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A review by bookish_things_london
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
slow-paced
4.5
In 'Butter,' we mostly follow the perspective of a young-ish Japanese woman who is an aspiring journalist. She doesn't have a fulfilling romantic relationship, or many close friends, and although her life isn't bad, it could be better. She manages to land a meeting with a convicted female serial killer, who rejects social norms and has the ability to read and manipulate people very effectively; using their wants, frustrations, and pain against them, and it's never completely obvious that she's actually guilty of the murders. It's very much a character study, though, rather than plot-focused, so don't expect a thriller, or crime novel!
I really enjoyed this book, it surprised me, as I was concerned that it might be too ideological, pushing an overtly anti-men message, but happily, I was wrong. Yes, there's a feminist slant to it as it explores issues regarding Japanese societal views on body image, and expectations on women, the role of men etc, however it also balances that (to an extent, at least) with why those views are prevalent, and whether there's actually a good reason for them, such as remaining a healthy weight for a long healthy life, not always doing something you enjoy just because you can, and that often the more traditional things like wanting marriage and children, might not be such a bad thing, as long as you can find the right person, and it's the right choice for you. My only real critique would be that it feels a little meandering, a little rushed, towards the end, losing some of the momentum and richness of the character exploration and writing that made it so compelling earlier on.
I really enjoyed this book, it surprised me, as I was concerned that it might be too ideological, pushing an overtly anti-men message, but happily, I was wrong. Yes, there's a feminist slant to it as it explores issues regarding Japanese societal views on body image, and expectations on women, the role of men etc, however it also balances that (to an extent, at least) with why those views are prevalent, and whether there's actually a good reason for them, such as remaining a healthy weight for a long healthy life, not always doing something you enjoy just because you can, and that often the more traditional things like wanting marriage and children, might not be such a bad thing, as long as you can find the right person, and it's the right choice for you. My only real critique would be that it feels a little meandering, a little rushed, towards the end, losing some of the momentum and richness of the character exploration and writing that made it so compelling earlier on.