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Asako Yuzuki’s Hooked Arrives in English to Divided Early Reviews

Early reviews split on the novel’s execution, with praise for its unsettling look at obsessive friendship alongside criticism of the prose and pacing.

Overview

  • Hooked is out in English on March 12, translated by Polly Barton and published by 4th Estate.
  • The release builds on Yuzuki’s breakout Butter, which sold more than 300,000 copies in the UK and nearly 1.5 million worldwide.
  • The story follows Eriko, a lonely high achiever who fixates on blogger Shoko and insinuates herself into her life.
  • Reviewers highlight themes of modern isolation, toxic female friendship, and the monetisation of domestic life through wife‑blogging, told in alternating third‑person perspectives.
  • Critics are divided, with praise for the premise and tension, and complaints about repetitive metaphors, tell‑over‑show prose, and slack pacing; PerthNow gives it 3.5/5.