Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

(++) Bold, fresh, and evocative use of smell as the main form of perception throughout the book
(++) Fascinating blend of perfumery lessons with the constant underlying unease that surrounds Grenouille
(+) Novel premise
(+) Beautiful prose even through translation
(–) Plot meanders and I suspect at least 50-70 pages could've been cut altogether
(–) Gratuitous description of

a father lusting after his own daughter

(––) The concept of being able to wear a perfume like a literal disguise was too much of a reach for me and consequently the ending fell flat

Content Warnings

skyealexandra's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

liilykke's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really liked this book!
From other reviews I realized most people read it out of school obligation, and that kinda ruins it, it's definitely not a book for everyone, but I wouldn't consider it a "bad" book.
I think it's similar to a) Narcissus and Goldmund - Hermann Hesse b) A Certain Hunger- Chelsea Summers and c) My Year of Rest and Relaxation- Ottessa Moshfegh
It contains long descriptions of olfactory stimuli, 18th century France in a beautiful and enchanting way.

It deals with the mind of the ultimate sociopath, whose killings are not out of moralistic obligation, to prove a point, nor because he liked the killing itself...but because he sees people in such a way that he is able to kill them in order to get what he needs- a scent.

I think you can read this book again and again and always find something unique. The prose is beautiful, it contrasts the gore descriptions that are presented.
Süskind has done immersive research into perfumes, everything is articulated in such detail...

I really really enjoyed the descriptions inside the cave, his intense need to be away from everyone, how he described how much he wanted to empty himself.... I don't know how I feel about the ending yet, it was captivating and unexpected but part of me feels robbed of what it could have been, in a way...if that makes sense

I think if you enjoy dark and gore themes, but would also appreciate a discussion about humanity and death, this book is for u <3

Content Warnings

laurapeirs's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

jackyjoojoo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

good book and amazing prose, but I did feel like I got whiplash whenever i'd read it, especially towards the ending. the ending really caught me off guard and there were times I was reading it and honestly had no clue what was going on and how we got there.

anyways good book, werid ending, highly recommend

Content Warnings

liab's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Una buena selección para horror.

Lo encuentro interesante que empieza desde el nacimiento y las cosas raras que pasan. Es como leer o escuchar un episodio sobre criminales. Es bien inquietante, los detalles son buenos pero aun te inquieta. Honestamente nose cómo describir cómo pienso del protagonista, es extraño y te da incomodidad casi mientras más lees. También es como que su partida siempre afecta bien drástico, es como paranormal. El perfume termina en un extremo que ni lo esperaba

Content Warnings

fallandfox's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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