A review by mh_doma
Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn

dark funny hopeful fast-paced

5.0

This novel was so lovingly crafted. It is the sort of narrative that was written with a specific audience in mind, and let me tell you, it definitely landed. A literary novel featuring lesbian satire, pulp references, and community discourse while exploring addiction, relationship abuse, and mental health. I have never read lesbian satire and found it absolutely delightful. Astrid was unbelievably well written. She is such a highly flawed person who is often self-centered and reductive but at the same time very sympathetic. I was extremely touched by how Dorn handled Astrid’s experiences with abusive relationships and the person that she grew into by the end of the narrative. I definitely will be thinking about this novel for a long time—off to my all-time favorites list it goes!