books
February 28, 2026
Butter author Asako Yuzuki: ‘I’m very far from the ideal Japanese woman’
Her novel about a female serial killer was a global hit. As Asako Yuzuki’s second book is published in English, she talks about criticism at home – and why she’ll be writing darker stories in the future
TL;DR
- Asako Yuzuki, author of 'Butter', hopes to bake for Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake Off.
- 'Butter', based on a real-life serial killer case, explores the relationship between a journalist and a gourmet killer.
- Yuzuki's novels like 'Butter' and 'Hooked' have found success in the anglophone market, appealing to a new generation of readers interested in translated fiction by female Japanese writers.
- Initially criticized in Japan for being overtly feminist, Yuzuki has shifted to writing lighter 'vitamin novels' for her domestic audience.
- However, the positive reception of her work in the UK has given her the courage to write darker, more complex stories about female relationships and mistakes again.
- Yuzuki highlights the intense pressure on Japanese women to conform to idealized standards of appearance and behavior.
- Her fascination with food, stemming from childhood reading, plays a significant role in her novels, often subverting societal obsessions with slimness.
- Yuzuki aims to write about women who make irreparable mistakes and betray friendships, themes she feels emboldened to explore due to UK reader support.
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