Reviews with content warning for Cannibalism - Parfymen

Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

Parfymen by Patrick Süskind

178 reviews

robinainthood's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

God, this was brilliant. I've fallen in utter Love with Süskind's writing style and, as I read, couldn't shake the feeling that it was written exactly to my taste. And what a ride it was! It's one of those I wish I could experience for the first time, again...

I struggled at first with describing this book and why I adore it so much. I'd seen it categorized as a horror novel on many occasions, and while the book certainly does have elements of horrific morbidity, I wouldn't call it a bonafide horror (especially when recommending it, because that title is misleading). It's also not really a fantasy either, nor a mystery, nor is it merely historical fiction.

Then it hit me. If this book is anything, it's a philosophical exploration of a strange young man's obsession with scent in pursuit of self; it's a character study.

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that character studies are my bread and butter, so I was bound to love this novel. If you go into Perfume expecting graphic depictions of murder from beginning to end, a cat-and-mouse chase to uncover and apprehend a murderer, or endless descriptions of a sick man's twisted thoughts, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Instead, understand that this is about obsession, identity, desire, indulgence, morbid curiosity, humanity; but understand it's about all of these in small, understated doses.

Understand, above all, that it's about Jean-Baptiste Grenouille and scent. Only then can you begin to appreciate the lyrical genius taking place within these odd 260 pages.

This won't be for everyone; some will find it offputting or dull, and that's fair enough, but those whose taste is acquired to what Perfume has to offer will soak it up until they've had too much, and will still want more and more until they're sick with it. Read it, and discover precisely what that's like.

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ssummar's review against another edition

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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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megsspookysanctuary's review against another edition

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4.5

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emily98griffin's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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guccishoestrings's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad 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

2.75

I am not going to do my usual review style for this book because it is very..... unique. This story is about the character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille but it also tells the story of those who come into contact with him throughout his life.

The story begins the day he is born, his mother left him to die and wet nurses are scared to take him in because he emits no smell (meaning he is possessed by the devil). This also leads him to be a social outcast throughout his entire childhood and teenage life while also surviving a deadly illness that scares him making an even bigger outcast. He finds comfort in the scent of small to the point of needing it to be perfect to be able to live in peace. This leads to him eventually becoming an apprentice to a perfume maker and this leads him on the trail of creating the greatest smell to ever be smelt in the world.

This is a story about the obsession and pursuit of perfection at all costs and when achieving said perfection the outcome not being what is expected (if you have read Frankenstein, you know the theme I'm talking about). This leads to everything he had done being meaningless and thus is life being meaningless and at the end allows himself to die because he has no need/drive to live anymore.

This book was interesting but, it was written in the way of literary books in the 80s were written (book was published in 1985). This could lead to the book being boring in sections and really exciting in others. The story itself is great but, like I said, it could get really boring at times which is why it gets such a low score. I would recommend to anybody who likes books written in an old fashion style that like books like Frankenstein.

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starzzz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

When we finally got to the actual plot of the book, we were in the last hundred or so pages. I found it extremely slow and painful to truck through the second half.

I can see how it would be enjoyable to others (and it still was a well-written book), it was just not my thing.

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