A little bookish photo dump (while I recover from A Little Life)🤍 . . . . #photodump #bookstagram #bookaesthetic #bookishphotodump #alittlelife #hanyayanagihara #birdsofafeather #piranesi #butterasakoyuzuki #virginiawoolf #classi #classicliterature #penguinclassics #newbooks #bookishupdate #currentlyreading
These are some of the books I’d hopefully like to read in June! 📚 #bookstagram #books #tbrlist #theserpentandthewingsofnight #binding13 #butterasakoyuzuki #lightlarkalexaster #theministryoftime #reading #booksbooksbooks
💌 *Review* 💌 Book: Butter 🧈 Author: Asako Yuzuki Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 Pages : 464 Butter explored the complicated relationship between a convicted serial killer and a journalist, between a woman and her desires, a woman and societal norms, a woman and good food, and a woman and her choices. On the whole, Butter explores the Japanese society in its various layers and nuances, in the critical way they look at women who are successful, in the lustful and proprietary way they deal with women who work under them, and the misogynistic way they look at women at home who cook and clean after them. They have always been highly critical of women, every aspect of them scrutinised and assessed and scored on a checklist. The book contained a lot of mouth watering and detailed descriptions of the various culinary experiences in Japan and also explored the importance of weight gain in females and the regard it held in the eyes of the Japanese society. For people who have struggled with weight and the burden it carries on the world ( both literally and figuratively) it can be a bit triggering. The book targets the expectations the misogynist society have on women and their outlook on the ideal woman being someone who is ‘domestic ’ and homely and who cooks and takes care of the males like a mother. Ambitious woman are shunned for their aspirations and are heavily criticised for their lack of desire to be a homemaker and child-rearer. The author tackles the heavy subjects with some beautiful descriptions of food and it makes you want to take the next flight and explore the various culinary experiences Japan has to offer. On the whole, the warm smell of butter and cooked rice, along with the tangy scent of herbs and spices will envelop you as you you cruise through the book along with jabs in your heart with the hard-hitting subjects tackled in the book.
2024 - Book 18 3.5 🌟 #butterasakoyuzuki Two things are certain: I’m going to try Echiré butter and I’m making boeuf bourguignon. This book is quite intriguing - it’s about (female) friendship, trauma, self-discovery and acceptance in spite of cultural norms, misogyny and what is viewed as acceptable by the Japanese society. It’s slow paced and contemplative. And it is based on the true crime story of The Konkatsu Killer. The murderous Manako Kajii is fascinating. It’s a good story with lots of symbolism that offers an interesting insight into the Japanese culture. #butterbook #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzuki #2024reads #2024books #goodreads #bookstagram
BOOK REVIEW Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a Japanese bestseller at 452 pages, inspired from a true story, that poses as a thriller but ends up being a lot more. Rika, our protagonist, a journalist tries to find out who the woman actually is who is accused of murdering three businessmen by luring them by her cooking skills while meeting them through online dating apps. While doing so, she takes a fall along the depths of psychological tumult that Kajii, the accused, subjects on her. At the end we realise how Kajii operates and to what extent her appeal lies for her victims. This was yet another bookstagram recommendation that I was excited about and I realised early on this isn't what I thought it was. I am not aware of a few regional aspects and cultural aspects that happened in Japan during the time period mentioned so I will take it as is mentioned in the book. The book is far more than a thriller, a crime fiction or a murder mystery. The book is a lot about how the society is and what asks it has of you. More often than not whenever feminism is mentioned people align it with what you wear, what you eat, what job you do, what rights you want but feminism lies deeper. This book takes those insecurities hurled at feminism and dissects them to a point where you start questing yourself what you align yourself with. I started reading this book at the start of May and went through some work related shifts and sickness. The sheer amount of time it took to finish it I think made me think a lot more than I should about this book. Don't go by my reading speed, this book is actually fast paced. I am unclear whether I like this one, but I absolutely like how this book has made me think, question, and be disgusted. Coming back to the story, yes there are some amazing cooking references that will probably make a cooking enthusiast jump and try those. I am not one but it made me hungry. This book made me hungry. I can't rate it anymore than 3 but I know I may pick this book and read it again. #bookreview #bookstagram #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzukibutter #readersofinsta
Currently reading: Butter by Asako Yuzuki I'm nearly halfway there. It's delightfully written in some parts with raw human understanding of the convoluted human emotions and ideas. I am not sure about the turn the story will take in the second half and a little more, but I have this intuition that something bad might happen... Or maybe something bad has already happened, and it is to be revealed later... I really want to read a draft of a piece by Rika on her conversations with Kaji... Alternative cover made using @canva #bookstagramindia #bookstagram #books #booklovers #butter #asakoyuzuki #japan #japanesefiction #journalism #currentlyreading #butterasakoyuzuki #canvaart #canva
