Novel by Asako Yuzuki.
If there’s one thing Butter does flawlessly, it’s shows how pleasure can be deliciously radical and not always easy. This book isn’t just about food; it’s about appetite—full-bodied, untamed, and entirely unashamed.
Manako Kajii is a force, wielding pleasure like an art form—never shrinking, never apologizing, just letting desire be desire. She’s the kind of woman society loves to scrutinize, the kind who refuses to whittle herself down into something more palatable. Rika, meanwhile, is caught in the tension—curious, cautious, and deliciously tempted by the idea that maybe more is the answer, not less.
Yuzuki shows how women’s hunger—whether for food, success, autonomy, or something as simple as joy—is constantly policed.
Yuzuki doesn’t romanticize excess, instead nudging readers toward a single, lingering question: When does pleasure empower, and when does it consume? It’s a tightrope walk, a wry, knowing exploration of indulgence versus obsession.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/butter/asako-yuzuki/polly-barton/9780008511685
