The success of Asako Yuzuki’s English-language debut, Butter, began with a line from the novel: “There are two things that I simply cannot tolerate, feminists and margarine.” From there, the rest is history.

Our judges were in awe of Fourth Estate’s “knockout” campaign that left no stone unturned. Not only did the team create a “stunning” package and a suite of playful marketing assets, but they teamed up with influencers and bookshops, from indies to Waterstones and Foyles, to make Butter the “it” book of spring 2024.

The success continued when Butter was crowned Waterstones Book of the Year and became the second bestselling title on TikTok shop. Butter “will change how books are published”, agreed our panel, who also loved Fourth Estate’s determination to champion the translator, Polly Barton. Our judges found the story “evocative” and “wonderfully” executed; this, combined with the “phenomenal” campaign, made Butter the undisputed winner.