Some of my latest book purchases 💛 My kindle is kinda taking over my life rn I’m reading so many little romance books and I’m into it. I just finished Swift and saddled, and Powerless (neither silly nor little) 🫶🏼 BUT I’ve seen so much of Butter on my feed I’m sooooo intrigued! I’m about 30 pages in now and I need to rice rice soya sauce and cold butter (if you know you know) 🤭 ——————————— #butter #kindleunlimited #romancebooks #kindlereads #calluswhatwecarry #amandagorman #poetry #booksta #bookstagram #fyp #powerlesslaurenroberts #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoYuzuki #romantasybooks #enemiestolovers #crime #romance #fantasy
This week has been really quite something! But I have been absolutely loving Butter by Asako Yuzuki! This is a variation on a theme for my love of Japanese Murder mysteries, we know whodunnit from the first page... or do we?! The translation by Polly Barton is brilliant, she's clearly a talented wordsmith and it is extremely compelling. It does make me a bit hungry, particularly the description of a West Christmas Cake. #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzuki #murdermystery #butterbook #pollybarton #japanesemurdermystery #japanesefiction #whodunnit #fiction #newfiction #reading #beachread #beachtrip #lovereading #lovebooks #currentlyreading #currentread #bookrecommendations #bookreview
Butter by Asako Yuzuki This was an intense, somewhat confusing read. I can see why it's an international best seller. It was really interesting to get insight (small may it be) of the Japanese judicial system, I really appreciated that it was based off an actual murderer Kanade Kijima who was sentenced to death in 2012 for the murder of 3 men in Tokyo region. It was really intense to see the boarderline obsession that Kaji inspires in main character Rika as she tries to investigate what happened and if Kaji is innocent. It's definitely worth the read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #booklover #bookreview #bookstagramreviews #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #crimebooks #butterasakoyuzuki #butterbook #japaneseauthor #books
🌈 Rainbow Stack! 🌈 🌈 Hi everyone! Uni is finally finished, so I can get back to reading! I let this account die for pretty much all of April, but I’m back and will definitely be posting more and more now 😆 🌈 Trying to make this stack definitely proved that I don’t buy books with bright colours often 😭 but I had so much fun making it! I’d love to see your versions, so give me a tag if you make one!! 🥰 🌈 I’ve tagged some accounts I adore, go check them out 💕 #books #bookstagram #booksta #scifibooks #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #booktok #reading #bookstack #bookstacks #tenderistheflesh #agustinabazterrica #turtlesallthewaydown #johngreen #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #perdidostreetstation #chinamieville #ascension #nicholasbinge #boyparts #elizaclark
Got my hands on ‘Butter’ by Asako Yuzuki Taking it out for a day of work and coffee, with my trusty scrunchie bookmark in tow. This book promises the perfect blend of two of my favorite things — food and gore. 🩸 So excited. #Butter #bookwormlife #allthebooks #butterasakoyuzuki #bestseller #bookcommunity
#drawingprompt #drawing #drawingpractice #tombowdualbrushpens #tombowdualbrush #doglover #ilovedogs #furkids #pitbullmix #minischnauzer #miniatureschnauzer #sleepingdog #dogsleeping #stayingclose #stayclose #closetoyou #sisterhood #sisters #staytogether #comfortable #chair #sofa #comfortablechair #comfortablesofa #reading #booktime #bookworm #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzuki
BUTTER - A Novel of Food and Murder - Asako Yuzuki Translated by Polly Barton Genre - Japanese Literature, Mystery 4/5 When I saw ‘Food’ and ‘Murder’ in the same sentence, I was hooked. I have a soft spot for descriptions of yummy food, and a cozy murder mystery can make my toes tingle. But what was missing in the title, and which the book was dripping with, was feminism. The idea of this book has been heavily drawn from the real-life case of the “Konkatsu Killer”, in which a con woman and talented home cook called Kanae Kijima was convicted of murdering three of her elderly male lovers. She was the target of relentless body shaming during her trial. Yuzuki has narrated the story from the point of view of a journalist who interviews her in prison and who ultimately gets the short end of the stick. It has often been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and Kajii has managed to grab the attention of lonely elderly men. A good home-cooked meal at the end of the day with some company could be the balm to anyone’s soul. But when this attention is withdrawn, it could have bad repercussions. Rika manages to snag an interview in jail with Kajii against all odds and realizes she has fallen under her spell, replicating all of Kejiis suggestions and baring her soul. There starts Rika’s journey of soul-searching, examining her relationship with her parents, her love for food, and the misogynistic community we live in. The book touches on some sore subjects like fatphobia, older men grooming school children, women watching their weight to look like students, and misogyny. I found it interesting to watch how the strong relationship between food and happiness is pinpointed. Though I felt the book could have been shorter, I savored every moment of it. It’s filled with mouthwatering recipes, especially those made with authentic butter, which left me craving. As I turned the last page, I wore a satiated smile, yet my belly rumbled with hunger. It’s a must-read to grasp Japanese modern culture and beliefs, and how loneliness can drive one to extreme actions. #qotd Which book made you feel very hungry reading it?
