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 Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks.
Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead.
Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation...
One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy!
Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks.
Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead.
Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation...
One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy!
Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works.
Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan.
A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour.
What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me!
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks. Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead. Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation... One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy! Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works. Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan. A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour. What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me! "How long did a pigeon live?", 14 Jun 2005
After a rocky childhood as a result of World War II, Jonathan Noel had a good two decades of plain existence. He has been renting a room for that time and even though he does not even have a private bathroom he has decided to buy it. He works as doorman at a bank and day after day he follows the exact same schedule. But now that he is in his fifties, things are about to change. One Friday morning in the month of August 1984, while he was on his way to the bathroom, Jonathan sees a pigeon outside the door of his room and goes into panic. He is afraid that pigeons will overtake the apartment and he does not dare kill it. The pigeon causes a revolution in the main character's life that is baffling, but the metaphor is hard to miss. Jonathan embarks in a series of crazy plans to evade the object that causes his strain, going as far as moving into a hotel, even though he cannot afford it. Once more Suskind shows his ability for delving into the psyche of his characters and providing his readers with awesome insight. When we add to this author's writing ability to the mix, the result is more than satisfactory. This book in particular reminded me of the works of my favorite writer, Dostoevsky, since the Russian's main characters often enter a vicious circle in which they thinking something bad will happen and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can only be prevented through great determination and effort. For those that have not read Suskind before, this is a good a place to start as any, and of course, make sure to not disregard his masterpiece "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Those that do know him already understand what I am talking about!
A journey into the paranoia of a lonely man, 12 Jul 2002
Having read Perfume some years back I was intrigued by Pigeon would it be as memorable ? Having devoured it in one sitting I can say his work is just as visually intense as Perfume and from an emotional viewpoint you wonder about the earlier parts of our security guard's life as the story although good could have been longer... or is that just greedy?
small and beautiful, 18 Aug 2000
A short novel which can be read very quickly. It's funny, imaginative and well written.
Such elegant writing, 18 May 1999
I fell across this book by accident but am I glad i did, it is such a moving account of a short period in one man's life, a man who doesn't have much at all, but proves to hold your interest intensely. Read it and feel like your there.
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks. Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead. Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation... One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy! Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works. Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan. A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour. What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me! "How long did a pigeon live?", 14 Jun 2005
After a rocky childhood as a result of World War II, Jonathan Noel had a good two decades of plain existence. He has been renting a room for that time and even though he does not even have a private bathroom he has decided to buy it. He works as doorman at a bank and day after day he follows the exact same schedule. But now that he is in his fifties, things are about to change. One Friday morning in the month of August 1984, while he was on his way to the bathroom, Jonathan sees a pigeon outside the door of his room and goes into panic. He is afraid that pigeons will overtake the apartment and he does not dare kill it. The pigeon causes a revolution in the main character's life that is baffling, but the metaphor is hard to miss. Jonathan embarks in a series of crazy plans to evade the object that causes his strain, going as far as moving into a hotel, even though he cannot afford it. Once more Suskind shows his ability for delving into the psyche of his characters and providing his readers with awesome insight. When we add to this author's writing ability to the mix, the result is more than satisfactory. This book in particular reminded me of the works of my favorite writer, Dostoevsky, since the Russian's main characters often enter a vicious circle in which they thinking something bad will happen and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can only be prevented through great determination and effort. For those that have not read Suskind before, this is a good a place to start as any, and of course, make sure to not disregard his masterpiece "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Those that do know him already understand what I am talking about!
A journey into the paranoia of a lonely man, 12 Jul 2002
Having read Perfume some years back I was intrigued by Pigeon would it be as memorable ? Having devoured it in one sitting I can say his work is just as visually intense as Perfume and from an emotional viewpoint you wonder about the earlier parts of our security guard's life as the story although good could have been longer... or is that just greedy?
small and beautiful, 18 Aug 2000
A short novel which can be read very quickly. It's funny, imaginative and well written.
Such elegant writing, 18 May 1999
I fell across this book by accident but am I glad i did, it is such a moving account of a short period in one man's life, a man who doesn't have much at all, but proves to hold your interest intensely. Read it and feel like your there.
