A Rich and Unsettling Feast
When I first picked up Butter, I expected a culinary-infused crime novel—the seductive scent of beef stew and a dash of suspense, maybe a serving of true crime intrigue. What I got was far more layered: a dense, emotionally complex story about womanhood, loneliness, and the strange comfort of butter.
Plot Summary
The novel follows Rika Machida, a young Tokyo journalist, as she attempts to interview Manako Kajii—a woman suspected of murdering three middle-aged men after allegedly seducing them with lavish homemade meals. Kajii refuses media contact, until Rika sends an unusual request: the recipe for her famed beef stew. Thus begins a slow-burning exchange of letters, meetings, and introspections that stretch far beyond the walls of the detention centre and into Rika’s own psyche.
“She was tired of living her life thinking constantly about how she appeared to others, checking her answers against everyone else’s.”
But Butter isn’t a whodunit. It uses the murder case more as a framing device for a deeper inquiry into societal norms and personal transformation. As Rika’s relationship with Kajii evolves, so too does her understanding of herself, her body, and the world she’s been quietly suffering in.
Themes
Themes- Misogyny and Fatphobia: Yuzuki tackles these head-on, sometimes uncomfortably so. The scrutiny of Kajii’s body and the assumptions made about it serve as a harsh lens through which Japanese society’s treatment of women is exposed.
- Food as Power and Care: Culinary imagery is used to explore nurture, seduction, and rebellion. Food becomes a metaphor for control, memory, and even forgiveness.
- Loneliness and Female Relationships: The book delicately maps the ways women interact—with envy, resentment, admiration, or support. Kajii and Rika’s relationship is dysfunctional yet revealing.
- Identity and Self-Acceptance: This is ultimately Rika’s journey. Through her work, her relationships, and her cooking, she carves out a version of herself that resists societal expectations.
“In principle, all women should give themselves permission to demand good treatment, but the world made doing so profoundly difficult”
What Worked
- Character Depth: Every major player, from Rika and Kajii to Rika’s colleagues and family, is textured and believable. Their flaws aren’t apologised for, which makes their growth all the more satisfying.
- Sensory Writing: The food descriptions are lush and mouth-watering. Butter isn’t just a title—it’s a symbol of indulgence, simplicity, and emotional weight.
- Social Commentary: This novel doesn’t just ask questions—it shoves them into your lap and waits for your response.
- Ending: Rika’s final dinner party felt like a full-circle moment. By surrounding herself with people who had witnessed her metamorphosis, she rejected loneliness and embraced community.
What Didn’t
What Didn’t- Pacing: The story often meanders. The book felt 100 pages too long, and there were stretches where I struggled to stay engaged.
- Murder Plot Misdirection: Anyone expecting a thriller may be disappointed. The crimes remain hazy background noise, with the true spotlight on Rika’s inner transformation.
- Repetitiveness: The fatphobia and internalised misogyny are necessary topics but sometimes felt over-emphasised without new insight.
- Character Disappearances: Several side characters drop off with little resolution. Intentional or not, this made parts feel disjointed.
Who Might Enjoy This
This isn’t a book for the impatient reader. But if you savour character-driven novels with sharp feminist critique, nuanced social commentary, and the kind of prose that makes you ravenous (literally—I craved butter constantly), then this will be a feast worth the slow simmer.
Conclusion
Butter is not easy to digest, but it’s nourishing in ways that matter. It’s about finding softness in a hard world, learning how to care for yourself when society won’t, and understanding that hunger—for food, for meaning, for intimacy—can reveal more than we realise. While its pace and density might challenge some, its emotional richness and thematic bite left a lasting taste. And yes, I did watch true crime documentaries and eat toast slathered in too much butter after finishing it. No regrets.
Thank you to Exclusive Books for the opportunity to read this book.