This is the books I got on my trip to Paris! 🥰 It was a really nice trip and I’m really excited about these books! The bookstore I got them in was Shakespeare and Company, which is a really cozy and amazing English book store in Paris! If any of you ever go to Paris, I highly recommend it! The store is like 60 years old or something and it has a lot of different genres☺️ both used and new books! I haven’t been interacting with all that many of you the last couple of days, so I’ll try and catch up with everyone’s post’s ❤️ but I did manage to get sick 🤧 on this trip so maybe I will continue to not be very active a little while more😮💨 #bookstagram #books #booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #paris #shakespeareandcompanyparis #bookhaul #butterasakoyuzuki #acraneamongwolves #junehur #thesecrethistory #donnatartt #autonomous #annaleenewitz #newbooks #france
"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦: 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦." The votes are in, we're reading Butter by Asako Yuzuki in May 🧈 This book is just over 400 pages, a bit longer than our usual. Make sure to pick it up soon and get a head start ;) #bookclub #geelongbookclub #geelongreaders #geelongbookishsociety #geelongclubs #hotgirlbooks #literaryfiction #butterasakoyuzuki
I don’t tend to buy books because of social media hype, but I really couldn’t ignore a book with a cover as eye-catching as this. The iridescent bloody finger marks remind me of my all time favourite cover, the 2015 Picador Classic cover of American Psycho which is completely white except the small text, and more importantly, a bloody thumbprint in the bottom right corner. I can’t seem to find who designed it? Any help @4thestatebooks ? Update! We have an answer: @emmapidsley !! It’s a chunky novel, and I am not known for reading long books, but I’m up to chapter three and I love it so far! It begins reasonably slow in the sense that we are not launched into an immediate murder mystery or a gruesome tableau, but it is the perfect pace for easing the reader into the main social themes of the novel. It is a thoroughly engaging start because of this mundanity. Already I am intrigued by the themes it is setting up about the double standards of nutrition/body weight and the misogyny of blaming women for the plight of lonely single men. I am also so desperate for a bowl of freshly cooked rice with a sliver of butter and a drop of soy sauce… the cooking scenes in this book have only just begun but they are mouthwatering. Anyone read this? What other books make your mouth water? 🧈 #bookstagram #bookreview #bookish #bookworm #butterasakoyuzuki #currentlyreading #literaryfiction
✨APRIL WRAPUP✨ My one aim was to focus on my ARCs for April and I think I did pretty well! Out of the 17 books I read this month, 8 were physical ARCs, 2 digital ARCs. Tops reads included: ✨A faint cold fear - Karin Slaughter - cause they always give me the most shocking and thrilling ride ✨Powerful *- Lauren Roberts - this novella gave me all the feels ✨Butter* - Asako Yuzuki - a book has never made me more hungry wrapped in a slow mystery ✨Wrath of the Talon - Sophie Kim - dark revengeful and what a twist ✨Crimson Moth* - Kristen Ciccarelli - witchy, enemies to lovers that just worked * #gifted by @Harpercollinsnz 🏷️ How do you like to see wrap ups? One sentence thoughts? Star rating, random thoughts etc #aprilwrapup #butterasakoyuzuki #laurenroberts #igreads #igbooks #nzbooks #nzbookstagrammer #bookstagramnz #nzbookcommunity #auskiwibooksta #kiwisread #bookstagram #instabooks #bookcommunity #booksbooksbooks #fantasybooks #fantasyreader #bookrecs #bookreivew #bookreviewer
Manako Kajii, a convicted serial killer (lured rich, lonely men in with her cooking before killing them), does not engage with the press until Rika, a journalist obsessed with Manako Kaji’s case, writes to her requesting a recipe for a beef stew. The 2 women meet at the prison and Rika is fascinated with this strange woman, who first berates Rika for confusing beef stew with beef bourguignon, then exclaims the 2 things she cannot stand are feminists and margarine. Manako Kajii gives Rika several eating assignments before granting her an interview. ✨“The butter should still be cold. Remove it from the fridge just before. Superior-quality butter should be eaten when it’s still cold and hard, to truly luxuriate in its texture and aroma. It will begin to melt almost immediately with the heat of the rice, but I want you to eat it before it melts fully. Cool butter and warm rice. First of all, savor the difference in their temperatures. Then, the two will melt alongside one another, mingle together, and form a golden fountain, right there inside your mouth. Even without seeing it, you just know that it’s golden— that’s the way it tastes. You’ll sense the individual grains of rice coated in butter and aromatic fragrance as if the rice were being fried will ascend to your nose. A rich, milky sweetness will spread itself across your tongue.” Apparently this book is based on a true story of “The Konkatsu Killer”. I liked reading it: interesting commentary on feminism, good passages about food, and a fun way to read about Japan/Japanese culture. This book was long, the story intertwined and went on for a while and I went back and forth on deciding whether I liked that about it or not. On one hand it felt like the plot could have been condensed and a lot of it might have been filler but on the other hand I liked the side quests and how detailed our characters’ thoughts were, how long it took us to get to the conclusion of multiple stories and how ultimately they were all connected. Perhaps use this as a backup book, one you read a chapter of every now and then when you’re in the mood for a slow cooked beef bourguignon: little prep, low heat, many hours.
