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ribsgd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Rating: 2.5 Stars
"Butter" by Asako Yuzuki promised a deep dive into the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations in Japan. However, my reading experience was marred by several issues that significantly detracted from my enjoyment and comprehension of the story.
First and foremost, the translation felt inadequate. Much of the novel's intended meaning, emotional depth, and cultural nuance seemed to be lost in translation, resulting in a narrative that often appeared disjointed and erratic. This made it difficult to follow the plot, as the transitions between scenes were abrupt and confusing, leaving me struggling to keep up with the storyline.
Additionally, the cultural differences posed a significant barrier to understanding the characters and their motivations. The societal norms and behaviours depicted in the book are deeply rooted in Japanese culture, which felt quite foreign and, at times, incomprehensible to me. As much as I tried, I couldn't fully grasp the characters' actions and decisions, which often seemed perplexing or irrational without the necessary cultural context. This gap made it challenging to connect with the characters on an emotional level.
Another notable issue was the pacing. The story's rhythm felt off, likely due to the translation. The flow of events and the progression of the plot were inconsistent, making the narrative feel uneven and at times, dragging, while other parts seemed rushed. This erratic pacing further contributed to the difficulty in engaging with the story.
Despite these issues, it was clear that Yuzuki was attempting to explore profound themes such as societal pressures, the intricacies of personal relationships, and the search for identity. However, these themes often got lost amidst the confusion of the narrative structure and the cultural dissonance, making it difficult to appreciate the novel's deeper messages.
"Butter" might resonate more with readers who have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and language. For those less familiar, like myself, it may require additional effort and background knowledge to grasp the full meaning of the story. This novel serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in translating literature across languages and cultures, where much of the original depth can be hard to convey effectively.
In conclusion, "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki is an ambitious novel that struggles to maintain coherence and emotional impact in its translated form. While it offers a unique glimpse into Japanese life and societal issues, it ultimately fell short for me due to the translation issues, cultural gaps, and inconsistent pacing, resulting in a story that felt all over the place and hard to comprehend.
"Butter" by Asako Yuzuki promised a deep dive into the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations in Japan. However, my reading experience was marred by several issues that significantly detracted from my enjoyment and comprehension of the story.
First and foremost, the translation felt inadequate. Much of the novel's intended meaning, emotional depth, and cultural nuance seemed to be lost in translation, resulting in a narrative that often appeared disjointed and erratic. This made it difficult to follow the plot, as the transitions between scenes were abrupt and confusing, leaving me struggling to keep up with the storyline.
Additionally, the cultural differences posed a significant barrier to understanding the characters and their motivations. The societal norms and behaviours depicted in the book are deeply rooted in Japanese culture, which felt quite foreign and, at times, incomprehensible to me. As much as I tried, I couldn't fully grasp the characters' actions and decisions, which often seemed perplexing or irrational without the necessary cultural context. This gap made it challenging to connect with the characters on an emotional level.
Another notable issue was the pacing. The story's rhythm felt off, likely due to the translation. The flow of events and the progression of the plot were inconsistent, making the narrative feel uneven and at times, dragging, while other parts seemed rushed. This erratic pacing further contributed to the difficulty in engaging with the story.
Despite these issues, it was clear that Yuzuki was attempting to explore profound themes such as societal pressures, the intricacies of personal relationships, and the search for identity. However, these themes often got lost amidst the confusion of the narrative structure and the cultural dissonance, making it difficult to appreciate the novel's deeper messages.
"Butter" might resonate more with readers who have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and language. For those less familiar, like myself, it may require additional effort and background knowledge to grasp the full meaning of the story. This novel serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in translating literature across languages and cultures, where much of the original depth can be hard to convey effectively.
In conclusion, "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki is an ambitious novel that struggles to maintain coherence and emotional impact in its translated form. While it offers a unique glimpse into Japanese life and societal issues, it ultimately fell short for me due to the translation issues, cultural gaps, and inconsistent pacing, resulting in a story that felt all over the place and hard to comprehend.
frambri's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
amr215's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aseel_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I truly disliked everything about this. Even if we approach it as a book that covers topics that I don't like or agree with, it could still be good — but this wasn't. It was so slow and so long. So much ick with all the body shaming and other TWs, I am sort of annoyed that I pushed through and finished the audiobook (sped it about to 2 to get through it). It was also kind of hard to keep all the characters in check, they all sounded the same
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Fatphobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, and Lesbophobia
boxofcolours's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Although I enjoyed some of the musings, it just didn’t hit personally - I feel like 200 pages could’ve been dropped and the book would’ve been all the better for it
zoerainford's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
becward's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
grunbean's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
This is a book that you will devour. Yes, that is an intended pun.
The use of food in telling this story pulls you in, and I struggled to put it down. I also struggled to stop my mouth from watering! I’ve seen some comments on the slower parts being too filler like. For me, every page has a kind of story of its own. I don’t think there’s a word in this book that is accidental, or coincidental. The translation is written beautifully. This with the story makes this a book I think I’ll return to again!
I would be curious to discuss this at a book club, as I find myself wondering Kaiji is a murderer. I think she is.
The use of food in telling this story pulls you in, and I struggled to put it down. I also struggled to stop my mouth from watering! I’ve seen some comments on the slower parts being too filler like. For me, every page has a kind of story of its own. I don’t think there’s a word in this book that is accidental, or coincidental. The translation is written beautifully. This with the story makes this a book I think I’ll return to again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Body shaming, Misogyny, Fatphobia, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Blood, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Murder, Pedophilia, and Injury/Injury detail
lewis_muir's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jessmegan's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5