Another month means another bookclub - our monthly round-table chat (over wine) about a book we have all read, but not always all liked!
This month we went east to Japan for a taste of a "full-fat Michelin-starred treat" (said The Sunday Times). Penned in Japanese by Asako Yuzuki and translated by the reputable translator, Polly Barton, Butter was an instant international bestseller. This was our biggest bookclub to date, so what is it about Butter that tickled the tastebuds...
What's it about?
Set in Tokyo, Butter follows the story of Rika, a hard-working journalist who has scored an exclusive interview with gourmet cook and convicted serial killer Manako Kajii. Kajii is down for manslaughter, and said to have seduced her victims with her home cooking. What starts as investigative journalism, turns into a gastronomic exchange as Rika is drawn in by Kajii she starts to loose sight of the article and develop a shared obsession with Kajii around food.
What did bookclub think? (Spoilers alert!)
Marketed and positioned as a thriller, there was much confusion as the group unanimously felt there was no traditional, edge-of-the-seat, thriller elements to the story however, this did not deter the group as most loved it.
The dominant theme throughout was the food, which seemed to have taken influence over the bookclub. In depth descriptions of food that dissect every element of taste really had the group compelled, with many reflecting on their own meals and tasting things differently - some went so far as to cook rice with french butter and soy, apparently delicious! This theme was what seemed to set this book apart from others and, since food is such a trend, probably why it became a bestseller
We discussed the insight shared into Japanese culture, with some disagreements as to weather it was a good representation of the majority or just a slice of society. The attitude towards work struck us as unhealthy and interesting it had been fully extended to women as well - anyone in the workplace.
The second big theme was clearly gender roles and feminism. Serial killer Kajii claims that there are two things she simply cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine. While we all agreed with the latter, we found some irony in the sentiment on feminists. Though Kajii has a seemingly traditional idea on gender roles at home, with women as home keepers and men bringing in the money, her outlook goes a little further. Kajii see's food as power and therefore finds superiority in relationships through this "power" - it's actually quite a feminist approach; for women to find power in whatever role they play.
Perception of the female body branched off this theme, along with brutal media and cut-throat journalism
A couple of our bookclubbers simply were not taken by the book. One found it just "a collection of recipes" while another enjoyed it until the the book offered up a chapter suddenly in the first person from a completely new character, which all agreed was quite a turning point.
We are lucky enough to have a phycologist regular in the bookclub who always offers fab insight. On Butter, she saw the whole book as a metaphor for nourishment and self care. We start with characters who are culturally malnutritioned, lacking life outside work and harbouring unrewarding relationships and family troubles. Rika, unable to boil an egg from the start, ends by hosting a 12 person roast turkey dinner. In the process, the main characters rid themselves of unhealthy relationships and grow a people, nourishing their body through food and life - I must say that we all suddenly liked the book a lot more after hearing this thought!
A final thought was on the length and number of topics. Generally we felt the book really was too long, with some parts and characters bringing not much to the tale. The themes were many and perhaps if the author had tried to cover less, we would have gotten more from what was there.
Overall, we loved it. Unique, funny, unresolved but interesting, it offers something different to any regular bestseller