Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder ― The Cult Japanese Bestseller about a Serial Killer Cook

Many of my Book Club mates did not like this book because of how lengthy it was. They also complained about the general pacing. I learned a lot from reading this book and therefore very much enjoyed it. I think this book is about pornography – food, porn, description, porn, and even psychoanalysis porn that Kaji and Rika engaged themselves in on her prison visits. It is my understanding that in Japanese culture, men are freely able to watch all kinds of pornography, a great diversity of options. I do not think that extends generously to women as well. My pet theory is that the author set out to Wright food, porn, relationship, porn, and literary porn for Japanese women. You could easily read this book on the subway and people would think you’re reading a high caliber best selling piece of new fiction. Hidden underneath all those accolades and high standing is a romance novel and softcore pornography that Japanese women can enjoy. What makes it more subversive is that it is underneath a topic that most Japanese women struggle under which is homemaking duties misogyny and a sense that they need to be excellent at cooking Cleaning and hosting. There are two big questions that arose for me and I’m going to be thinking about for a while: number one: is it possible to murder someone through love bombing manipulation, and then withdrawal? How does the American literary industry, which privileges fast moving propulsive, plots and narratives, affect our reading of translated fiction like Butter?

This was so boring and over detailed. Not to mention how many times I had to read the word butter. I got half way though and just could not take it anymore. If you like slow and boring then go for it.

Character names and storylines kept confusing me, I felt no connection to the actual characters only a slight interest to Kajii, and it was a struggle picking up the book at times. Slightly interesting, for being a thought piece on how women are treated in society it only barely touches it rarely throughout the book.

The Horton Saturday Book Club Mean average rating: 7.16 Scores in full: 7 7 8 5.5 8.5 7.5 6 7.75

Excellent book.