of the narrative.

I should start by saying I'm biased because I love a translated novel, I love Japanese literature, and 'true crime' is my thing. All of that means that 'Butter' bodes well, right? Right. This is a novel that's inspired by real events. Kajii, the serial killer is someone who sweeps up protagonist, Rika, and what is most interesting is the way in which Japanese women are portrayed as totally opposed to everything Japanese culture expects of them. Excellent. There is a sense of transformation, of Rika, as she, OK, *obsesses* over Kajii and her wrong-doings. BUT, it's not a quick read, this novel, it requires concentration, and sometimes some back-tracking of the reading process. I'm always unsure whose work translated novels are, and I wonder how much the translation changed or affected the original text. I'll never know. What I do know is that there are some delicious twists, and it's worth the journey. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy.

Yuzuki has come up with a very original subject for her novel "Butter" , The butter of the title turns out to have a strangely mesmerising role on those introduced to it by the book's main character, Kaji. Even Rika, the reporter assigned to write an article on how/if Kaji murdered three people, is drawn into her thrall and ends up besottedly cooking Kaji's recipes in which butter is the "magic" ingredient.

Perhaps the book could be shorter, but then there must be a risk this could prevent the reader being drawn in to the peculiarly addictive quality food. plays in the story. and indeed of the role food plays in Japanese society. How it can effect everything from conversation to personal relationships and sex. This influence is a recurring theme and through the medium of cooking we also gain an intriguing insight into the potential power it allows a woman to exert in an otherwise male-dominated Japanese society.

There is no spoiler here as to whether Kaji did in fact murder three people. But the determined and tortuous route taken by Rika, throughout her investigation, makes for a complex and thought provoking novel - albeit slower paced than the norm.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year! After hearing the synopsis and how we follow a protagonist who is both simultaneously a gourmet chef and serial killer, I thought I WOULD ADORE this!

I unfortunately only got 30% of the way through before deciding to dnf it. Although I feel as if I would like it more if I had stuck it out, the first half was so incredibly dense. I know my girl is a gourmet chef but she LOVES talking about food and for me, it unfortunately didn't work. If you're interested in reading Butter, I would recommend checking it out (if you don't like heavy descriptions on food) but unfortunately this time, it wasn't for me.

4⭐️

Happy publication day to „Butter“!

This was such a wonderful and weird book that I sometimes loved and sometimes hated and I can see why people would give this 5 or 1 stars and anything in between. But I‘m getting ahead of myself.

My entire being is predisposed to loving this book. When you give me food and a female killer and it‘s set in Japan?! I‘m all over that.

Gorumand Manako Kajii is in prison for murdering several men and refuses to speak with the press. Rika Machida is a journalist and contacts Kajii asking her about bœf bourguignon. What follows is an exchange about food, but also about life, misogyny and obsession.

Essentially, it‘s a book about Japan‘s society and traditions.

What a wild book that will certainly stay with me for a while. Truth be told the first 1/3 was a bit mid and I was kind of wondering if I‘ve made the wrong choice here, but the plot‘s so slow and it‘s really interesting to me that the main focus isn‘t really the plot or even the characters, it truly is about society as a whole. And „Butter“ kind of spits in society‘s face.

It‘s incredibly fascinating how most characters weren‘t very likeable. Rika seems to have no personality and Manako is such a weird character. But despite that they‘re both incredibly fascinating in their own way.

The prose is very lyrical and sometimes incredibly convoluted and I wonder if it‘s partly because it‘s translated. Some expressions seemed a bit odd to me and like 1:1 translations from Japanese which sometimes doesn‘t work in English. But its aim is perhaps to keep it as authentic as possible. Dunno. Would love to compare it to the original.

But honestly… What a fun, weird, slow and fascinating book. Like I said, I’m sure there are many people who despise it, but overall I really enjoyed it because it left such an impression on me. Plus I now have a list of culinary tips and recepies I want to try.

—

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy reading Japanese fiction (translated of course) and I was intrigued when I read the blurb for Butter. Particularly that is it was inspired by ‘The Konkatsu Killer’ who I confess I had not heard off until reading the book. The first thing I have to say is do not get deceived by the title and front cover. This is not a quick and easy read but rather like a good meal is something to be savoured. The novel is thought provoking and offers a deep insight into Japanese culture and the culinary arts.

The heart of the novel focuses on the relationship between women and ultimately female liberation. While Kaji is of course murderess Yuzuki goes a great way to explain or offer an exploration of what made her the way she is. Rika by contrast we see on her journey of ‘coming out of her shell’ as her friendship grows with Kaji. The characters, while not all likeable are incredibly well put together and realistic.

The writing is interesting and kept me captivated. In a way this was almost like a cook book with the detail and inspired meals. It is most definitely a unique read and one that some cultural aspects might be lost on a Western reader if they are not familiar with Japanese culture but I do not believe this creates too much of a barrier since you can enjoy the story as is. I have already ordered a physical copy and will definitely be re-reading in the future. It’s a beauty story about female friendship (arguably manipulation) and overcoming misogyny.

