Butter (novel)
| Author | Asako Yuzuki |
|---|---|
| Original title | バター |
| Translator | Polly Barton |
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Literary |
| Publisher | Shinchosha (Japan), Fourth Estate (UK), Ecco (US) |
Publication date | 2017 (Japan), February 2024 (UK & US) |
| Publication place | Japan |
| Media type | Print, eBook |
| Awards | Waterstones Book of the Year (2024) |
Butter (Japanese: バター, Batā) is a 2017 Japanese novel by Asako Yuzuki. The story, inspired by a real-life serial murder case in Japan, follows a Tokyo journalist who starts interviewing a woman accused of tricking and possibly killing men by seducing them with her cooking. Originally published by Shinchosha in 2017, Butter was nominated for the Naoki Prize that year. An English translation by Polly Barton was published in 2024 (Fourth Estate in the UK and Ecco in the US). It was Yuzuki's first work translated to English. It became a bestseller and the Waterstones Book of the Year in 2024. It sold over 280,000 copies in England.[1]
Plot
[edit]Rika Machida, a young reporter at a weekly magazine, wants to write a big story about Manako Kajii, a woman in her 30s held in Tokyo for the murder of three middle-aged men. Kajii, a skilled home cook, is said to have seducd her victims with fancy meals, which shocked. Although many reporters try to speak with her, Kajii refuses all interviews. On a friend's suggestion, Rika writes to Kajii asking for the recipe of her famous beef stew, the last meal the victims ate, with a hope to a get a positive response for an interview.
Reception
[edit]The English translation of Butter received strong commercial and critical attention in the United Kingdom. Released in February 2024, the novel sold over 280,000 copies in the U.K., exceeding its original sales in Japan. It was selected as the Waterstones Book of the Year 2024, chosen from a shortlist curated by staff from the retailer's approximately 300 locations. The translation by Polly Barton, which uses British English, has been marked as a factor that helped the book to be welcomed by the English-speakers.[2]
In a review for The Guardian, Josh Weeks called the novel “sharp and sometimes thrilling,” praising how it explores the social stigma of obesity, eating, and the complex link between food and trauma. He also noted that Butter gives a strong critique of the unrealistic beauty standards for women in Japan.[citation needed] The Times described Butter as a rich and unusual blend of murder mystery and food writing.[3] The Chicago Review of Books praised Butter as “compelling and intensely readable,” especially for how it unites a murder mystery with a “love letter to fine dining”.[4] The book was also featured and reviewed on the BBC talk show Between the Covers, hosted by Sara Cox.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "FEATURE: Yuzuki's "Butter" achieves success abroad as feminist novel". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ^ "Japanese novels take British book scene by storm". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ^ Hackett, Laura (2024-02-18). "Butter by Asako Yuzuki review — don't eat her beef stew". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ^ Praseed, Malavika (2024-04-25). "Food, Patriarchy, and Murder in Asako Yuzuki's "Butter"". Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ^ "BBC Two - Between the Covers, Series 8, Episode 4". BBC. Retrieved 2025-03-31.