Beautifully written, 19 May 2008
I have nothing but praise for this beautifully written book. It's amazing how one can write about something that can only be smelt so realistically. The story is of an outsider and is portrayed not as someone that likes nothing and no-one but someone who is obsessed only with the world of scent.
Bit of trivia for Nirvana fans, this book was one of Cobain's favourites and the song 'scentless apprentice' was based on it. There you go if theres any reason to read it......
The aroma of the soul, 24 Feb 2008
There is good for reason for Penguin to reissue this novel as a 'Modern Classic'. It is a work of real imagination, evocatively written and beautifully crafted.
I read it back in 1992 and returned to it when the film was released (worth seeing incidentally). I'd forgotten just how captivating the narrative was, and how fine the writing needed to be to sustain the outrageous central idea: of murder in the cause of bottling the perfume of the soul.
Give yourself a treat and buy it.
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks. Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead. Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation... One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy! Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works. Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan. A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour. What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me! "How long did a pigeon live?", 14 Jun 2005
After a rocky childhood as a result of World War II, Jonathan Noel had a good two decades of plain existence. He has been renting a room for that time and even though he does not even have a private bathroom he has decided to buy it. He works as doorman at a bank and day after day he follows the exact same schedule. But now that he is in his fifties, things are about to change. One Friday morning in the month of August 1984, while he was on his way to the bathroom, Jonathan sees a pigeon outside the door of his room and goes into panic. He is afraid that pigeons will overtake the apartment and he does not dare kill it. The pigeon causes a revolution in the main character's life that is baffling, but the metaphor is hard to miss. Jonathan embarks in a series of crazy plans to evade the object that causes his strain, going as far as moving into a hotel, even though he cannot afford it. Once more Suskind shows his ability for delving into the psyche of his characters and providing his readers with awesome insight. When we add to this author's writing ability to the mix, the result is more than satisfactory. This book in particular reminded me of the works of my favorite writer, Dostoevsky, since the Russian's main characters often enter a vicious circle in which they thinking something bad will happen and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can only be prevented through great determination and effort. For those that have not read Suskind before, this is a good a place to start as any, and of course, make sure to not disregard his masterpiece "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Those that do know him already understand what I am talking about!
A journey into the paranoia of a lonely man, 12 Jul 2002
Having read Perfume some years back I was intrigued by Pigeon would it be as memorable ? Having devoured it in one sitting I can say his work is just as visually intense as Perfume and from an emotional viewpoint you wonder about the earlier parts of our security guard's life as the story although good could have been longer... or is that just greedy?
small and beautiful, 18 Aug 2000
A short novel which can be read very quickly. It's funny, imaginative and well written.
Such elegant writing, 18 May 1999
I fell across this book by accident but am I glad i did, it is such a moving account of a short period in one man's life, a man who doesn't have much at all, but proves to hold your interest intensely. Read it and feel like your there.
Beautifully written, 19 May 2008
I have nothing but praise for this beautifully written book. It's amazing how one can write about something that can only be smelt so realistically. The story is of an outsider and is portrayed not as someone that likes nothing and no-one but someone who is obsessed only with the world of scent.
Bit of trivia for Nirvana fans, this book was one of Cobain's favourites and the song 'scentless apprentice' was based on it. There you go if theres any reason to read it......
The aroma of the soul, 24 Feb 2008
There is good for reason for Penguin to reissue this novel as a 'Modern Classic'. It is a work of real imagination, evocatively written and beautifully crafted.
I read it back in 1992 and returned to it when the film was released (worth seeing incidentally). I'd forgotten just how captivating the narrative was, and how fine the writing needed to be to sustain the outrageous central idea: of murder in the cause of bottling the perfume of the soul.
Give yourself a treat and buy it.
