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kcarri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you Fourth Estate and NetGalley for the early review copy ahead of its publication on February 29th in return for a fair and honest review.
TL;DR: interesting toxic relationships all around in a book that's far too long for its own good.
Butter is whole load of things. It's a crime novel, a feminist expose, a feast of food writing, and an emotional journey of grief, connection, and the pitfalls of society.
Butter is, also, good - but not brilliant.
It follows Rika as she secures an illusive interview with the suspected serial killer and fraudster, Kajii months before the criminal is due to go on re-trail. From there, the story plays out as conversations between the two as well as the spiraling chaos that consumes Rika as she falls more and more under Kajii's spell.
Characters in this book do the heavy lifting. Rika's internal monologue in engrossing, genuinely making you feel as if you're descending down this spiral with her. While Kajii's way of speech is so captivating that it drags you into her delusions just as it enchants Rika in the same way. Watching their relationship play out, supporting each other, destroying each other, is so enthralling to flick thorough and this is largely owed to the fabulous translation of this work.
It is impeccably written, managing to create the most engrossing first hundred pages that I have ever read in my entire life. It explores its politics of patriarchy and the expectations society places on women with such clarity while still rich metaphors and texture which is so impressive. If there's one thing you cannot fault, it is how much of amazing job Polly Barton did in translating it. That alone sees it through to the end for me.
But, the book is plotted very strangely, seeming to end far earlier than it does, and then using the remaining pages to answer questions I didn't really feel I needed to know the answer for. And in that filler, I found myself growing tired of this narrative. If it had been skimmed down to 200-300 at the most pages, then ultimately you'd get a much more tighter experience that hammers in its themes and narrative.
That for me is what stops me absolutely adoring this book. While the good are fantastically good, the whole book seems over bloated and frankly dull in sections. That doesn't mean I didn't have a good time with it - and if Japanese feminist literature with a true crime edge is at all your thing, then please give Butter a try, it's worth it - but on the whole, I've left feeling worn by it in a way I didn't expect.
TL;DR: interesting toxic relationships all around in a book that's far too long for its own good.
Butter is whole load of things. It's a crime novel, a feminist expose, a feast of food writing, and an emotional journey of grief, connection, and the pitfalls of society.
Butter is, also, good - but not brilliant.
It follows Rika as she secures an illusive interview with the suspected serial killer and fraudster, Kajii months before the criminal is due to go on re-trail. From there, the story plays out as conversations between the two as well as the spiraling chaos that consumes Rika as she falls more and more under Kajii's spell.
Characters in this book do the heavy lifting. Rika's internal monologue in engrossing, genuinely making you feel as if you're descending down this spiral with her. While Kajii's way of speech is so captivating that it drags you into her delusions just as it enchants Rika in the same way. Watching their relationship play out, supporting each other, destroying each other, is so enthralling to flick thorough and this is largely owed to the fabulous translation of this work.
It is impeccably written, managing to create the most engrossing first hundred pages that I have ever read in my entire life. It explores its politics of patriarchy and the expectations society places on women with such clarity while still rich metaphors and texture which is so impressive. If there's one thing you cannot fault, it is how much of amazing job Polly Barton did in translating it. That alone sees it through to the end for me.
But, the book is plotted very strangely, seeming to end far earlier than it does, and then using the remaining pages to answer questions I didn't really feel I needed to know the answer for. And in that filler, I found myself growing tired of this narrative. If it had been skimmed down to 200-300 at the most pages, then ultimately you'd get a much more tighter experience that hammers in its themes and narrative.
That for me is what stops me absolutely adoring this book. While the good are fantastically good, the whole book seems over bloated and frankly dull in sections. That doesn't mean I didn't have a good time with it - and if Japanese feminist literature with a true crime edge is at all your thing, then please give Butter a try, it's worth it - but on the whole, I've left feeling worn by it in a way I didn't expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence
cphunter's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this book. A commentary on women’s bodies, on food, on cultural traditions, on interpersonal relationships, on power dynamics and gender imbalance, on obsession, on manipulation, on rurality vs urban living. The descriptions of food were literally mouthwatering and the plot was unlike anything else I’ve read.
It was quite long but very readable. I wish there had been more insight and commentary on queerness as it was touched upon very loosely, but these aren’t criticisms as both shortening the book and including queerness into its commentary on relationships/desire/gender expectations, would have made it a very different book.
It was quite long but very readable. I wish there had been more insight and commentary on queerness as it was touched upon very loosely, but these aren’t criticisms as both shortening the book and including queerness into its commentary on relationships/desire/gender expectations, would have made it a very different book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Death of parent, Suicide, Murder, Violence, and Animal cruelty
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