Butter follows reporter Rika, who investigates the enigmatic Yuka, accused of manipulating and murdering men through her culinary charms. As Rika delves deeper into Yuka’s life, she becomes captivated by Yuka’s unapologetic defiance of societal norms and her mastery of cooking. The novel intertwines themes of identity, desire, and self-expression, using food as a metaphor for control and connection. Through Yuka’s complexities, Butter challenges perceptions of femininity, ambition, and moral judgment in modern Japanese society.

Asako Yuzuki, born in Tokyo in 1981, is a prominent Japanese author and graduate in French literature. She debuted in 2008, winning the 88th All Yomimono Prize for New Writers with a story addressing bullying in a Protestant all-girls school in Tokyo. Renowned for her compelling storytelling, Yuzuki has received the Yamamoto Shugorōo Prize and has been nominated multiple times for the prestigious Naoki Prize. Her works, exploring themes of societal norms and identity, have been adapted into television, radio, and film, solidifying her status as a significant voice in contemporary Japanese literature.

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Booking Details
Free for members of The Japan Society

Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Polly Barton)
Japanese version available here