Butter, a cult Japanese bestseller by Asako Yuzuki inspired by the real-life case of a serial killer convicted of poisoning three of her male lovers, is being hailed overseas for its exploration of misogyny, fatphobia and sexism in modern Japan.
The English translation of Yuzuki’s book, based on the “Konkatsu Killer” Kanae Kijima, has created a buzz in Britain, with sales reaching some 280,000 copies and major bookstore chain Waterstones naming it “Book of the Year” for 2024.
Yuzuki, 43, says she has been pleasantly surprised by the reception of her book overseas as a feminist novel, as opposed to the focus in Japan on how she had depicted Kijima’s serial killings.
The protagonist of Butter is Rika Machida, a Tokyo-based journalist in her thirties who investigates the case of a female food enthusiast-turned-serial killer.
Manako Kajii, also known as Kajimana, has been convicted of the murders of three lonely businessmen she is said to have seduced with her home-cooked meals.