Scan barcode
kerrence30's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
So dark it makes your wonder about the author’s inspiration. Beautifully written, and considering it exclusively focusses on the act of smelling and describing different scents it doesn’t read like a thesaurus. Written in such a sophisticated style that even more eccentric descriptors are harmonious. Although there are no likeable characters as such the story is gripping and you’re strangely torn between rooting for the main character and hoping he fails. Nothing else like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Torture, Murder, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Pregnancy
Minor: Incest
emmagreenwood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Violence, Abortion, Classism, and Sexual content
savvylit's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Perfume is a beautifully written and enthralling sensual rollercoaster. Süskind masterfully evokes an entire range of both perceptible and imperceptible scents. Many of the lengthy descriptions of 'bad' smells (i.e. people's body odor or the rotten stench of death) are so vivid that they are truly stomach-curdling. At the same time, some of the passages where Grenouille experiences delicate floral scents are so delightful that they made me want to roll around in a wildflower meadow.
Despite the evocative and sensual writing, the story itself was ultimately underwhelming. Being subtitled "The Story of a Murderer" seemed to imply some suspense. However, the plot was predictable more often than not. Grenouille's cave era was the only part of Perfume that truly surprised at every turn. Sadly, the cave era was a short-lived segment of the novel.
Overall, Perfume is a classic horror story that would fit happily on the shelves alongside titles such as Dracula or Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. However, this horror story ultimately was not to my taste. The incredible misogyny - which does fit the monstrous characterization of Grenouille - was something that I personally found incredibly grating. At this point in my life, I am tired of reading "classics" in any genre that are so deeply steeped in hatred for women.
Despite the evocative and sensual writing, the story itself was ultimately underwhelming. Being subtitled "The Story of a Murderer" seemed to imply some suspense. However, the plot was predictable more often than not. Grenouille's cave era was the only part of Perfume that truly surprised at every turn. Sadly, the cave era was a short-lived segment of the novel.
Overall, Perfume is a classic horror story that would fit happily on the shelves alongside titles such as Dracula or Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. However, this horror story ultimately was not to my taste. The incredible misogyny - which does fit the monstrous characterization of Grenouille - was something that I personally found incredibly grating. At this point in my life, I am tired of reading "classics" in any genre that are so deeply steeped in hatred for women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Stalking, Death, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Animal cruelty, and Pregnancy
pigro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Addiction, Stalking, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Violence
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (French for frog) is born in eighteenth-century France, & immediately abandoned to die. His mother is arrested & executed, & Jean-Baptiste farmed out to various wet-nurses who all accuse him of being greedy & unnaturally without odor. Finally sent to an orphanage run by a woman with no sense of smell, Grenouille grows up to become a tanner's apprentice.
He seems hardworking & humble, with a keen sense of smell & a talent for survival, but he is scheming beneath the façade & eventually becomes apprentice to a parfumier. There his talent for recognising & combining scents put his master on the road to riches, but Grenouille is looking for the perfect scent. He finds it one day in the form of a young girl whom he murders, & this is just the start of his killings.
If there was one word to sum up this book it would be "creepy". Everything about it is just off. To me, there seemed something profoundly misogynistic about it. Some of the older women were referred to in less than complimentary terms whilst the young virgin girls were described in extremely sexualised terms (such as when a father laments that he is his daughter's father & not a stranger who could sleep with her as she is so beautiful?!!), & as smelling different to those who were no longer virginal. There was no such comparison for men.
Then there's the spontaneous orgy at an execution (I'm not even kidding), & the ending is just ridiculous. It's a book ticked off the 'To Read' list but I can't recommend it & I definitely wouldn't re-read it.
TW: cannibalism, murder, animal cruelty/death, misogyny, paedophila, stalking.
He seems hardworking & humble, with a keen sense of smell & a talent for survival, but he is scheming beneath the façade & eventually becomes apprentice to a parfumier. There his talent for recognising & combining scents put his master on the road to riches, but Grenouille is looking for the perfect scent. He finds it one day in the form of a young girl whom he murders, & this is just the start of his killings.
If there was one word to sum up this book it would be "creepy". Everything about it is just off. To me, there seemed something profoundly misogynistic about it. Some of the older women were referred to in less than complimentary terms whilst the young virgin girls were described in extremely sexualised terms (such as when a father laments that he is his daughter's father & not a stranger who could sleep with her as she is so beautiful?!!), & as smelling different to those who were no longer virginal. There was no such comparison for men.
Then there's the spontaneous orgy at an execution (I'm not even kidding), & the ending is just ridiculous. It's a book ticked off the 'To Read' list but I can't recommend it & I definitely wouldn't re-read it.
TW: cannibalism, murder, animal cruelty/death, misogyny, paedophila, stalking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Stalking
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
poloniumblood's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Stalking, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Vomit, and Physical abuse
wocthehell's review against another edition
dark
slow-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
2.75
(++) 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 ofa 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
(++) 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
(––) 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
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Alcoholism
sofipitch's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I liked how sensual the book was, and I'm a fan of the magical realism genre so I do like that story telling style. But there was also a lot I didn't like about the book. I almost put it down after first picking it up because I felt like the way Grenouille was written was ableist. He isn't explicitly disabled but some of the things intended to make him scary just feel like describing an autistic person. But I gave this book the benefit of the doubt but then encountered casual racism, in the use of the word "n-word-ly" used in the narrative, there's another racist section about the Romanian and jewish ppl, which might have been on purpose by the author to show how stupid the thinking in 1700s France was, but it's hard to tell and at this point the author is getting a LOT of benefit of the doubt. There's also the fact that no female character even talks, they mostly just serve to get murdered and aren't described unless to fetishize their beauty, which just rubbed me the wrong way. The pace of the book also made no sense, the climax and falling action just felt really anti-climactic and poorly thought out. A lot of the action and what's described in this book seems just for shock value rather than having any literary merit. I like the writing style and the setting but I think if that were taken away it's just meh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Cannibalism, and Stalking
Moderate: Excrement and Misogyny
Minor: Racial slurs and Antisemitism
liilykke's review against another edition
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
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.
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 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
Graphic: Murder and Gore
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
laurapeirs's review against another edition
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
Moderate: Cannibalism, Murder, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Body horror
Minor: Incest, War, Torture, Stalking, Sexual violence, Gore, Child death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Pedophilia