Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who 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 masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
"What the public found most alarming, even more than Kajii's lack of beauty, was the fact that she was not thin. Women appeared to find this aspect of the case profoundly disturbing, while in men it elicited an extraordinary display of hatred and vitriol."
Butter is an esoteric, absorbing story that sinks its teeth into our collective hidden curiosities about death and darkness and exposes them for all to see through the words of a killer. Our narrator also takes devilish pleasure in exposing the deep misogyny that still holds roots in society and how dangerous female rage can become when it’s pushed to breaking point. It becomes even more peculiar when we find this is inspired by a true case of crime in Japan.
The narration was slow, deliberate, although at times it felt the story didn’t need to be as long as it eas - we walked through daily life with Rika as she worked and met her friends, and the odd relationship she develops with Manako as she await trial in prison with thoughtful and leisurely storytelling and quietly letting the strange, obsessive intrigue sneak into the storytelling and a suffocating atmosphere as Rika’s thoughts and desires are consumed by desires and questions.
With the most intricate, indulgent, almost sexual depictions of food that really gets into the pleasures it brings and significance it can provide especially in some cultures, as well as the complicated relationship internal sexism and standards can warp our relationships with food. At times it was a little gratuitous, almost uncomfortable with the length and detail in these sections. And the somewhat oppressive body standards voiced by some of the characters were definitely made to sting - and reflect the standards forced upon women constantly by showing the sheer rage and hatred society has towards women they deem fat or ugly. Now there were some jarring sections about imposing old gender roles, but I liked the way they were approached treating femininity as a different power, not a lesser one.
A subversive and striking tale about desire and obsession, weird but such a wonderful way.
⭐⭐⭐
- Butter is available from 29th February from 4th Estate. I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for a review.
- This title contains subjects that may upset readers including illness, dementia, death and body shaming.
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