What a book! It initially took me a while to get into it because it's so dense that it's a bit daunting. That and it made me soooo hungry! However before I knew it, I was fully consumed by the story and the writing style. Butter does a great job exploring so many issues in modern Japan through the lens of the characters. For every thought-provoking idea there also comes a WTF moment. The charscters are so interesting and fleshed out. The story itself features less CSI and more of a Criminal Minds/Silence of the Lamb conversations. And nearly every page is a love letter to food. I kid you not I will annotate this as a cookbook. It did drag a little bit right at the end but the end to all the arcs were well worth it. Overall, Butter is like butter. Rich, delectable, and food isn't the same now that I've had it.

This book was an amazing exploration of how war impacts women and generational trauma. The author does a beautiful job weaving together the three main perspectives and building suspense for the impending tragedies. The characters' pain and trauma was so well conveyed and will sit with me for a long time. The only thing that didn't resonate with me was the ending felt a bit rushed and some of the elements felt a little out of the blue. I know they came from one version of the myth but I had to reread a little bit and look it up to fully get a grasp on what happened. Overall, I really enjoyed it!

I read through this book so incredibly fast. It truly hooked me! The concept is really thought provoking and the author does a wonderful job exploring the ways it impacts individuals, relationships, and some aspects of society. It feels like reading a Twilight Zone/Black Mirror episode in that sense. I adore large ensembles and this book really shined diving into each characters' different experiences and perspectives.