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@glenjenreads · June 25, 2026

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#glenjensbookreviews 🐄 Butter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🐄 “This was all it took, she thought, to experience a sense of satisfaction of a kind she’d not had before. To make something yourself that you wanted to eat and eat it the way you wanted - was that the very essence of gratification?” 🧈 Gourmet cook Manako Kajii is in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of multiple murders of lonely businessmen, who she is believed to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. When journalist Rika Machida writes her a letter asking for her beef stew recipe, she becomes the first journalist that Kajii will agree to see. Their meetings turn into something unexpected as Kajii encourages Rika to discover the pleasures of food and cooking. Soon, Rika finds that she is changing and begins to wonder if the two women have more in common than she thought… 🐄 Inspired by real life events, Butter is a Japanese novel that acts as a social commentary on how women are seen, particularly with regards to reproductive rights and marriage.Misogyny is highlighted, especially in the world of journalism that is very much a male dominated environment in the novel. Body image is explored, and how society in Japan demands women to be thin, perfect and good around the house. Women are expected to be subservient to men, with society conditioned to favour men and let them get away with everything, and a culture existing that puts the blame on women regarding men being predators. The author questions if women can be ambitious in their careers or will men be threatened by it? Female identity and independence is explored, as well as the struggle to go against conformity, with Rika uninterested in marriage and children. Solo dining is encouraged by Kajii and Rika discovers the pleasure this brings to her. Female rage and society’s fear of ‘dangerous women’ are examined. Trauma, guilt, loneliness and self-acceptance are also explored. The importance of community and entertaining is highlighted and glorious food descriptions are a delightful part of the story. I loved this book and it was one of my favourite reads last year! 🧈 Have you read Butter?

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@jobis89 I also loved this book when I read it last year. I also felt hungry most of the time when I was reading it 😂 that buttery rice sounded AMAZING

June 28, 2026 · 1 likes

@whatshotblog I’ve seen such mixed reviews of this so haven’t picked it up but now my interest is (re)piqued 😅

June 27, 2026 · 1 likes

@silverliningsandpages Thanks for sharing, I’ve seen this so many times but not really knowing what it was about. Another one to stick on my list! 😍

June 25, 2026 · 1 likes