I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was the other week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about. All three of today’s books celebrated their publication date last week on the 29th February.
First up, I’d like to talk about Butter by Asako Yuzuki. Thank you to Fourth Estate and Rachel Quin for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who 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 press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes 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 masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
TW: murder, death, grief, fatphobia, sexual assault, grooming, manipulation, paedophilia, diet culture, misogny, sexism
My Thoughts:
Butter had a vociferous appetite and provided the goods to satisfy any reader craving a complex culinary delight of a book.
This is such a stunning book. The prose is excellent and totally captivating, with the descriptions of food stimulating your every sense. It is about the preparation of food and the love that represents, as well as the various emotions we might associate with a certain meal or type of food. However, this is also very much a story about appetites in a wider sense, sometimes spilling over into obsession and indulgence. There is a wonderful exploration of desires and being able to pursue your own until you are fulfilled. This is particuarly highlighted in Japanese culture with Yuzuki depicting on page the societal attitudes towards women, their expected roles and their desires, though it rings true within a wider context as well. It is startling, surprising and such a spectacular read.
The way Rika is shamed for eating, for gaining the slightest bit of weight but also for wanting more from her life. It forces this dichotomy of work or family, not allowing for any nuance within this conversation. It is also so aesthetics driven, with an intriguing throughline about appearances and male appetites. I thought it was a fascinating and different take on the male gaze, focused through a specific cultural understanding. It was difficult to read at times and also explores complicity within the patriarchal system from women, upholding these outdated stereotypes and assumptions. There are some subtle methods through which this is challenged and that final scene filled my heart with hope, like the most delicious and comforting meal. Rika’s trajectory over the course of the book is brilliant to witness and ran very close to home for me.
Butter was delectable reading, whetting my appetite for a character focused and deeply fascinating story that combines obsession, patriarchy, appetites and finding a path to who you are.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Remember, Remember by Elle Machray. Thank you to HarperNorth for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same.
While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one Black woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire?
TW: death, murder, racism, homophobia, explosion, sexism, slavery, torture, sexual assault, rape, beating
My Thoughts:
Remember, Remember is a fantastic Historical Fiction read, with an exquisite reimagining of history and characters that leap off the page and into your heart.
Elle Machray is a star in the making. This is such a brilliant concept – someone decides to re-enact the Gunpowder Plot and ties in silenced narratives and untold histories. It is, pardon the wording, explosive. Delphine is a character that will remain in my head and my heart for some time. She was driven, smart and angry to her core, traumatised and hurt beyond comprehension by a world and society that would not recognise her even as human. That kind of erosion of the self can only end in destruction and watching her turn it against those least expecting it is cathartic.
I absolutely loved the throughline of pursuing revenge and seeking consequences for terrible actions. That sort of justice is only afforded to the ‘right’ victims and Machray also illustrates how the legal systems cannot do enough when the entire system is rigged. It is tragic and heart-breaking and a steeling reminder of just how recent this history is, as well as how it continues to echo around the world and continue. This book burns with rage and fury. Delphine has to create her own justice because the world around her will never recognise the horrors enacted upon her and those she loves.
However, Machray also shows how that can consume a person entirely and obliterate the world around them for themselves. There is a singular pursuit that does not allow time for hope or love or any semblance of healing. The balance between these two is done so well, particularly with the introduction of a wonderfully complex romance thread that does not infringe on the impactful central themes.
Remember, Remember is a magnificent example of what Historical Fiction can do. It is breath-taking in its storyline, characterisation and sheer heart. In short, it is a marvel.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Sometimes People Die by Simon Stephenson. Thank you to The Borough Press for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The year is 1999.
Returning to practice after a suspension for stealing opioids, a young Scottish doctor takes the only job he can find: a post as a senior house officer in the struggling east London hospital of St Luke’s.
Amid the maelstrom of sick patients, over-worked staff and underfunded wards a darker secret soon declares itself: too many patients are dying.
Which of the medical professionals our protagonist has encountered is behind the murders? And can our unnamed narrator’s version of the events be trusted?
TW: murder, death, grief, addiction, suicide, drug use,
My Thoughts:
Sometimes People Die was a cynical, dark and twisted gem of a book.
God, I loved this book. For me it was kind of like This Is Going To Hurt but leveled up – it had that same bleak humour in the face of a broken healthcare system, emotional integrity and impact and ultimately tragedy. It was gritty and grounded, allowing you to get entirely caught up in the unnamed narrator’s life. He is somewhat of an unreliable narrator to his colleagues, keeping secrets but frank to extreme points with the reader. He is caught up in his addiction and recovery, adding another layer to an already complex book. The shifts are unrelenting and death becomes such a normalised part of life. Throughout, there are these real-life examples of medical serial killers and they are chilling. You keep second guessing who in the hospital is guilty. Though I did guess this one fairly early on, I was flummoxed and successfully distracted by Stephenson so many times.
I also adored the dark humour that ran throughout the book. It is such a testament to that style of coping that manifests from facing trauma every day and just having to carry on. It also underscores the complete disaster that is the healthcare system. The shifts are horrendously long, the staff are somewhat broken and the many failings often go swept under the carpet. You get so immersed in the daily shifts that you somtimes forget to keep an eye out for a potential killer. This is also where those real life examples come in – to reiterate just how nefarious these killings are and how they can be hidden in plain sight. The power that the medical professionals hold in their hands is staggering. Stephenson makes some wonderfully thought-provoking points with the final few chapters about vengeance, justice and the justice system itself, particularly in these cases that involve people we trust and who are respected purely for their jobs.
Sometimes People Die lives up to its title – grim, bleakly funny and unfalteringly honest in its brutality.
A Short Book Lover 
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