First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

There are two things I simply cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine.

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in the Tokyo Detention House convicted of the serial murders of only businessmen, whom she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination, but Kajii refuses to speak with the pres, entertaining no visitors. That is until journalist Rika Machida writers a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew, and Kajii can’t resist writing back.

Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a master class in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii, but it seems that Rika might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body. Do she and Kajii have more in common than she once thought?

Inspired by the real case of a convicted con woman and serial killer – the “Konkatsu Killer” – Asaku Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance, and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.

Happy Friday everyone! Well, it is already Saturday. Nevertheless, I am glad we could make it through yet another workweek, although some barely made it. The previous week hasn’t been as tedious as the weeks before. I also got to catch up with colleagues and even a friend I had not met for half a decade already. It was, overall, a light week. I capped it with a traditional office Christmas party. The coming weeks are going to be hectic so I am bracing myself. Nevertheless, I relish these brief interludes. I have a lot to do but I appreciate the break. The coming weeks will also be hectic bordering on hellish for fellow accountants and auditors so if you have an accountant or an auditor as a friend, check up on them. I think they might not be doing fine. HAHA. At least that is how the meme goes. Regardless, I hope everyone ended the work week on a high note. I hope you were able to accomplish all your tasks for the week. It is time to slow down, unwind, and dive into the weekend!

With the year slowly inching toward its inevitable conclusion, I hope that your hard work gets recognized and repaid. I hope the remainder of the year will be brimming with good news, blessings, and pleasant surprises. More importantly, I hope everyone will be healthy in body, mind, and spirit, especially during this season of colds and coughs. To cap another blogging week I am sharing a fresh First Impression Friday update. Ordinarily, my reading months are organized to follow through with a single theme but the past few months have been chaotic. While it was a tumult, it allowed me to explore different worlds through an eclectic mix of books, such as the works of Latin American, African, and Asian writers. I also completed all books shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. Nevertheless, there was always room for surprise. For the rest of the year, I am focusing on books that are part of my ongoing reading challenges.

Thankfully, I have already completed my two most important reading goals, my 2024 Top 24 Reading List and 2024 Beat the Backlist Challenge. Right now, my focus turned to works of Japanese literature. This is in preparation for Haruki Murakami’s The City and Its Uncertain Walls; my copy of the book is still in transit. It was also a work of Japanese literature, Yukio Mishima’s Thirst for Love, that capped my 2024 Beat the Backlist Challenge. Interestingly, 2024 is the first year that I did not host a Japanese literature month. This mini-foray into my favorite part of the literary world is a last-ditch effort before the year closes. Anyway, my current read is Asako Yuzuki’s Butter, a recently ubiquitous book. I first encountered it during one of my random trips to the bookstore. Curious about what it has in store – and because it is a work of Japanese literature – I bought the book without any ado.

At the heart of the novel is Rika Machida, a young journalist working for a men’s magazine. Born and raised in Tokyo, Rika is the only woman in her news office; the other women she started working with either married and resigned or moved to other departments. Even the magazine’s editorial board is comprised of men. Rika was often assigned to work on the most controversial pieces but she rarely gets credit as the credits are given to the editorial board. Nevertheless, she works hard, even late into the night, and is adamant in her pursuit of becoming the first woman on the editorial board. This already gives a preview of what the book is about. This work setup also looks familiar; it reminded me of Emi Yagi’s Diary of a Void. Rika finds comfort in the company of her best friend Reiko. She rarely sees her boyfriend, Makato; he is as career-driven as she is but they try to find as much time to get together as they can.

The crux of the story, however, was the upcoming retrial of gourmet cook Manako Kajii, otherwise known as Kajimana. Three years before, Kajimana was convicted of killing three of her lovers. Her lovers share a common denominator. They were lonely businessmen who were beyond their forties and were in want of a female companion, regardless of how she looked. Kajimana is not conventionally attractive. She is fat and is not the type that the victims’ families think their murdered family member would date. It is alleged that Kajimana seduced them with her cooking. She has a vast knowledge of food; she spent her lovers’ money on luxurious items and learned to cook scrumptious meals. Because of her exterior, Kajimana was subjected to prejudice, especially when her case became a national sensation.

Kajimana refused to speak to the press. She also did not entertain visitors. Rika tried to gain an audience with her but all were unresponded. This was until Rika took on her friend’s suggestion to ask Kajimana for a recipe. It worked like magic and despite not being a food enthusiast herself – she cooks instant ramen for food – Rika slowly found herself drawn into the world of Kajimana. Kajimana was an intriguing character and Rika herself was not an exception. A part of their discussions revolved around food. Kajimana recommended Rika use butter over margarine. Butter made everything taste better. Kajimana still refused to discuss her case even when Rika found her opening. Kajimana would rather discuss food than her retrial. Rika, meanwhile, was gaining weight because of Kajimana’s recommendations. Everyone noticed the physical change in Rika.

The novel is quite interesting as it is anchored on an actual case, the Konkatsu killer. Kajimana is a complex character. She hates feminism and margarine. The former is rather interesting because of everything she had to experience. This is also parallel to the experiences of Rika. Japanese society, like most societies, holds women to a high standard where physical looks are concerned. There is also a layer of egomania to her. In one of their interviews, Kajimana refused to relent to Rika’s request for an interview because she was not her devout follower and Kajimana had a legion of followers. There is also a sudden shift that makes the story all the more interesting. I was kind of expecting it but I did not expect that it would be unidded this early in the story. I am under 200 pages through the book which means I still have a lot to unravel. I can’t wait to see how the story develops.

How about you fellow reader? What book or books have you read over the weekend? I hope you get to enjoy whatever you are reading right now. Happy weekend!