Reviews

Not for me, way too much weight commentary. Felt almost dystopian in how depressing it was. My cousins live in Japan and one of them is enduring intense body shaming at the moment and this book was reminding me of the horrible pressures on women in Japan and making my heart hurt.
You are worthy regardless of how you look or how much you weigh 🩷

Content Warnings

prairiegirlreading's review against another edition

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challenging tense slow-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

4.0

Content Warnings

bookishlibrarian's review against another edition

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3.0

I think the subtitle does a disservice to the book and its readers. This is not a salacious or suspenseful read, as the title might indicate; instead, it is a much more introspective one. Rika is a journalist fascinated by a female serial killer, Manako Kajii, awaiting a retrial. Kajii gained infamy by luring men on dating sites through her lavish meals, draining their funds, only to have them die under mysterious circumstances (based on a real-life serial killer in Japan). Rika's attempts at an interview are rebuffed until her friend convinces her to talk about food and recipes with Kajii.

As Rika and Kajii develop an uneasy relationship built around food (Kajii often implores Rika to experience a meal or flavor she no longer can under detention, so Rika can vicariously describe it to her), Rika herself is also changed. There are a lot of threads about expectations placed on women (body image, relationships, caretaking), self-image, and the role food plays in our lives.