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A review by liamunderwood
The Perfume by Caroline B. Cooney
2.5
Although it didn't have quite the same impact as The Cheerleader or Freeze Tag, I must confess I still rather enjoyed Caroline B. Cooney's writing style in The Perfume. Once again her flowery way of writing (mostly) works for the strange story she's spinning here. And thankfully this is a far more enjoyable read than The Return of the Vampire.
There's some really interesting ideas and themes within this book, especially around the sudden mood changes that can inexplicably grip teenagers. Internal conflict and struggling to live up to self-imposed ideals and the allure of the careless. Parental neglect and attempts to break free of friendship groups. It's all incredibly teen angst, but I think Cooney weaves it well throughout this book. Then there's also a healthy dash of absolute ridiculousness, like hot air balloon rides threatening to turn deadly. It's all told with a somewhat poetic prose which mostly works.
But there's also a few elements that don't work. There's an Ancient Egypt narrative thread running throughout this book which feels undercooked, and the conclusion is very abrupt. I think The Perfume is a book which is perhaps more fun to think about and discuss than it is to actually read. The protagonist, Dove, somewhat lacks much of a personality, and her evil counterpart, Wing, is comically one-note. The touching on mental health also raises an eyebrow, but at least Cooney doesn't shy away from taking the story there, unlike most other Point Horror authors. This is ultimately a really mixed bag, but I can't deny I didn't enjoy it once I adjusted to the writing style and the nonsensical plot.
2.5/5
Point Horror Ranked
1) The Girlfriend - 4/5
2) Trick or Treat - 3.5/5
3) Fatal Secrets - 3.5/5
4) Teacher's Pet - 3.5/5
5) The Baby-Sitter II - 3.5/5
6) The Cheerleader - 3.5/5
7) The Hitchhiker - 3.5/5
8) April Fools - 3.5/5
9) My Secret Admirer - 3.5/5
10) The Lifeguard - 3.5/5
11) Freeze Tag - 3/5
12) Thirteen Tales of Horror - 3/5
13) The Accident - 3/5
14) Funhouse - 3/5
15) The Window - 3/5
16) The Invitation - 2.5/5
17) The Perfume - 2.5/5
18) The Train - 2.5/5
19) The Waitress - 2.5/5
20) The Snowman - 2.5/5
21) Beach House - 2.5/5
22) The Mall - 2.5/5
23) The Boyfriend - 2/5
24) The Fever - 2/5
25) The Cemetery - 2/5
26) Mother's Helper - 2/5
27) The Baby-Sitter - 1.5/5
28) Hit and Run - 1.5/5
29) The Return of the Vampire - 1/5
30) Beach Party - 1/5
There's some really interesting ideas and themes within this book, especially around the sudden mood changes that can inexplicably grip teenagers. Internal conflict and struggling to live up to self-imposed ideals and the allure of the careless. Parental neglect and attempts to break free of friendship groups. It's all incredibly teen angst, but I think Cooney weaves it well throughout this book. Then there's also a healthy dash of absolute ridiculousness, like hot air balloon rides threatening to turn deadly. It's all told with a somewhat poetic prose which mostly works.
But there's also a few elements that don't work. There's an Ancient Egypt narrative thread running throughout this book which feels undercooked, and the conclusion is very abrupt. I think The Perfume is a book which is perhaps more fun to think about and discuss than it is to actually read. The protagonist, Dove, somewhat lacks much of a personality, and her evil counterpart, Wing, is comically one-note. The touching on mental health also raises an eyebrow, but at least Cooney doesn't shy away from taking the story there, unlike most other Point Horror authors. This is ultimately a really mixed bag, but I can't deny I didn't enjoy it once I adjusted to the writing style and the nonsensical plot.
2.5/5
Point Horror Ranked
1) The Girlfriend - 4/5
2) Trick or Treat - 3.5/5
3) Fatal Secrets - 3.5/5
4) Teacher's Pet - 3.5/5
5) The Baby-Sitter II - 3.5/5
6) The Cheerleader - 3.5/5
7) The Hitchhiker - 3.5/5
8) April Fools - 3.5/5
9) My Secret Admirer - 3.5/5
10) The Lifeguard - 3.5/5
11) Freeze Tag - 3/5
12) Thirteen Tales of Horror - 3/5
13) The Accident - 3/5
14) Funhouse - 3/5
15) The Window - 3/5
16) The Invitation - 2.5/5
17) The Perfume - 2.5/5
18) The Train - 2.5/5
19) The Waitress - 2.5/5
20) The Snowman - 2.5/5
21) Beach House - 2.5/5
22) The Mall - 2.5/5
23) The Boyfriend - 2/5
24) The Fever - 2/5
25) The Cemetery - 2/5
26) Mother's Helper - 2/5
27) The Baby-Sitter - 1.5/5
28) Hit and Run - 1.5/5
29) The Return of the Vampire - 1/5
30) Beach Party - 1/5