This little book has changed my life, 11 Dec 2006
I had always thought that it couldn't possibly make sense to link the happiness of love with feelings of melancholy and sadness. I couldn't understand why even the most upbeat love songs could make me feel like crying, sometimes. It took the genius of the author of PERFUME , Patrick Suskind, to explain in this little masterpiece what true love really means: knowing that we are always only a tiny and very precious step away from its sister - death. We can't cherish one without the other. Thank you, Patrick Suskind, for explaining one of life's confusing mysteries, in such a beautiful and simple way. I bought five as Christmas presents, and will buy just as many for Valentine's - for my lover and a few exes, too....
Anyone in love will never need this book, 17 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
Anyone in love will never need this book, 16 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks. Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead. Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation... One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy! Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works. Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan. A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour. What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me! "How long did a pigeon live?", 14 Jun 2005
After a rocky childhood as a result of World War II, Jonathan Noel had a good two decades of plain existence. He has been renting a room for that time and even though he does not even have a private bathroom he has decided to buy it. He works as doorman at a bank and day after day he follows the exact same schedule. But now that he is in his fifties, things are about to change. One Friday morning in the month of August 1984, while he was on his way to the bathroom, Jonathan sees a pigeon outside the door of his room and goes into panic. He is afraid that pigeons will overtake the apartment and he does not dare kill it. The pigeon causes a revolution in the main character's life that is baffling, but the metaphor is hard to miss. Jonathan embarks in a series of crazy plans to evade the object that causes his strain, going as far as moving into a hotel, even though he cannot afford it. Once more Suskind shows his ability for delving into the psyche of his characters and providing his readers with awesome insight. When we add to this author's writing ability to the mix, the result is more than satisfactory. This book in particular reminded me of the works of my favorite writer, Dostoevsky, since the Russian's main characters often enter a vicious circle in which they thinking something bad will happen and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can only be prevented through great determination and effort. For those that have not read Suskind before, this is a good a place to start as any, and of course, make sure to not disregard his masterpiece "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Those that do know him already understand what I am talking about!
A journey into the paranoia of a lonely man, 12 Jul 2002
Having read Perfume some years back I was intrigued by Pigeon would it be as memorable ? Having devoured it in one sitting I can say his work is just as visually intense as Perfume and from an emotional viewpoint you wonder about the earlier parts of our security guard's life as the story although good could have been longer... or is that just greedy?
small and beautiful, 18 Aug 2000
A short novel which can be read very quickly. It's funny, imaginative and well written.
Such elegant writing, 18 May 1999
I fell across this book by accident but am I glad i did, it is such a moving account of a short period in one man's life, a man who doesn't have much at all, but proves to hold your interest intensely. Read it and feel like your there.
Beautifully written, 19 May 2008
I have nothing but praise for this beautifully written book. It's amazing how one can write about something that can only be smelt so realistically. The story is of an outsider and is portrayed not as someone that likes nothing and no-one but someone who is obsessed only with the world of scent.
Bit of trivia for Nirvana fans, this book was one of Cobain's favourites and the song 'scentless apprentice' was based on it. There you go if theres any reason to read it......
The aroma of the soul, 24 Feb 2008
There is good for reason for Penguin to reissue this novel as a 'Modern Classic'. It is a work of real imagination, evocatively written and beautifully crafted.
I read it back in 1992 and returned to it when the film was released (worth seeing incidentally). I'd forgotten just how captivating the narrative was, and how fine the writing needed to be to sustain the outrageous central idea: of murder in the cause of bottling the perfume of the soul.
Give yourself a treat and buy it.
This little book has changed my life, 11 Dec 2006
I had always thought that it couldn't possibly make sense to link the happiness of love with feelings of melancholy and sadness. I couldn't understand why even the most upbeat love songs could make me feel like crying, sometimes. It took the genius of the author of PERFUME , Patrick Suskind, to explain in this little masterpiece what true love really means: knowing that we are always only a tiny and very precious step away from its sister - death. We can't cherish one without the other. Thank you, Patrick Suskind, for explaining one of life's confusing mysteries, in such a beautiful and simple way. I bought five as Christmas presents, and will buy just as many for Valentine's - for my lover and a few exes, too....