Welcoming May with a sunny yellow bookstack. #bookstagramuk #bookstack #yellowbookstack #mayday #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #lovelyday #asakoyuzuki #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #japanesefiction #yellowstack
🧈Book Review🧈 🍸Butter by Asako Yuzuki 🍸🌟🌟🌟.5 /5 🍸This was a very different read for me. I havent read anything like this at all. The premise is so peculiar and gripping. I dived into it thinking that this is mystery thriller where we already know who the killer is and there would be a crazy journalist fighting for the truth. But no! This is so much more about food, a lot of food, Japanese culture, female friendships, family, love, loneliness.. the driving force behind everything that happens in this book. 🍸The book begins with Rika Machida visiting her best friend Reiko’s place where Kajii’s case has been the sensation of the town and off late due to the upcoming re-trial, Rika has been given the task of getting an exclusive interview of Kajii. Rika has no clue how to approach Manako since Manako doesnt entertain any journalists. When Rika mentions food in her letter to Kajii asking for a recipe that things take a turn and Rika gets an oppurtunity to meet this much celebrated convicted prisoner. The entire nation is captured by this Kajimana fever.Rika is one female employee in her office who works late, has no time to cook, and lives off packaged products. But when she starts visiting Kajii in prison, gradually she learns a snee aspect of her personality that was dormant- cooking. So much so that, Rika starts gaining weight due to which her boyfriend starts commenting on her weight gain. This book is again so much more than a serial killer’s, its about what a women wants. When Rika indulges herself as per demand of Kajii, she also discovers that women should have independence in deciding every aspect of their lives without anyone judging them. 🍸You have to read it to understand what is behind all the fiasco. Butter is inspired by the true story of one of Japan’s most notorious serial killers, Kanae Kijima. She was convicted in 2012 for the murder of three lovers. Food being one of the most important ingredients in this novel, it will appeal all the foodies, lovers of mystery-whodunnit- thriller, with a very intense backdrop on relationships and love which is mostly lacking in all the characters’ lives.
📖 Butter by Asako Yuzuki 5/5⭐ Described as a novel about food and murder based on a true crime story, I knew immediately, Butter was going to be a book I would devour. On starting the book I expected a fast paced Japanese true-crime style thriller with some food thrown in but what I got was a meandering lustrous story about hunger. Hunger for food, for knowledge, for connections and above all for acceptance. While yes Butter is all about the food, it is also about so much more than just the food and it is this intricate folding of tantalising food descriptions with pervading commentary on women's weight and beauty standards in Japan which had me hooked. Yuzuki’s skill of blending such contrasting topics enables the reader to challenge their own thinking without feeling too much confrontation. Asako also beautifully depicts many intricacies of Japanese daily living, customs and culture that it’s easy to sink into Rika’s surrounding world. Yuzuki also shines a mirror on people’s relationships with food, and even their lack thereof, examining connections to childhood, trauma and even individuals’ character and level of self-acceptance, posing many deeper questions. Is food a stand in for pleasure and fulfilment or a representation of it? A masterpiece in contrast, it somehow felt warmingly comforting, yet clawingly putrid at times. I didn’t so much devour Butter, but indulgently nibbled away and savoured its many layers. Think more of a sumptuous 10 course tasting menu that is hard to forget rather than a punchy 2 course early bird and you’re close. 'What's wrong with coating barren, flavorless reality in oodles of melted butter and seasoning it with condiments and spices.' 🧈🧈🧈🧈🧈 On a side note when typing up my review I found the four different covers which are in the second slide and love how different they all feel. I definitely feel covers 2 and 3 portray the book in its essence and also would be the ones I would immediately jump to pick up. Which cover is more appealing to you? (Poll below)
Lazy, sunny, Sunday afternoons are meant for sitting on the balcony with a sock on my needles and a good book, until I've soaked up enough relaxation to face the impending doom that is Monday. Or until the sun is so bright that I can't wear my reading glasses glasses outside anymore, at which point Sunday afternoons are meant for naps (with previously mentioned good book). I picked up Butter yesterday during our Independent Bookstore Day tour, although I've had my eye on it since I started reading early reviews, and I hope it lives up to the hype. Everyone seems to love it so far. I do love a good murder mystery, and I've really enjoyed some mystery/thrillers translated from Japanese (every mystery fan should read Keigo Higashino), so I'm curious if this will be more mystery, or litfic with a little mystery thrown in to propel the plot. #currentlyreading, #butterasakoyuzuki, #bookwormsofinstagram, #readoutside, #newrelease, #japanesefiction, #translatedfiction
Current read was 100% a cover purchase but can you blame me? 🐄🧈 #guilty #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #book #booklover #bookcover #coverlove #japanesetranslatedfiction #bookstagrammer #currentlyreading #currentread
