Butter - Asako Yuzuki

A real-life case written so well by Asako Yuzuki where a suspected murderer who is fat-classy-vivacious with beautiful skin, interacts with a skinny, lifeless journalist. 

'Feminists and Margarine' are the two things that Kajii loathes the most. A society wherein there are set standards for women - how she should look, especially how much weight suits her, whether she should have girl-friends, and she must be okay with misogyny. Kajii, a con-woman who is arrested for three murders, is fond of good food and cooking. She cares for and cooks for the rich elderly men, which pleases them. In return, she gets to eat at great places and live an affluent life. This is her job. 

Rika, a journalist, ambitious and aiming to climb the ladder in the profession. Her relationship with her boyfriend, who is a journalist, is inconsistent. Seeing Rika gain weight, he constantly disapproves of her meeting Kajii and experimenting with various dishes. Rika tries to ignore, but Kajii's tempting gourmet suggestions are hard to. Rika does not bother about her increasing weight gain. This one paragraph here highlights misogyny and fatphobia deeply rooted in Japanese society, where Men are opinionated about Women. Why only Japanese, but the Asian society in general? 

The three women in this novel - Rika, Kajii, and Reiko are representing the feminine side here; Rika and Reiko are on one side and Kajii on the other. It is like Kajii holds the threads and controls them.  Rika is drawn toKajii, as she is clouded due to her father's death. She relates to Kajii..perhaps she looks for some validation. What Kajii does not have is the pure friendship like Rika and Reiko share. In Kajii' case, Rika searches for the answers. A trauma that she has been carrying from ages that affected her appetite. And finally someone like Kajii, a woman prisoned but free spirited helps/guides Rika to eat and love herself. 

Friendship between Rika and Shinoi, too, is a highlight. The way one of Rika's colleagues interprets a man-woman relationship is deeply rooted. But Rika, due to Kajii has finally learned to put behind criticism, misogyny, and fatphobia. At one point, Rika sees herself as Kajii. As a reader, I too was expecting that she would become the next Kajii and agreed with Kajii's interpreatations. It is not hard to feel the typical woman grind - " Japanese women are required to be self-denying, hard-working and ascetic, and in the same breath to be feminine, soft and caring towards them." Why only Japanese? This applies to Asian women. 

Without revealing much, I recommend to read this book. 

A thought provoking, and powerful novel.