Author: Asako Yuzuki
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Medium: Hardcover
Length: 464 pages
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Synopsis
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Center 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 hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii, but it seems that she might be the one changing
My Thoughts (Spoiler-Free)
I went into this almost completely blind. The only thing I got a heads up on was that the murders weren’t that much of a focus, so I should temper my expectations accordingly. And honestly, I’m glad I got that warning because otherwise, I would have gone into the book expecting the story of a serial killer that makes delicious gourmet meals for her unsuspecting victims while a journalist tries to crack her case while finding herself changing instead. This was something else entirely.
The true center of the story is the journalist, Rika and her journey of accepting herself as she learns more about food, goes through some changes in her life and her body while managing societal and personal expectations. And in all that, she also has to deal with the manipulations and judgements of the serial killer, Kajii, whom she is trying to get an exclusive interview with. And she won’t be the only one affected by Kajii. The serial killer has a way of leaving a trail of destruction just through her words and no one is immune to it.
There is a heavy undertone of feminism and misogyny throughout the book. Characters are often on the opposite ends on their thoughts of women’s roles in a patriarchal society. The book also goes deep into how the world responds to a woman who found a love for food and starts to gain weight (which could be triggering for some). But ultimately, it’s also about finding yourself and accepting your body as yours.
Overall, I felt that the book is decent, but unlike the rich descriptions of various buttery dishes that the book goes through, the story leaves the reader hungry for more, despite having the ingredients and potential to be just as sumptuous. It falls flat in some avenues, and can drag and feel ponderous at times.
Spoilers Ahead
Kajii’s character starts off really well. She’s confident. She’s sassy. She’s unapologetic. But as the book goes on, she ends up being a bit disappointing. She takes more of a back seat in the story. Her traditionalist views on women get tiresome. And she just comes off as attention-seeking and lonely. It’s not even clear she did actually do the murders, even by the end.
That said, Rika went through these emotions about Kajii just like I did, so maybe that’s just part of Kajii’s act. And as the reader, maybe I was manipulated by her just like Rika was. In fact, by the end, I wasn’t even annoyed at Kajii and her antics. I just felt sad for her, also like Rika did. So in a way, her character is quite cleverly written.
Kavi Reads 
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