Questi recuperi mensili non deludono! 🐉Dragonfall di L.R. Lam (edito @gribaudo_editore ) Un fantasy, dove i draghi possono prendere sembianze umane; dove un tempo erano venerati come dei. Ma si sa, l’uomo vuole sempre di più. Ed Everen, l’ultimo drago maschio, è il prescelto. Colui che salverà la specie dall’estinzione. 🍚Butter di Asako Yuzuki (edito @harpercollinsit ) È un romanzo ispirato ad un vero caso di cronaca giapponese. Misoginia, ossessione e piacere trasgressivo del cibo sono i punti chiave di questa storia. Asako Yuzuki ci mostra un lato del Giappone dove le donne devono sempre compiacere gli uomini. Ho già iniziato “Dragonfall” e promette bene. A queste prossime letture!🍚🐉📚 #book #bookstragram #nuoveuscite #nuoveuscitelibri #libridaleggere #libri2024 #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #dragonfall #dragonfalllrlam #fantasy #fantasybooks #librifantasy #librifantasyitalia #gribaudoeditore #harpercollinseditore
⭐️⭐️ Butter by Asako Yuzuki tells the story of a journalist named Rika who wants the story of Manako Kajii, a woman housed at the Tokyo Dentention Center convicted on three murders. She attains a visit under the guise of wanting to discuss food, Kajii’s expertise as a previous food blogger. The relationship between them turns into an a different experience, described as an “atmospheric Japanese noir thriller” as it is based on the real life case of the “Konkatsu Killer”, where con woman Kanae Kijima was convicted of killing three of her lovers after seducing them with her apt culinary skills and subsequently poisoning them. This book felt like a combination of Silence of the Lambs and meets Julie and Julia, as an unassuming journalist interviews a masterful alleged killer, and also under her influence goes on a journey of confections and delicatessens. It has such luxurious descriptions of food that I haven’t found in another book! It will definitely make you hungry (not going to lie I based some of my meals on the cravings that arose from reading this). I myself love to cook and don’t really see it as a chore as some people do, this book expanded upon this, saying that nurturing yourself combined with the instant gratification of flavor and the joy food illicits is one of the best human experiences. Eating should be indulging this sense, not merely surviving, if we are lucky. The name of the novel itself indicates the omnipresent ingredient in recipes throughout the book and symbolizes something that most of us use every day, and sometimes substitute because we think of it as a bad substance, but within that complacency and fear ignore the luxury behind enjoying it. It mixes the gastronomic with our fascination with those who kill for personal gain. It also highlights women’s beauty standards as well as fatphobia and how even the acts of women eating, deriving pleasure from food, or gaining weight can be bastardized from an innocuous human experience. It’s a fascinating combination! I rated it how I did because it was slow moving for me personally, but I could see others really enjoying it. Thank you to @netgalley and @eccobooks for the eARC!!
book no. 10 of 2024 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Butter by Asako Yuzuki trans. Polly Barton felt like a tasty antidote to all the Japanese books I’ve previously read and hated for their misogyny and whimsical romanticising of issues such as bad mental health and suicide. In contrast, Butter is a razor sharp, hilarious and mouthwatering novel about feminism, female friendship, diet culture and delicious food. The novel follows a young, overworked and underfed journalist named Rika who inadvertently gets a major scoop when the chef and alleged murderer Manako Kajii, (accused of seducing businessmen with her cooking before murdering them) agrees to see her after Rika requests her recipe for boeuf bourguignon. Through a series of interviews between the two women Yuzuki explores the complexities of feminism and female identity in Japan and celebrates the joys of cooking and sharing a delicious meal. I’m a real sucker for good food writing and Butter is some of the best! 🍱🍳🥞🍝🍿🍛🥟🍜🥘🫕
REVIEW: Butter by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton. 🧈 Butter is a slow-paced novel told from the perspective of Rika, a journalist who is looking to get an exclusive interview from a convicted serial killer of lonely business men. In order to get the interview, journalist Rika finds herself being manipulated into living as killer Manako Kajii would: indulging in gourmet foods and warped ideas on a woman’s role in society; getting to know the difference between margarine and butter. This novel explores the insatiable hunger of connection and the overbearing societal pressures that often obstruct it. Loneliness guides this plot in lots of ways, and most of the characters are fuelled by their desire to avoid it. Kajii herself was isolated from a young age due to her maturing at a quicker pace than her peers and as a child finds connection where she never should have, with lonely old men. The novel explores misogyny within Japanese society and the expectations placed on women within their culture to be the sponges of the family, forever polite, pretty and underweight. There is a harsh narrative surrounding weight within the novel, one of the main aspects of Kajii’s case that the world finds so interesting is not that she killed the men in the first place, but how could these men have been seduced by a woman so “ugly.” *The comments on weight could be triggering so please bear that in mind if this is something you were looking to pick up.* Butter is quite intricate and the characters are what kept it so intriguing, despite them not all being completely likeable. There is a huge focus on food in the novel but in the end food was represented as something to connect with people, as a habit that should be communal, but also as something you should be willing to share with yourself. Overall this book was really open ended. Kajii is an unreliable narrator on her own life and in the end you never really know if she killed those men or whether the domestication of her worshippers was ultimately what led to their demise. An interesting read, one I would recommend picking up for discussion. 🩸🩸🩸 #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #fiction #4thestatebooks #review
