Perfume

by Patrick Süskind

SYNOPSIS

In the midst of the eighteenth century, a mysterious odorless child, without a trace of human scent on him, is born onto the stinking streets of France — Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Despite the cruel circumstances he faces since infancy, Grenouille struggles and manages survival against all odds, pursuing his sole purpose of life— to make the best perfume the world has ever known. However, the desire of such a great outcome leads Grenouille down a path of abnormally, devilish deeds, darkening the tale of his extraordinary life.

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙,

𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨

𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨,

𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝,

𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙙,

𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡.

REVIEW

This is a book of queer and exotic writing. Though personally, I found some parts of the book quite disturbing and creepy, and the ending scene took me completely by surprise, I think it’s a book one should give a try some time. (Or at least admire the cover design!!!)

It truly is a twisted story, full of deadly irony and cruelty, of beautiful writing and horrid immorality. There were chapters in which I drifted away due to its creeping pace, and other chapters in which everything just happened so fast I couldn’t even keep up, or couldn’t believe the absurdity  of the content that I’d just read.

Overall, I can’t say I enjoyed this read as much—I have to admit it was slightly too disturbing for me. Though I definitely have to say I’ve NEVER read anything like this, and if you’re looking for something refreshingly different, this is THE book.