As a librarian, it pains me to admit that I’m a much slower reader than people expect. There’s an assumption that we spend all our time moving from one book to the next, but by the end of a busy day, I find it hard to focus (and too busy thinking of things I should be doing instead). I have to remind myself regularly that I do love a good book, and that reading slowly is still reading. But with the right book (and my noise-cancelling headphones), my brain finally shuts up long enough for me to read.
Recently, one of those books for me was Butter by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton. The story follows a Tokyo journalist who, while trying to make a name for herself, starts interviewing a woman accused of killing her partners by attracting them with her cooking.
What stood out to me were the themes around social stigma, eating, and the unrealistic beauty standards placed on women. The book looks at how society polices women’s bodies, appetites, and ambitions, and how these pressures shape our behaviour. Seeing these issues explored within a Japanese cultural context added another layer, offering insight into how similar pressures are experienced by women around the world.
I also enjoyed the intriguing and unlikely bond that develops between the journalist and the (alleged) murderer. It starts as a fairly transactional interview process, but gradually turns into something far more complicated when the pair realise how much they have in common.
Slow reading aside, Butter was absolutely worth sticking with.
