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fatto's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cannibalism
snd1101's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Sexual content and Murder
itsartemis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty and Sexual content
ninahuynh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.75
That ending stank like how the beginning started! How is it he goes and kill all these people and animals all for him to end by basically mob-suicide?! Unbelievable!! Mister Suskind, I need an explanation now!!!! A 3-star book knocked down cause that ending has me raging 😤😡
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia
keku_25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The book started out really strong and fast in a way that really intrigued me, but somehow the rest of the first half went kinda meh. I just procrastinated while reading it. I just felt like some scenes where not that necessary for the plot.
The last third definitely gets .... well it gets something thats for sure.
He imitates smells just like a psicopath imitates behavior. He copies the smell of "human" just like a psycopath would copy a "normal" person response to something.
The incest was unnecessary.
At the end I just ask myself wtf did I just read.
He imitates smells just like a psicopath imitates behavior. He copies the smell of "human" just like a psycopath would copy a "normal" person response to something.
The incest was unnecessary.
At the end I just ask myself wtf did I just read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Cannibalism
bobinsbooknook's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is eery, disturbing and outright shocking … and honestly I really enjoyed it!
Wanted something creepy to kick off my October spooky season reads and this did not disappoint!
The narrative is so dark and twisted and unlike anything I’ve read before. I loved how the writing style captures the creepy essence - pun intended - that really pulls you into the story and the deterioration contrasting development of Grenouille’s smell and mental state.
The only reason I can’t rate 5 stars is because the pacing of the book felt a bit off. At times it felt slowed down with long winded tangents in places and other parts which I wish had been fleshed out more had been rushed (for example the 24 previous murders! )
That being said of all the ways this book could have ended I honestly didn’t expect … an orgy and subsequent cannibalism!
Certainly a shocking and twisted read, and whilst I would recommend - it’s definitely not for everyone and recommend checking content warnings!
Wanted something creepy to kick off my October spooky season reads and this did not disappoint!
The narrative is so dark and twisted and unlike anything I’ve read before. I loved how the writing style captures the creepy essence - pun intended - that really pulls you into the story and the deterioration contrasting development of Grenouille’s smell and mental state.
The only reason I can’t rate 5 stars is because the pacing of the book felt a bit off. At times it felt slowed down with long winded tangents in places and other parts which I wish had been fleshed out more had been rushed (
That being said of all the ways this book could have ended I honestly didn’t expect …
Certainly a shocking and twisted read, and whilst I would recommend - it’s definitely not for everyone and recommend checking content warnings!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Torture, and Cannibalism
Minor: Incest and Pedophilia
anna_m_k's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Sexism
gingervandorsten's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I have rarely read a book as weird and gross and generally unpleasant as this one, but I also think this book is so, so good. The writing, the descriptions, the tension, the ingenuity of everything in here is striking and so impressive.
And thenhe murders a dog. And then there's a detailed description of a young girl's breasts. And then there's a father borderline lusting over his daughter. And then there's a huge orgy. And I think I understand the reason that Süskind put in these things, made these choices; they clearly have the desired effect of making the reader uncomfortable, and showcasing just how f-ed up Grenouille really is, but some of this was a little too messed up to me to be pleasantly disturbing in the way that horror can be, you know?
Regardless - I don't think you should avoid this book because of the amount of disturbing things that happen in it, because if you appreciate the weirdness (to an extent) it's honestly a really masterful tale of hubris and humanity and gross and beautiful olfactory imagery. And the last line. Good lord.
Side note: it's very amusing to me that most people who read this book seem to consider it with a kind of "What in the actual fuck is going on here this is sick"-view but also see it as one of the best books out there. Mainly because I agree. I guess Süskind enamoured us with this gross little book through the perfume of his gorgeous, ironic and self-aware prose.
Also, the Dutch translation by Ronald Jonkers is very good!
And then
Regardless - I don't think you should avoid this book because of the amount of disturbing things that happen in it, because if you appreciate the weirdness (to an extent) it's honestly a really masterful tale of hubris and humanity and gross and beautiful olfactory imagery. And the last line. Good lord.
Side note: it's very amusing to me that most people who read this book seem to consider it with a kind of "What in the actual fuck is going on here this is sick"-view but also see it as one of the best books out there. Mainly because I agree. I guess Süskind enamoured us with this gross little book through the perfume of his gorgeous, ironic and self-aware prose.
Also, the Dutch translation by Ronald Jonkers is very good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Excrement, and Cannibalism
Minor: Pedophilia
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder
emmylis's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism and Murder