Butter

A Novel of Food and Murder

De: Asako Yuzuki

Narrado por: Hanako Footman

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 simply cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine.

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.

©2024 Asako Yuzuki (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

enjoyable, subtly feminist, read

amazing performance, it was so nice to listen to. the story is a slow burn for sure, with mild highs and lows, but it is consistent in its overall trajectory. there’s really not much about ‘murder’ as the book states but more so about self discovery and reflection.

Tale of female oppression and how indulgence is a form of liberation

The pacing at the end at times felt slow but i also took an edible before listening LOL. Loved the concept and the ending.

Interesting look at societal pressure in Japan

Not sure what to make of this book. The first part is a sharp and interesting look at Japanese work culture and gender relations. The second part kind of drifts into a saccharine feel good story reminiscent of the Goonies where a group of misfits crowning achievement is cooking a turkey without getting food poisoning.

Rice with butter and soy is a taste revelation!

This book is worth every minute of your listening, not only about the interesting case in question and the maddening and complex Manako Kaji, but I love the self revelation that Rika explores, and how she becomes a strong and confident woman. Her relationships change and develop deeper meaning for both her and her circle of friends.
The toast she makes at the turkey dinner could have been summed up with “Thsnks to Manako Kaji opening a curiosity in me about food, it has also helped me find all of you!”.

Story with Depth

The story brought me to a lot of reflection. I am a big foodie so I lived hearing about all the dishes and how the author blended it so well into what makes life

The universally complex interstice between males and females

The voice of this author was unique in describing the mundane ,and also the unusual connections between people and their awakening to themselves and their relationship to the many aspects of their personal contentment.

Interesting ideas but too much like a cooking blog

The book tackled many interesting subjects and touched on a lot of societal issues. I really liked that about the story. For me personally the lengthy food descriptions took away the fun. A lot of times I felt like was reading a cooking blog. I think if the story would be less descriptive and would focus on the characters and the main happenings, it would be a much easier and enjoyable read.

Captivating with Butter

It was interesting that the main character was so captivated with the flavors of her food. This was particularly so with butter. There’s a sensuous feel eating something any of us love to eat. I get this with a juicy steak which is enhanced with butter. I enjoyed listening to Butter. I listened to it in small bites to savor the story which I like to do with food. Slow and savor.

The way food is described is delectable

I’m someone who find going through elaborate descriptions in books tedious, HOWEVER, the way food, cooking and eating are described in this book are sensational.

It didn’t make me hungry or crave food but vividly materialised how it would feel. The way food is talked about not like an art but the artist strikes me as ingenious.

The mystery of the murders were interesting to a point but the way this book manoeuvres the motions of the human emotion spectrum is well paced and relatable.

Excellent listen, especially enjoyed the way Japanese words were pronounced.

A Beautiful & Sensuous Telling

In prose like poetry, Yuzuki explores the feminine mystique in a story as sensual as French cuisine. The sometimes brutal (public shaming on social media), sometimes nuanced (concern” expressed by “friends”), external forces and catastrophic internal influences (ruminating, second-guessing) that shape women’s thoughts and behaviors are picked here like Rika’s scab. An extraordinary literary accomplishment!