Looking for a new mind-altering and highly gripping crime novel? Then help yourself to some of this buttery goodness! #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzuki #crimebooks #crime #crime #waterstones #bookstore #bookshop
Current read: Butter by Asako Yuzuki 🧈 I’m really enjoying this new read so far, it’s quite slow paced but the characters have piqued my interest and I’m super excited to see where it goes. Have you picked up Butter yet? 🧈🧈🧈 #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #butterbook #booklover #bookworm #books #newfiction #fiction #fictionbooks #fictionwriter #newbook #booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookblogger #bookblog #bookblogging #blog #bookgram #book
✨Book Review✨ Butter - Asako Yuzuki Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “There are two things I simply can’t tolerate: feminists and margarine.” Thanks to this book, I’m now craving butter like crazy and planning to indulge in some high-quality butter on steamed rice with soy sauce and maybe a fried egg on top. The author’s vivid descriptions of food make me feel like I’m right there with the main character, savoring every bite. While the book follows a journalist investigating a serial killer, it goes deeper, exploring themes of gender inequality, fidelity, female friendship, and womanhood in Japan. The killer, Kajii, embodies internalized misogyny, nurtured by her environment and family. Her infamous line about feminists and margarine reveals her disdain for women, shaped by a lack of love and acceptance. Female friendship emerges as a crucial contrast to Kajii’s solitary existence. Rika’s bond with her friend saves her from Kajii’s manipulative tendencies. The book also confronts body image issues, highlighting societal pressures in Japan. Kajii’s defiance against beauty norms inspires Rika to embrace herself fully, rejecting society’s expectations. Ultimately, the novel challenges societal perceptions of women and the pressures they face. Thank you @putrifariza and @times.reads for the book 💛 #bookstagram #bookstagrammalaysia #bookreview #bookworm #booklover #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #translatedfiction #japanesebooks #butterasakoyuzuki #bookclub
I attended a book club for the first time and it was really fun! The last time I’ve discussed a book with a group of people was back in school with half them not wanting to be there, so definitely not the same thing! Butter by Asako Yuzuki wasn’t the book I’d imagined it to be. From the way it was marketed I’d assumed it would follow the structure of a thriller. I kept waiting for it to get sinister but each time the tension felt like it was reaching its climax, it would pull back again and I was left at the end not feeling fully satisfied. I wonder whether or not this was intentional. Many of us in the group wanted to try out the simplistic soy sauce and butter noodles described in the book with one member having done so! The rest of the food described was very gluttonous and made me feel a bit ill. Instead of a murder mystery book, it read as a commentary on Japanese society exploring the expectations on weight and beauty standards, working conditions and gender roles. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend. Next month’s book is Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson #bookstagram #bookreview #newtobookstagram #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #japanesefiction #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #hagstone #hagstonesineadgleeson #sineadgleeson #bookclub #readingcircle #thrillerbooks #japan #crochetflower #instabook #instabookstagram #instabookclub #bookcritic #bookcritique #bookshop #bookgram #bookreader #bookaesthetic
NEW BOOK MAIL ✨ I don't even know where to start here. SEND HELP. Have you read any of these!? ✨ Mongrel by Hanako Footman ✨ Dead Animals by Phoebe Stuckes ✨ Butter by Asako Yuzuki ✨ The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft ✨ My Friends by Hisham Matar ✨ How I won the Nobel Prize by Julius Taranto ✨ Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan #caledonianroad #andrewohagan #mongrel #butterasakoyuzuki #howiwonthenobelprize #myfriendsbook #bookmail #2024books #2024bookreleases #bookstagrammer
Four from this week’s best seller list. I can’t read everything, but lots of other people think they are good. @wisewordsbookshop #mymoree #independentbookshop #bestsellers #topten #peterdutton #thepaintersdaughters #prophetsong #butterasakoyuzuki
About half way through Butter, can’t wait to start this next Lisa Jewell! I’m listening to Butter as an audiobook, it’s very good so far but hasn’t gripped me amazingly yet. I have high hopes and it’s been strongly talked up on Bookstagram so I remain hopeful 🧈🌼 #bookstagram #audiobook #butterasakoyuzuki
Book Review ✨ Butter - Asako Yuzuki Butter will leave you hungry….. This book will definitely appeal to the foodies out there, the descriptive nature of food and ingredients is written beautiful even though sometimes it was a little repetitive. In regards to the thriller aspect of the book I was hoping it would be a bit darker and more detail around it. I feel the food component took up a lot of space in the book and it could have been a bit shorter. In saying that I love food so I was on a culinary journey with a side of murder. Would love to hear your thoughts on the book if you have read it? Thank you @harpercollinsnz for the #gifted copy.
