I’ve been seeing this one around a lot, so when it popped up on my Spotify For You, I thought I’d give it a whirl, keen to continue picking up more women in translation following a successful WIT month in August. I’m not sure if audio was the right choice for this novel though, particularly around pacing. It would have me hooked one moment and bored the next. Like most people (maybe slightly misleading marketing?) I was expecting more of a thriller but instead it’s more contemplative, exploring misogyny, fatphobia and women in the workplace in Japan. And all of that is stuff I like! But despite some very strong passages, it never fully clicked for me.

Also, I’m so glad reading some of the other reviews that it wasn’t just my lesbian self projecting onto this book! Rika definitely gives off queer vibes, and I thought Kajii did too, in a closeted way, but none of that is really explored.

While the women of the book are all well rounded, I can’t say the same for the men. They’re workaholics, and weirdly obsessed with 14 year old pop idols. But the stars are Rika and Kajii, and their twisted relationship which grows ever more intense, as you try to work out who is manipulating who. 

The food descriptions are indeed scrumptious, and I def want to try some fancy butter now. I appreciated the stance against sky high beauty standards in Japan, which mostly centre around women being thin.

I also don’t think it needed to be as long as it is. A mixed bag, but overall glad I read it!