BUTTER
Author: 柚木 麻子
Summary
Japanese
男たちの財産を奪い、殺害した容疑で逮捕された梶井真奈子（カジマナ）。若くも美しくもない彼女がなぜ――。週刊誌記者の町田里佳は親友の伶子の助言をもとに梶井の面会を取り付ける。フェミニストとマーガリンを嫌悪する梶井は、里佳にあることを命じる。その日以来、欲望に忠実な梶井の言動に触れるたび、里佳の内面も外見も変貌し、伶子や恋人の誠らの運命をも変えてゆく。各紙誌絶賛の社会派長編。（解説・山本一力）
English
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
Length: 592
Category: Fast
Natively link: BUTTER | L36?? (learnnatively.com)
Availability
(use these links for a preview)
Amazon
Bookwalker
Personal Opinion
I first noticed it when I was browsing an English language bookstore and the cover caught my eye. The premise sounded interesting, so here I am.
Pros and Cons for the Book Club
Pros
- With food, serial killing and seduction, there’s something for everyone.
- The author is currently nominated for the Naoki prize
Cons
- Length maybe?