hope everyone has had a wonderful week! I was not well most of this week 🤧 so a bit of a slower one for me! (r)eading📚 I am still making my way through Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison atm. As I’ve been unwell I’ve not had much motivation to read unfortunately but hoping to get back into the swing of things this week 💪 (e)ating🍴 I had a yummy pizza today with my partner as it is our 5 year anniversary this coming week! (p)laying🎵 A lot of Hozier, Too Sweet is obvs popular on TikTok and here for that one whiskey line but it is a v good song (imo) outside of that too 🤣 (o)bsessing🫶 over trying to find an outfit for the eras tour when I go in May 😅 being a slightly larger girl it is hard to find ‘cute’ outfits but hoping to find something soon! (r)ecommending✨ a Nintendo Switch if you don’t have one! I’ve had one since 2019 and LOVE it. Takes me back to my DS days lol (t)reating🍭 myself to this copy of Butter 🧈 @bobinsbooknook kindly gifted me a £10 voucher and so put it to good use on this bad boy 🐄 Any upcoming plans for the week?
#currentlyreading #butterasakoyuzuki #japaneseliterature #sunday #bookstagram #books
I’m going in.. I’m going to see what all the hype is about… #asakoyuzuki #butterasakoyuzuki
this book is a bad influence #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #ramen #instantramen #asakoyuzuki #butterpollybarton #gratuitousdepictionsoffood
🧈🐄✨ happy wednesday and a #currentread ✨🐄🧈 happy wednesday bookish people. how are you doing on this fine wednesday. honestly, i’m tired, which is really weird because of the longer weekend easter weekend. it also hasn’t really felt very springy around here, it’s been quite grey and rainy (hence the Picts for this post), so in all honesty that really hasn’t been helping out too much but eh, the weather here is never predictable so we just keep going. meh part of the week aside, i started the week off with 🧈 butter by asako yuzuki. obviously this one isn’t really new to bookstagram but with a cover like that how could it be??? i’m still quite early in the book but i’m already salivating into the prose. i’ve been reading quite melancholic books lately so it’s good to have a change of pace for a little while. what are you reading at the moment??? are you enjoying it? if you’ve read this one, what did you think? i’ve been hearing mixed opinions so i’m curious. 👀 #literature #literaryfiction #bookstagram #bookphotography #igbooks #bookstagrammer # #bookstoread #booktag #fortheloveofbooks #bookpics #bookpictures #booksbooksbooks #bookphotos #femaleauthors #femalewriters #womeninliterature #translatedfiction #butterasakoyuzuki #japanesefiction
Little things that made me happy ~ Friday 29 March 2024 Good Friday by name, Good Friday by nature. New book, Colomba di Pasqua (basically Easter pannetone) for breakfast, Easter egg for lunch and homemade chicken and pesto pizza for tea. Now for the Drag Race UK vs the World finale. #littlethingsthatmademehappy #thingsthatmademehappy #thingsthatmakemehappy #happy #happythings #smallbutgoodthings #romanticiseyourlife #itsthelittlethings #dailyhappiness #goodfriday #easteregg #tonyschocolonely #tonyschocolonelyeasteregg #colombadipasqua #butterasakoyuzuki
Well this was supposed to be a year of “no buying books”. But it just so happened that I had an unused Waterstones gift card lying in my box of precious. Yes, it had been lying there for more than a year. It lied there every time I made a visit to any Waterstones stores. So, in a panic filled midnight I made a choice of welcoming these three delicious looking beauties into my bookshelf. 1. A ClockWork Orange , Restored Edition, Penguin Modern Classics 2. Butter, Asako Yuzuki 3. The ABC Murders, Harper Collins, Hardcover #waterstones #bookhaul #butterasakoyuzuki #theabcmurders #aclockworkorange
✨My current reads✨ I don’t think I’ve ever read one single book at a time - I always have to have another (or others!) to read at the same time. At least if I fancy reading a certain genre I have a few options already! Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? #currentreads #currentlyreading #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #books #booklover #bookaddict #booknerd #butter #asakoyuzuki #butterasakoyuzuki #thewall #johnlanchester #mynameislucybarton #elizabethstrout #yellow #green #red #white
TBR: Butter by Asako Yuzuki Translated by Polly Barton I’m excited to finally have this book in my possession after patiently waiting for it. I’m looking forward to diving into it and hope that it will prove to be worth the wait. Happy Friday!