Anyone in love will never need this book, 17 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
Anyone in love will never need this book, 16 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
witty, knowing and unpretentious , 13 Jul 2006
This is an all too brief collection of short stories by the author of the genuinely perfect novel Perfume. It will not only prove to fans and newcomers that Patrick Suskind is hilarious and literate, but will also reassure the former that the man is just as witty, knowing and unpretentious as we all assumed he was. All four tales are refreshing, sardonic and an easy read; each illustrating that every human's postive view of itself is a mask to hide the needs and imperfections we probably shouldn't be ashamed of anyway. Hilarious.
Simply beautiful., 27 Aug 2003
I loved reading these pieces. I am resisting giving five stars only because I am reserving five for those books that completely sweep me off my feet (Philippe Djian's "Betty Blue" would be my only definite five, off the top of my head!). However, Suskind's four pieces are absolutely superb, totally accomplished, polished without seeming "worked", just effortlessly a joy. "Depth Wish" is wry in its observation of the nature of criticism. The scope of the story is small, its power for me in the beautiful writing and in the gentle humour. There are some beautifully funny lines, but, I stress again, there is no feel of effort to the humour, it reads entirely naturally, not "clever". "A Battle", again, wry in its humour, sharp in its observation of human nature, and written in an engaging, fresh, natural prose style that is a pleasure to read. "Maitre Mussard's Bequest" was perhaps the least engaging of the pieces, for me, perhaps because its content felt so much larger than that of the previous two, exposing a world truth through the eyes of a decrepit individual; but still I enjoyed the writing. My favourite piece was certainly "Amnesia in Litteris", with which I'm sure any reader can identify. I, too, look at my book shelves, and though I've read around 50% of the books there, I can vividly remember only a tiny proportion of them. It's sad, and I was worried, until I read this, and felt that Suskind, too, is a victim of this lack of recollection. There must be many of us! Ironically, this will be a piece I know I will remember vividly for a very long time, and one I will recommend to fellow readers. I have "Perfume" to read next, but after this, my introduction to Suskind, I will be laying my hands on his (too few) other works very soon.
Another gem from the author of Perfume, 19 Feb 2002
Like most fans of Patrick Suskind books, my first introduction to his books was "Perfume". I've since read everything that I could get my hands on. I certainly wasn't disappointed with "Three stories and a reflection". "Depth Wish" is a darkly amusing view of the subjective nature of criticism. A well meaning critic whilst admiring the style of a young artist suggests that her work lacks depth. This leads to an outcome both surprising and inevitable. In another story the impregnable confidence of the town chess champion is challenged and eroded by a young charismatic chess player. Ironically the most memorable story, or perhaps reflection, is "Amnesia in Litteris". In it the author discovers some mysterious comments in the margin of a book. The realisation that he made the comments himself lead him to reflect on the effect books have on us. My only criticism is there aren't more stories. Every Patrick Suskind story has left its mark on me. I'm just loath to give any book 5 stars.
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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
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Patrick Suskind;
1996-02-12;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £6.99
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
Whether the blame lies with Suskind or his translator I am unsure, but I found the writing clumsy and cliched.
Suskind deserves praise for the ambition of the novel and as a handbook on the perfume-making process it has considerable merit.
The plot is nothing special and many of the ideas are unbelievable even in a fantastical sense - people mistaking an alluring smell for physical beauty, or people only noticing the protagonist when he smells for example. I think if you write a novel that depends upon magical realism then it has to be watertight and, for me, this novel just isn't clever enough. It feels like a second draft that could have been excellent if it had been rewritten a couple of times more.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is the writing that really stinks. Partial Beauty. (SPOILERS), 06 Jul 2008
It is rare for me to say I preferred the film to a book.
However, in the case of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, I clearly admit to preferring the movie adaptation. In the film we follow a young man brought up in terrible conditions, with an acute sense of smell which he puts to bad use in his attempt to create the most beautiful perfume: purely made of human innocence. After murdering 25 beautiful virgins, and capturing the adoration of a town's poplice through the most beautiful scent, he experiences the revelation of how wrong he has been. That love is the highest power. Hence, in repentence, he pours the rest of his perfume over his body and lets some townspeople ravage him to death.
