INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Set in eighteenth-century France, the classic novel that provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man’s indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder.In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.Translated from the German by John E. Woods.
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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Set in eighteenth-century France, the classic novel that provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man’s indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder.In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.Translated from the German by John E. Woods.
Popular Reviews(4)
Reviewed by Louizi"He had experienced that life once and it had proved unlivable. Just as had his other experience- life among human beings. He was suffocated by both worlds. He no longer wanted to live at all. He wanted to go to Paris and die. That was what he wanted."
Reviewed by EsaWith this unusual book, Patrick Süsskind has succeeded in creating a really fascinating crime novel that appeals to people more than many other books. Because this brilliant idea has to be emphasized and is always decisive for the significance of the story: A man without a scent, distinguished with an insane talent, devises an insane act and cannot be stopped in the conventional way, since everyone who meets him has no idea what his true motivations are. The master of fragrances embarks on a highly personal campaign and takes the reader on a journey through France that they will not soon forget. What is special is this peculiar interplay between actual action, inner considerations of the actor and the visible practice of his art. As a reader, you are scared and yet you dive deeper and deeper into the events. A minor point of criticism from my side is the somewhat hair-raising finale of this great, contemporary novel, which stylizes a sinister hero. Where does the life of a murderer end, for whom all paths are open in principle? And why does it end so badly? With this novel, I would have admittedly wished for a somewhat hazy, less dramatic ending, one that doesn't set an end, but rather leaves the suspicion that it might not be over yet.
Reviewed by BerraAMAZING
Reviewed by EmilyIt’s so fucking sick but I love it so much