Hooked: A Novel of Obsession

Eriko is a thirtysomething mid-level employee at a food import company. And she's Little Miss Perfect. Her clothes are perfect. Her hair and makeup are perfect. She's relentlessly efficient at work, just as she was in school. But she has no friends. Her one outlet is her fascination with a blog, written by Shoko (screen name "Hallie B"), who extols the benefits of a lazy, carefree lifestyle. But over time, Eriko's fascination turns into obsession. She contrives to "accidentally" meet Shoko and become her friend, and then, when Shoko wants distance in their friendship, Eriko turns obsessive. When Shoko starts changing the direction of her blog, Eriko goes completely nuts. But this isn't the first time that Eriko has become obsessive, manipulating, and stalker-ish. She has a dark history. Will she completely unravel? Will Shoko stop Eriko once and for all, or will they truly connect?

Really good! It got a little slow in the middle but was deff worth the read and I can’t wait to read Butter!

I WAS HOOKED

Hooked is one of those books that unfolds slowly but deliberately. It’s not a fast read, and that’s part of what makes it work. The pacing leans quiet and introspective, taking its time to build tension through the main character’s inner world rather than constant action. At moments, it can feel a bit drawn out, but that slower rhythm allows the themes of obsession, control, and emotional dependency to really settle in. Instead of rushing, the story lingers, sometimes uncomfortably, on the thoughts and motivations that drive the narrative. What stands out most is the psychological depth. The writing captures subtle shifts in mindset with precision, and the translation feels natural and fluid, never pulling you out of the experience. There’s a quiet intensity to it, where even small moments carry weight. This isn’t a book you speed through, it’s one you sit with. If you’re looking for something fast-paced, it might feel slow. But if you’re open to a more reflective, character-driven story, Hooked delivers something thoughtful and unsettling in a way that sticks with you after you finish.

Eriko, an employee at a food importer, is successful in her work life. Her personal life, however, is less so as she has always struggled to make friends and finds her entertainment on the internet. When her internet choices make her fan of Shoko, a woman who blogs about being a poor wife and housekeeper under the screen name “Hallie B.”, Eriko contrives a way to meet Hallie B and become her friend. As Eriko and Shoko get to know each other, it’s obvious that the two are better off as strangers, but Eriko’s so afraid of losing a friend, she resorts to cringeworthy tactics to maintain it (and I can’t say anymore without it becoming a spoiler). I spent the book wondering if these two were going to actually become friends, would they both mature and grow separately, or would one kill the other. I picked up this book as I loved the author’s previous work “Butter”. At times, this book made my skin crawl, but the author’s approach makes the characters sympathetic. I initially listened on audiobook as I had the opportunity, but I plan on reading it as well. The story and Eriko’s squeamish approach to life are enjoyable.

Two women, two very different women leading two different lives. One befriends another, what could possibly go wrong? Us ladies are complicated, throw into the mix an unhinged human and you have the recipe for a toxic, cringeworthy relationship as it so happens in Hooked. If you can empathize with others then you'll go into this having a mixed bag of feelings for our main protagonist, Eriko, and quickly realize that she needs help. What sort of help? Only that which a professional can give her. Hooked is a thriller, is suspenseful and at times relatable (loneliness, friendship, etc.). Another hit by Asako Yuzuki. If you liked Butter then you are sure to like Hooked.

Hmmmm this is an interesting one... I struggled with my reactions all throughout the read and even now that I've come to the end I'm still not totally sure how to feel! So "Hooked" has a really compelling premise—*hook* if you will, heh—about a female friendship that morphs into a toxic obsession. Fun! Dark! Gimme! But I was surprised by how quickly that central "friendship" actually devolved since it was barely formed to begin with, and was a little disappointed because it didn't feel like it had the foundation to make the descent feel warranted. The characters were just a little too un-relatable to me, where at times I truly couldn't even get a grasp on their thoughts/feelings/motivations. So that made it kind of hard to get drawn into the drama, because I found myself not so much on the edge of my seat wondering what was coming as I was consistently wondering why the HELL these characters (or ANY characters really) would act this way. Here we encountered not just typical mystery/thriller types of crazy... but like, genuine *are they ok* crazy. And it's just not what I wanted from this read!! Now in between some insane passages there was definitely commentary that really spoke to me, particularly regarding the way in which patriarchal systems push women into competition with each other in service of the attention of men and how these societal norms complicate/toxify (is this a word lol) female friendships. I appreciated these moments in the book and saw so much potential in these themes, but unfortunately some of the true craziness overshadowed the valuable engagement and insight to be found here. 2/5 stars from me, though I'm tempted to add half a star for the beautiful cover... [Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for an advance reader copy of this book!]

I was drawn to the premise of this book: two women in Tokyo meeting because of one's blog and becoming friends. This book has been translated from Japanese to English. It would have been a much better audio version if the narrator spoke with a Japanese accent! The narrator chosen for this has a pleasant voice but speaks with a British accent! That distracted me a lot but I got accustomed to it. This story gave me a tiny glimpse of Japanese culture, which I appreciated. But I just wasn't getting interested in the two women, Eriko and Shoko. I DNF this book.

Avevo letto il precedente libro della stessa scrittrice e quando ho saputo l'uscita di Hooked l'ho subito pre-ordinato! Asako Yuzuki non delude! Nel giro di 4 giorni (lavoro permettendo) ho quasi finito di leggerlo.

I had purchased Yuzuki's other novel Butter from Amazon (same publisher, Harper Collins Ecco) and ordered Hooked only to receive a GIANT version of the book! It does not fit on my shelf, it does not match the other Ecco HC version of Butter---what gives? it has Giant print as well. These large books are so bad, they are uncomfortable to hold, aesthetically deficient. For this reason, I am returning it. Will go to a brick & mortar store to purchase the version to match my library!