A review by beccaje
Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki

challenging hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was extremely interesting, especially as someone who lives in the UK reading about Rika's experience of the expectations put on women in Japan. I do think that it is likely that some of the messages within this book were lost in the translation to English, but I felt it was well written for a translated book.

The discussions about being responsible for men, and who was to blame for these men's deaths was also very interesting.  I don't think this book discussed anything ground-breaking, but I definitely appreciated the perspective and discussion on how middle-aged men are not expected to care for themselves in Japan, and how this responsibility is pushed onto women. The way this was tackled really gave insight to the complexity of this point of view, and Rika's own complex relationship with the idea.

ALSO THE WAY THIS WAS WRITTEN MADE ME THINK, THESE WOMEN ARE GAY AND THEN NOTHING CAME OF THAT WHICH WAS QUITE A DISAPPOINTMENT.

I definitely would recommend this book, though the start was a little slow, I ate up the second half!