Thank you so much, HarperCollins, for sending me a copy of Butter. Translated fiction has become one of my favourite genres and serial killer chef who seduces her victims with her food sounds brilliant. #HarperCollins #ButterAsakoYuzuki #BookMail #PRBookMail #Bookstagram #Bookish #BookClub
Book review: Butter by Asako Yuzuki ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Someone said that this book is like Julie & Julia if Julia was a murderer and I can see where they are coming from. Although I found it a bit hard to get into initially, the main thing I enjoyed reading about was the Japanese culture, cooking and even something as simple as going to a Japanese supermarket. The descriptions of the food were unique and so mouth-watering, I found myself hungry throughout and particularly craving butter! Each character’s journey was interesting to follow and it felt like they all developed in such unexpected ways from where they started as the mystery unravelled. If you liked these books, give it a try (and vice versa): ✨Julie & Julia by Julie Powell ✨Death of a Book Seller by Alice Slater ✨Penance by Eliza Clark ✨An American Marriage by Tayari Jones ✨Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ✨The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
✨C U R R E N T R E A D ✨ If there’s mystery, cooking, and Japanese lit all in one place, you know I’ll get it! I’m so excited to have my hands on a copy of this book! 🧈 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, Asako Yuzuki Butter is a story inspired by 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗮𝘁𝘀𝘂 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 that follows Rika Machida, over-working journalist with very little cooking skills, and Manako Kajii, gourmet cook and serial killer, who is serving time at the Tokyo Detention Center, and refuses to talk to the press. Until Rika sends her a letter asking about a recipe for a beef stew. This is all i can tell you as I’m only 13% in myself and i don’t know much more at this point 😅 I’m really curious about how this case unfolds, and i want to learn about the real case but i feel like that would spoil it for me, so all i gotta do is read it, and fast! Considering I love a good crime documentary, I’m surprised my collection doesn’t have more mystery/thriller/crime titles, but hopefully this title is the first of many more of those genres! 🍚 Do you read crime books? #bookishpost #asakoyuzuki
Looking for a gripping read that delves into complex relationships and societal pressures? Lead Us Not is an emotionally charged novel exploring the unseen tensions and desires shaping a friendship. Meanwhile, Butter by Asako Yuzuki offers a vivid and unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, and romance, inspired by the real case of the ‘Konkatsu Killer’ in Japan. Both books dive deep into the intricacies of human behavior and societal norms and provide a compelling read! #newreleasebooks #fictionbooks #newreleasefiction #books #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookhighlight #bookstagram #dymocks #butterasakoyuzuki #leadusnotabbeylay
Exciting news!!!! Butter is in store now! 🧈 🧈 🧈 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. We’re so excited to sink our teeth in! #butterasakoyuzuki #butter #asakoyuzuki #bettylovesbooks #independentbookstore #newcastlensw #diversereads #japanesefiction
It's World Book Day so I bought a book...and chocolate😆📚🍫 I'm intrigued by this book about a Japanese female serial killer who is also a gourmet chef!!! #worldbookday #lovebooks #booksandchocolate #butterasakoyuzuki #readabook #hotelchocolat #lovereading
📚FEBRUARY📚READS 📚 Take a look at our collective February reads that have kept us occupied during this short and busy month! Of course, our BOTM for February was the heartfelt PEOPLE CHANGE which we had the pleasure of discussing with Sara Jafari and so many of you for our first book club of 2024! Andddd we’re gearing up for our March event with debut novelist Ela Lee where we will be discussing all things JADED. The event is now sold out but there may be a few tickets added so keep an eye out 👀 Have you spotted any books that are on your to-read pile? Are there any that you’ve read already or any that we should be reading?! Let us know! 👇👇📚📚 #thecandidbookclub #februaryreads #februarybooks #peoplechange #sarajafari #saleemhaddad #guapa #europaeditions #jadedelalee #vintagebooks #butterasakoyuzuki #asakoyuzuki #4thestatebooks #comeandgetit #kileyreid #bloomsburypublishing #kirstycapes #inmymothersfootsteps #monahajjarhalaby #lessonsinchemistry #bonniegarmus #allmymothers #joannaglen #thesecretdiaryofanarrangedmarriage #julia1984 #juliasandranewman #bookishfeatures #bookstagram #bookreviewers #bookcommunity
✨Currently reading ✨Butter by Asako Yuzuki Butter, 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. What sold me was my bookstore describing it as: “Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.” One benefit of living in the UK is the early (in this instance) publishing dates compared to the US 🤪 #butter #butterasakoyuzuki #translatedfiction #translatedliterature #asakoyuzukibutter #asakoyuzuki #books #bookish #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #newreads #recentlypublished #leapday