This story explores a developing relationship between journalist Rika and alleged serial killer Manako, a self-confessed foodie purported to have seduced several men and then killed them. Rika has been granted an interview and has regular meetings with Manako at her prison and, as a result, starts reassessing her own relationship with food. The descriptions of food and food preparation in the early part of the book slow down the narrative but are, at the same time, an essential part of the story, though it does make it feel at times like reading the preamble to a Nigella recipe many times over. To be fair, there are also aspects which feel a bit odd to readers like me who are unfamiliar with Japanese cultural expectations - for example, the idea that a 59kg woman of average height is overweight and has “let herself go”. I found the book to be interesting rather than riveting but it did make me more curious about Japanese attitudes towards femininity and food.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Butter by Asako Yuzuk about Kajii, a female gourmet cook and serial killer and Rika the only female journalist in the weekly magazine where she works, intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.



Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a fictional crime and food novel based on real events in Japan in the same way that a number of movies are based on historical events, so if you want to find the reel story look up the "The Konkatsu Killer".

However if you are looking for a novel that examines Japanese culture and in particular feminism, in the country with its relationship with food set in the background of an investigative journalist story then Butter is for you.

The main character in the novel is Rika, a 30 something female journalist who is trying to succeed in a work culture that is entirely geared towards men, in fact she is the only female journalist in the weekly magazine where she works.

In fact when women get married or have children they generally have to move departments, for a better work life balance, in addition her long standing friend has left the prestigious job in PR for another company as she wants to have children.

While the novel is a crime novel which on its own would make an interesting story as it shows Rika both interviewing Kajii and how the two main characters interact which is really well explored throughout.

In addition, with the story mainly being told through Rika’s eyes you see how the interaction between the two of them has an effect on Rika as she begins to explore the western food that Kagii used to cook.

This as a reader felt the most interesting part of the novel as it allowed Asako Yuzuki to use this crime novel to examine the western food through the eyes of another culture.

All in all Butter was an enjoyable read for any one interested in both novels set around journalists or set in japan.

A cult classic in Japan a book that combines Japenese culture with a serial murder.So well written multi layered characters that are really well formed.Intense a book that requires thoughtful reading.Such an interesting read .#netgalley #4thestate

Dark, original, fascinating. A book that I thoroughly enjoyed and kept me reading. A twisty and surprising plot, well rounded characters, plensy of surprises
The author is a talented storyteller and I liked the style of writing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

My sole experience of Japanese literary fiction is Yoko Ogawa’s “The Memory Police” (2019), admittedly a good one as I rated it five stars. I thought that might start off a surge of reading Japanese novels in translation but that hasn’t happened until now with this book, which was a best-seller in the author’s homeland when published in 2017 and here available in a translation by Polly Barton.
Rika Machida, a journalist, becomes fascinated by the case of convicted female serial killer Manako Kajii who dispatched three men she had relationships with over a six month period and attempts to befriend her to get her to agree to an interview at the Detention Centre where she is incarcerated. Kajii is a devotee of fine food and Rika discovers the way to get her talking is to pursue similar experiences of food and report these back to her. This leads to a cholesterol-drenched, sensual tale which probably wouldn’t win that many fans amongst vegans but which I found really quite appealing.
It really only works within its Japanese framework. A movie/tv adaptation which relocates this to the US or UK would just seem strange and implausible as alongside all the food and the rights and wrongs of Kajii’s case is the Japanese view towards women and the social pressures for people to ensure that they are not overweight and always making an effort with their appearance.
It is overlong and tends to go over the same points as characters analyse one another’s behaviour and anyone expecting a Japanese “Silence Of The Lambs” will be disappointed but as a tale of society’s expectations, of manipulation and of loneliness it is really very effective. And the food! Asako Yuzuki really goes to town with getting the smells and tastes of all this gastronomy across, even when I wasn’t sure what the foods being mentioned, prepared or eaten actually were, my mouth was often watering. Manako Kajii’s enthusiasm for the best quality butter denied her in prison has an impact on all the other characters, physically, certainly in Rika’s case, but emotionally for all. There are elements of mystery regarding the conviction and one character does stretch plausibility with her actions but tied up within the Japanese perspectives this doesn’t grate too much.
This was another very good experience of Japanese fiction for me suggesting this is a literary culture I would do well to explore further.
“Butter” is published in the UK on February 29th 2024 by 4th Estate. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

This is a story based on a real-life serial killer in Japan. I have to say that the translation is really good and very immersive! However, the story in itself is way too long. The chapters are like 30min long with a lot of details and descriptions that I found unnecessary. This book could have been half of the length. I was very tempted to DNF but I wanted to know what was going to happen at the end and I wasn't pleased with it, to be honest. I can't say I fully enjoyed this book but I was pleased to read a lot about topics such as misogyny, women's expectations in society, beauty standards and body image in Japan.