Unfortunately, in the book the protoganist is cold-hearted and entirely unlikeable. You do not feel for his situation whatsoever, and truely begin to despise him. Furthermore, there is no revelation for him. He kills himself in exactly the same way but merely because he has created the best perfume in the world and he no longer has a purpose in life. No remorse, no regret. An utter bastard.
That aside, however, Suskind has written a beautiful detailed narrative, rich with thought and eloquence and capturing the world of scent in perfection. (although occasionally he does wither on too long about a character's thoughts and feelings).
A good read, but I'd say watch the film instead. Beautifully written, 20 Apr 2008
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It looses nothing in the translation... One of my favorite books, 07 Apr 2008
This book is truly unique. It was hard to get into but once you get used to the style of writing you cannot put it down. What is so different about it is not so much the story telling. The main enjoyment was that it really did making me think of my sense of smell. I have never read another book like it. Must buy! Random but unique tale, 14 Mar 2008
A totally obscure topic; bizarre, but absorbing.
The story follows a nobody, with a remarkable sense of smell, who is prepared to do whatever it takes to become somebody.
Baffled as to the point of the tale in the grand scheme of things! Still, a light-hearted, fun read, despite its macabre themes of pungent pongs, and frivolous killings!
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works. Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan. A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour. What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me! "How long did a pigeon live?", 14 Jun 2005
After a rocky childhood as a result of World War II, Jonathan Noel had a good two decades of plain existence. He has been renting a room for that time and even though he does not even have a private bathroom he has decided to buy it. He works as doorman at a bank and day after day he follows the exact same schedule. But now that he is in his fifties, things are about to change. One Friday morning in the month of August 1984, while he was on his way to the bathroom, Jonathan sees a pigeon outside the door of his room and goes into panic. He is afraid that pigeons will overtake the apartment and he does not dare kill it. The pigeon causes a revolution in the main character's life that is baffling, but the metaphor is hard to miss. Jonathan embarks in a series of crazy plans to evade the object that causes his strain, going as far as moving into a hotel, even though he cannot afford it. Once more Suskind shows his ability for delving into the psyche of his characters and providing his readers with awesome insight. When we add to this author's writing ability to the mix, the result is more than satisfactory. This book in particular reminded me of the works of my favorite writer, Dostoevsky, since the Russian's main characters often enter a vicious circle in which they thinking something bad will happen and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can only be prevented through great determination and effort. For those that have not read Suskind before, this is a good a place to start as any, and of course, make sure to not disregard his masterpiece "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Those that do know him already understand what I am talking about!
A journey into the paranoia of a lonely man, 12 Jul 2002
Having read Perfume some years back I was intrigued by Pigeon would it be as memorable ? Having devoured it in one sitting I can say his work is just as visually intense as Perfume and from an emotional viewpoint you wonder about the earlier parts of our security guard's life as the story although good could have been longer... or is that just greedy?
small and beautiful, 18 Aug 2000
A short novel which can be read very quickly. It's funny, imaginative and well written.
Such elegant writing, 18 May 1999
I fell across this book by accident but am I glad i did, it is such a moving account of a short period in one man's life, a man who doesn't have much at all, but proves to hold your interest intensely. Read it and feel like your there.
Beautifully written, 19 May 2008
I have nothing but praise for this beautifully written book. It's amazing how one can write about something that can only be smelt so realistically. The story is of an outsider and is portrayed not as someone that likes nothing and no-one but someone who is obsessed only with the world of scent.
Bit of trivia for Nirvana fans, this book was one of Cobain's favourites and the song 'scentless apprentice' was based on it. There you go if theres any reason to read it......
The aroma of the soul, 24 Feb 2008
There is good for reason for Penguin to reissue this novel as a 'Modern Classic'. It is a work of real imagination, evocatively written and beautifully crafted.
I read it back in 1992 and returned to it when the film was released (worth seeing incidentally). I'd forgotten just how captivating the narrative was, and how fine the writing needed to be to sustain the outrageous central idea: of murder in the cause of bottling the perfume of the soul.
Give yourself a treat and buy it.
