What are you reading, Ms Kunz?
I love good food and have been fascinated by Japan for many years. I’m also deeply interested in feminist perspectives. That’s why the novel Butter by Asako Yuzuki immediately caught my attention. The novel is based on a real case: a woman suspected of luring wealthy men with elaborate meals before killing them. But rather than focusing on the crime itself, the story explores how society views women – especially those who don’t meet conventional expectations – because they look different, because they might not be super slim, and because they don’t conform.
Through the eyes of Rika, a journalist in Tokyo, we get to know the mysterious prisoner Manako Kajii. What begins as an investigation slowly turns into a personal confrontation with questions around indulgence, ambition, control, and self-image. Asako Yuzuki, the award-winning author, tells the story with calm precision, with a strong focus on food – not just as a theme, but as a form of expression and resistance.
I’ve travelled to Japan and admire its culture and cuisine, but I also love French food – where butter is, of course, indispensable. Butter manages to link the sensuality of eating with broader reflections on identity, shame, and autonomy, without ever becoming too moralizing or overly dramatic.
One recipe from the book that stayed with me is as simple as it is comforting: a bowl of steaming hot rice with a generous knob of good quality butter and a dash of soy sauce. Stir until glossy and fragrant. It’s humble, rich, and quietly defiant – just like the novel itself.
Asako Yuzuki: Butter (4th Estate)
