Asako Yuzuki's follow-up to her international bestseller Butter, Hooked, is a more introspective work that explores female obsession and societal pressures in modern Japan. Originally published in 2015, the novel has been translated into English by Polly Barton with crackling verve.
The story centres on two 30-year-old women in Tokyo: Shoko, a laid-back stay-at-home wife, and Eriko, a perfectionist high-flyer at a seafood company. Eriko becomes addicted to Shoko's pseudonymous blog, The Diary of Hallie B, the World's Worst Wife, and contrives to meet her in person. Their initial friendship sours as Eriko pushes for an all-consuming bond, leading to stalking and blackmail.
Both women grapple with loneliness and societal expectations. Eriko is emotionally undeveloped and craves a best friend, while Shoko resents being expected to care for her ageing father despite having two brothers nearby. The novel delves into their motives, with Eriko identifying with the Nile perch, a fish that devours others to survive—a metaphor used liberally throughout.
Hooked wears its black comedy lightly but carries heavy political statements about misogyny and capitalist society. While the focus on blogging feels dated in the age of Instagram and TikTok, the anxieties it explores remain relevant. A subplot involving a psychopathic office temp adds a farcical element, but the novel avoids easy answers, ending on a quiet, philosophical note.
