Perfume: The Story of Murder [Paperback]

Patrick Suskind (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1991

When critics and readers caught scent of Patrick Suskind's Perfume, it became an instant New York Times bestseller in hardcover and paperback. The reviews were sensational, word-of-mouth was incredible--and now it is back in an all-new trade paperback format. "A tour de force of the imagination."--People.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Penguin's unabridged production of this international best seller is a thoroughly captivating production. Suskind's demented protagonist, Jean-Baptist Grenouille, is a "gifted abomination" whose highly developed sense of smell could easily make him the greatest perfumer of all time. Given the general stench of 18th-century cities, good perfumers were held in high regard. However, Grenouille the misfit, scorned by society throughout his life, hasn't the heart to create pretty perfumes for society's elite. When he finally does earn the adoration of the masses through his twisted genius, he decides that he would much prefer to "exterminate all these stupid, stinking people from the earth." Reader Sean Barrett does not overdramatize the often sensational events here but instead relates them with a measured, detached air that perfectly captures Suskind's cool tone. Also, his reserved narrative style allows listeners to appreciate Suskind's expert use of language (passages from this novel can be found in dictionaries of similes). This extraordinary production is highly recommended for all serious fiction collections.?Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A fable of crimial genius.... Remarkable." —The New York Times

"Mesmerizing from first page to last.... A highly sophisticated horror tale." —The Plain Dealer

"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable and rich in historical detail." —The San Francisco Chronicle

"An original and astonishing novel." —People

"An ingenious story...about a most exotic monster.... Suspense build up steadily." —Los Angeles Times

"Immensely seductive.... Storytelling at its best." —The Kansas City Star --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671749609
• ISBN-13: 978-0671749606
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (475 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

215 of 229 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A HAUNTING AND MESMERIZING TOUR DE FORCE, March 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Perfume: The Story of Murder (Paperback)

In 18th century France, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born with no scent of his own, but with with a supernatural ability to detect the scent of others is driven to murder in order to create the perfect perfume. This extraordinarily original premise encompasses the most elegant, aristocratic and erotic novel I have ever read. Flawlessly written and drenched in irony, Perfume tells a haunting tale of a man reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast (beast), and even Faust. Amd finally! A writer with enough talent to let us experience Grenouille's thoughts and emotions. Although, of course, identification with him is impossible, (Grenouille is the most chilling character in literature) I did manage to understand Grenouille's all-consuming passion, much to Suskind's credit. Suskind's prose is lush and evokative (the decadance of 18th century France simply comes alive) without spilling over into the purple prose of books like Violin or The English Patient. Perfume is a bizarre tale, but it is also lyrical and hypnotic--almost a fairy tale of terror. If you're looking for something different, something special, I highly recommend Perfume. The only other book I've found to equal it in originality is Jose Saramago's Blindness. Perfume, however, remains my alltime favorite.

112 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, but not quite a Masterpiece, December 4, 2001

By 

richard_t "richard_t" (Overseas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Paperback)

When the first english language version of "Perfume" was released in 1986, readers went crazy. Many placed it among the best books they'd ever read, myself included. A reread, fifteen years later yields a different, more muted, reaction. The book is good, very good. But it is not great.

"Perfume" succeeds so well because the premise is so startlingly novel. An olfactory genius in 18th-century Paris who can make a fortune creating perfumes more complicated and subtle than any ever made, is a sociopathic monster. Or as Suskind describes him, a "tick" who can roll up into a defensive ball or periodically drop himself into society. Grenouille is a compelling and disturbing character because Suskind has painted him in such realistic tones. Each effort to capture a new scent impels him farther, taking more chances and testing his limits, exploiting new techniques and his own criminal daring. This is true criminal pattern and makes Grenouille terrifyingly believable.

But the book can not be a great one, because Suskind's prose tends toward the overdone. Perhaps it reads better in the original German, but his maddening penchant for rephrasing and repeating the same notion and turning a sentence into a paragraph finally dulls the senses and sets the reader skimming along searching for the next important point.

The plot is so unique that it is brilliant. The execution is powerful, not only in Grenouille's characterization, but also because Suskind has done his homework and is smoothly at ease with 18th century mores and the science of perfume. But the squishy repetitive prose and unfocused paragraphs keep "Perfume" from joining the ranks of literary masterpieces.

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the strangest books you'll ever read, April 15, 2003

By 

RMurray847 "afilmcritic.com" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Paperback)

Almost impossible to describe, PERFUME is one of the oddest and most unique books you'll ever read. Set centuries ago, if follows the life of a very emotionally crippled child (later adult) with a hugely sensitive sense of smell. Our "hero" becomes a master perfume maker and almost becomes dangerously obsessed with making a perfume that captures the essence, the very purity of a lovely virgin. Weird, huh?

The book, though compared to "literature" by some of the reviews here, moves very quickly and doesn't feel difficult to read at all. It does take a lot of time telling you about the manufacture of perfumes, but to be quite honest, this stuff is VERY fascinating the way it is presented here.

The book has moments of dry humor, moments of drama, and moments of pure, over-the-top grotesqueness. You've never read a book with a main character anything remotely like this. You've never followed a plot at all similar. And the ending is unexpected as well. It's not exactly a "feel-good" read, but when you're done, you'll have the unusual feeling of having gone down a literary road that's never been traveled before.

Highly, highly recommended. Just keep an open mind!!!