This little book has changed my life, 11 Dec 2006
I had always thought that it couldn't possibly make sense to link the happiness of love with feelings of melancholy and sadness. I couldn't understand why even the most upbeat love songs could make me feel like crying, sometimes. It took the genius of the author of PERFUME , Patrick Suskind, to explain in this little masterpiece what true love really means: knowing that we are always only a tiny and very precious step away from its sister - death. We can't cherish one without the other. Thank you, Patrick Suskind, for explaining one of life's confusing mysteries, in such a beautiful and simple way. I bought five as Christmas presents, and will buy just as many for Valentine's - for my lover and a few exes, too....
Anyone in love will never need this book, 17 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
Anyone in love will never need this book, 16 Nov 2006
Love is the union of two solitudes, a natural event for any species that is not parthenogenic; sadly, Suskind seems to think love is an expression of selfishness that mimics the nihilism of death.
In his view, there is an erotic link between love and death. True, for a sorry few. For others who are fortunate, love is an awakening, a rebirth, a surging of shared confidence that makes anything and everything in the world not only possible but worth trying. Love makes people happy to go singing in the rain; too bad Tristan and Isolde didn't share this optimism. Nothing is impossible for anyone in love, as most who have been in love already know.
Suskind thinks of love in terms of death. To counter this, look at a little kitten who rolls onto its back to have its tummy tickled. Kitten, cat, lion or human, all have a similar need for gentle touch and complete trust based on a shared love between tickler and ticklee. It's what love is all about; trust without having to verify. As I recall, "trust but verify" is common sense in loveless business dealings and European cynicism in human relations.
He equates love with death. Perhaps it is to shock a trusting reader into considering the impossible, the better to understand reality. Perhaps he believes death is the ultimate form of love. This is a real view. The Rev. Jim Jones convinced almost a thousand people a quarter century ago that the ultimate love was to drink the Kool-Ade he prepared. Other cult leaders have had a similar impact on lonely, depressed, forlorn and lost souls.
It makes this a very sad book. Perhaps this is European sophistication, always able to see the negative in any situation, always able to cry on sunny days because later it will rain. Europeans have a lot of experience of looking at the dark side of life, a fact well known among the Germans; they can't understand the perennial American spirit of optimism and hope.
Looking for love? The answer isn't in dying; death isn't the ultimate expression of love. Looking for death? Fall in love, and you'll want to live forever; fall in love, and you'll forever be 12, or 20, or 40, or 80, whatever age it happens. Fall in love, and you never age.
Anyone in love will never need this book. Anyone looking for love will find it depressing, sad and pointless. Both will find it a curious exercise in irrelevance. Perhaps that is why it fascinates. How can so little be written about so much with such insouciance?
witty, knowing and unpretentious , 13 Jul 2006
This is an all too brief collection of short stories by the author of the genuinely perfect novel Perfume. It will not only prove to fans and newcomers that Patrick Suskind is hilarious and literate, but will also reassure the former that the man is just as witty, knowing and unpretentious as we all assumed he was. All four tales are refreshing, sardonic and an easy read; each illustrating that every human's postive view of itself is a mask to hide the needs and imperfections we probably shouldn't be ashamed of anyway. Hilarious.
Simply beautiful., 27 Aug 2003
I loved reading these pieces. I am resisting giving five stars only because I am reserving five for those books that completely sweep me off my feet (Philippe Djian's "Betty Blue" would be my only definite five, off the top of my head!). However, Suskind's four pieces are absolutely superb, totally accomplished, polished without seeming "worked", just effortlessly a joy. "Depth Wish" is wry in its observation of the nature of criticism. The scope of the story is small, its power for me in the beautiful writing and in the gentle humour. There are some beautifully funny lines, but, I stress again, there is no feel of effort to the humour, it reads entirely naturally, not "clever". "A Battle", again, wry in its humour, sharp in its observation of human nature, and written in an engaging, fresh, natural prose style that is a pleasure to read. "Maitre Mussard's Bequest" was perhaps the least engaging of the pieces, for me, perhaps because its content felt so much larger than that of the previous two, exposing a world truth through the eyes of a decrepit individual; but still I enjoyed the writing. My favourite piece was certainly "Amnesia in Litteris", with which I'm sure any reader can identify. I, too, look at my book shelves, and though I've read around 50% of the books there, I can vividly remember only a tiny proportion of them. It's sad, and I was worried, until I read this, and felt that Suskind, too, is a victim of this lack of recollection. There must be many of us! Ironically, this will be a piece I know I will remember vividly for a very long time, and one I will recommend to fellow readers. I have "Perfume" to read next, but after this, my introduction to Suskind, I will be laying my hands on his (too few) other works very soon.
