Scan barcode
A review by thereadingmum
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Rika, an ambitious female journalist seeks out convicted serial killer, Kajii, for an exclusive story. She gets sucked into her orbit and her life starts to dissolve like buttery grease. Can she pull herself and the few people around her out of their uncannily simultaneous downward spirals?
On the surface, this novel based on a true story, sounded like a literary feast. It was tasty enough to satisfy a base hunger, but like a mediocre meal, doesn't really hit any highs and leaves a slightly unsavoury aftertaste. The social commentary about misogynistic Japanese culture and its obsession with looks and the perfect woman is accurate, but not new.
I haven't read all that many Japanese authors. This is possibly my sixth. However, I notice that most of them don't translate well or smoothly into English. The exception was Out by Natsuo Kirino, translated by Stephen Snyder. Despite trying to account for this, the awkwardness of the language tends to taint my reading experience.
I was expecting this to be like Out, a proper thriller. It wasn't. There was only one point where it was exciting. This was, for me, the climax. However, it happened around the middle and it sort of fizzled out like a failed firework.
Then there was the psychology. It just didn't make sense. Characters did odd, one-off things that jarred with how they were drawn. The Rika, the MC, would at times would blaze with strength, then next moment she was weak. I mean I know people are often like that, but this really doesn't work in the context of a novel. If the MC is weak to begin with, they should grow and develop and then stay that way, not regress suddenly and dramatically near the end and build up again. The only character who was consistent and believable was Kajii, the murderer.
Lastly, I don't understand how Kajii could have been convicted of killing three men. There was no evidence that she did anything. Do people get convicted based on purely circumstantial evidence in Japan? Even calling it circumstantial is a bit of a stretch. The only evidence was that she spent a lot of time with them right before they either seemingly committed suicide or had accidents. I'm sorry but this crime procedural fan is just too incredulous to enjoy this book.
On the surface, this novel based on a true story, sounded like a literary feast. It was tasty enough to satisfy a base hunger, but like a mediocre meal, doesn't really hit any highs and leaves a slightly unsavoury aftertaste. The social commentary about misogynistic Japanese culture and its obsession with looks and the perfect woman is accurate, but not new.
I haven't read all that many Japanese authors. This is possibly my sixth. However, I notice that most of them don't translate well or smoothly into English. The exception was Out by Natsuo Kirino, translated by Stephen Snyder. Despite trying to account for this, the awkwardness of the language tends to taint my reading experience.
I was expecting this to be like Out, a proper thriller. It wasn't. There was only one point where it was exciting. This was, for me, the climax. However, it happened around the middle and it sort of fizzled out like a failed firework.
Then there was the psychology. It just didn't make sense. Characters did odd, one-off things that jarred with how they were drawn. The Rika, the MC, would at times would blaze with strength, then next moment she was weak. I mean I know people are often like that, but this really doesn't work in the context of a novel. If the MC is weak to begin with, they should grow and develop and then stay that way, not regress suddenly and dramatically near the end and build up again. The only character who was consistent and believable was Kajii, the murderer.
Lastly, I don't understand how Kajii could have been convicted of killing three men. There was no evidence that she did anything. Do people get convicted based on purely circumstantial evidence in Japan? Even calling it circumstantial is a bit of a stretch. The only evidence was that she spent a lot of time with them right before they either seemingly committed suicide or had accidents. I'm sorry but this crime procedural fan is just too incredulous to enjoy this book.