Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Parfymen by Patrick Süskind

72 reviews

bookishevy's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

I added this book to my TBR when I learned that it was one of Kurt Cobain's favorite reads. When I saw that it was included in my Audible, I downloaded it immediately and was introduced to my most-hated character yet. 

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born in the slums of 18th-century France with a superhuman sense of smell. As a boy, he lives for the odors of Paris. He apprentices himself to prominent perfumer Baldini, who teaches him how to mix precious herbs and oils. The first chapter of the book focuses on how everyone stinks in France during this time, so perfume sales are at an all-time high. He makes Baldini a lot of money. 

But that's not enough for Grenouille. He wants to capture the smells of everyday objects. His obsession graduates to wanting to create the "ultimate perfume"—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. 

I added this to my list of creepy reads because Grenouille heebied TF outta my jeebies. He's a hateful, little man, capable of doing depraved things as he seeks to preserve the virgins' odors in a bottle. Odors that inspire love, something his repulsive self has never felt. He experiments with animals before going on a killing spree to maintain these young women's scents. 

My biggest concern was that Grenouille would get away with it. Hell, he doesn't even want to get away with it. He's sick of people. He welcomes death. But one must never underestimate the power of a good scent. It could make you do things you wouldn't normally do. Like, have an orgy in the town square 🥴 

I wanted Grenouille to hang, but the ending was far more poetic. 

Nigel Patterson's voice was made for narration. So crisp. 🤌🏾 

I recommend this disturbing read to anyone interested in the origins of serial killers and can appreciate how scents transport us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder

disguisedposer's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

amaa's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

4.0

I'm not gonna say anything really, except the last third of this book is probably the reason l need therapy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Cannibalism, and Abandonment

tigertheory's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

unsure why this was such a hit. Sure, style is great, but the plot was so boring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, and Alcohol

Minor: Incest and Stalking

atalea's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Pedophilia, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Incest, Suicide, Torture, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy

emmaaa_umbrella's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

literally what

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Death of parent, and Murder

jennyspencer's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Stalking, and Abandonment

onceupon_longago's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Rating this book is difficult. I despised the main character and the ending, and the whole story is rather disturbing. But it’s also very well written, and I found the descriptions of scents and perfumery really interesting.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, Cannibalism, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

evelynmb_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Pedophilia

ssummar's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Violence, and Cannibalism

Minor: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Excrement, and Abandonment