Another gem from the author of Perfume, 19 Feb 2002
Like most fans of Patrick Suskind books, my first introduction to his books was "Perfume". I've since read everything that I could get my hands on. I certainly wasn't disappointed with "Three stories and a reflection". "Depth Wish" is a darkly amusing view of the subjective nature of criticism. A well meaning critic whilst admiring the style of a young artist suggests that her work lacks depth. This leads to an outcome both surprising and inevitable. In another story the impregnable confidence of the town chess champion is challenged and eroded by a young charismatic chess player. Ironically the most memorable story, or perhaps reflection, is "Amnesia in Litteris". In it the author discovers some mysterious comments in the margin of a book. The realisation that he made the comments himself lead him to reflect on the effect books have on us. My only criticism is there aren't more stories. Every Patrick Suskind story has left its mark on me. I'm just loath to give any book 5 stars.
I couldn't finish it, 24 Oct 2008
Normally I wouldn't have the audacity to judge a book without finishing it, but I really couldn't tolerate another page. The written style of this book is grating and awkward, and I felt like going through it with a red pen, then keeping the copy editor in for detention.
The long and short is that it's badly written. The dialogue isn't just stilted; it's mounted on a unicycle. I don't know if person translating it into English is a native speaker, but the narrative voice certainly isn't. How are we supposed to pay attention to the story with all this going on?
Dear Patrick Süskind, I'm sorry for judging your book so harshly, but you really should choose a better translator for your future works.
Overrated, 26 Jul 2008
A weird and unsettling book. It included some tedious description about things I found uninteresting (the ways purfumers distill/mix their scents etc) and this put me off (I was tempted to skip paragraphs). It was, however, creepy and off-beat enough to keep me focused and so I read until the end.
There is also alot of build-up and background info regarding the protangonist. This was good to a degree in setting the characterisation and atmosphere, but disappointing in that it didn't get to the meat and potatoes of the action (the multiple murders!) until quite near the end. I found this to be an anti-climax.
The ending left me feeling slightly unsettled and glad that the book was over and I could read something else.
Although I wouldn't call it absolutely 'gripping', it did interest me enough to read on and see what happened in the end (although to be fair, my time probably could have been better spent doing other things).
All in all, an overrated book but worth a look perhaps if you want something unusual.
Chillingly brilliant, 12 Jul 2008
It's been a while since I read a book that has truly shocked me: 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind is a disturbing and original novel. Set in 18th century France, this is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grunouille, who has a super-human sense of smell but no natural body-odour of his own. He obsessively murders beautiful virgins (whose scent he finds appealing) in order to create the perfect perfume. The book is written in a way that makes me feel like it should be `smelt' rather than read because of all the different smells described. The narrator, disturbingly, makes you sympathise with the main character, a chilling murderer with a twisted plan.
A book to savour, 16 May 2008
It's an extraordinary book. When a book is a classic, you just know it right there. This one is. It is beautifully written and very original. I read it in Russian and Dutch and loved both translations. It may sound elitist, but I believe, one has to be an aesthete to be able to appreciate this book. Those who like dynamic page turners will be disappointed. It's a book to savour.
What a story!, 28 Feb 2008
I am so glad that I had the chance to read the book before Perfume became a film! The film is fantastic.... but the book is even better! Usually I would give a quick synopsis of the book, but I really don't know how to go about doing it without twittering on and giving it all away! Just read this book.... trust me!
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Perfume
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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Amazon: £4.99
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Customer Reviews
It stinks, 28 Oct 2008
What surprises me about some of the other reviews for this book is praise for the prose.
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