Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind | Chareads

★★★★★|★☆
"He would be the omnipotent god of scent, just as he had been in his fantasies, but this time in the real world and over real people"
Handy timestamps:
0:10 Summary
3:20 The Mite othat is Jean-Baptiste
3:42 The End
3:57 The Film
4:44 The sense of smell
5:56 Using scent to manipulate
7:17 Review
7:46 Historical Fiction whoops
It's difficult to tell whether I'm saying sense or scents a lot of the time, I'm sorry
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Buy on Amazon - cha.rs/3GSXNGKCJ/amzn
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[@TheReadersAthenaeum]

This book was maybe one of the most enjoyable I've ever read as a reading experience because it's just so visceral. I was blown away by it, honestly. I'm glad you liked it too! :)

[@tombutag3715]

I love this book, also inspired my favorite song, scentless apprentice

[@claudiocruzat4624]

Tum tum ta tum ta tutututu ta tum. Great drums.

[@qs286]

The nose really has a mind of its own it can be offended but also pleased! Like animals we can use our sense of smell as a form intuition, and the idea that people distrust him because his lack of scent is intriguing. I visited Paris 10 years ago and in some streets the smell of sewerage lingered. Perfume is not just smelling good its also used to mask something bad. There is a practical reason why the Parisians are renowned for mastering the art of perfumery. Also the connection between smell and identity is interesting, you can choose your own fragrance to not only for us to enjoy, it leaves a sensory footprint, it has the power to make you unforgettably desirable but possibly associate your presence with a crime scene. Scent can allow memories to be retrieved but also trigger trauma responses. Smell is a gift like all other senses so trust your nose, and think twice when something smells fishy!

[@laurenkirkley4184]

This review was so good and made me understand why I loved it so much!! Also I’m such a fan of your aesthetic

[@anonymousetrap]

Hahah every time I watch a review by you, it coincides with something I've either just read, or have been meaning to pick up for a while. I love it! Read this one earlier this year on the recommendation of a friend, and agree with everything you said, particularly about his evocative descriptions of scent. I walked around trying to analyse scents for about a week afterwards haha. P.S. That cover tho!

[@deescottyy]

Ive been wanting to read this for the longest time! Thanks for this! Really pushed me to finally read it!

[@Chareads]

yay!!

[@risensai4548]

I love your description. I'm looking forward to getting it.

[@ornleifs]

Read this years ago in an Icelandic transtlation and absolutely loved it. Perfume is one of my favorite books - I've never seen the movie cause I was actually so sceptical that you really could film this book but I will check it out.

(can be a spoiler!) When you mentioned the young women's smells and how this factor contributes to their charms made me think of the end of the book when he was to be executed. As he wore his perfume, everyone (who wanted him dead!) was mesmerized and forgot every despicable crime he had committed!

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

yes wee dear Ope bless u... clue.. it was the very scent of their pandemic hypocrisy he let out of his vial to slay them with

[@cakecogito]

I absolutely loved your review. It convinced me to purchase this book.

[@PolliitoAle]

I remember that i stole this book off my cousin's bookshelf as a teen for the 6 hour trip I had to make back home, and I absolutely loved it. My cousin was like "keep it" bc he didn't like it and then, a couple of years later, I had it assigned for a class and literally the entire class hated it. I am he first one to admit I was the bookworm of the class, everyone knew it, sometimes before tests my classmates would get around me like children and ask me questions about the book because they knew I definitely read it and remember it all lmao. But I still don't quiet understand why most people I know don't like it, I found it absolutely fascinating.

[@timothyabutal]

I just watch Purfume The story of a murderer movie adaptation. And I love how you narrate the book which also seen in the movie. Would love to buy one copy (if there's still one on a market)

[@oldlogin3383]

Love your no-nonsense review. RESPECTOID!

[@jameskeziahdelaney3833]

It’s Kurt Cobains favorite book.

[@keithVader1385]

Who?

[@lilyklement]

@@keithVader1385 kurt cobain, singer of nirvana, he passed away in 1994 due to suicide, really sad story you should look him up. also listen to nirvana aswell they are amazing!

[@chriswright4677]

@@keithVader1385say it ain’t so?! Please…..say it ain’t so?!! Not this. Please, not this…

[@sevinm6261]

Practically every German high school student reads this & it's definitely the best book I had to read for school and also one of my favourite novels in general. I absolutely agree with what you had to say about how mastetfully the topic of scent and smelling was dealt with. What I enjoyed the most about this novel was the weird relationship between Grenouille, the narrator and the reader. For some reason I felt so attached to Grenouille - I mean, of course he's a terrible person, but it's fiction, right?, and as a character he was so fascinating and it was remarkable to see how Süskind used the narrator to show Grenouille in a bad light - which as a reader you don't really buy, at least I didn't. Sorry, if this was a bit rambly but I wad just delighted to see this review in my subscription box :)

[@Chareads]

I know what you mean, like how the narrator clearly doesn't want him to succeed in life and he continues to triumph. Good to hear it's well read and liked in Germany! I wonder if any of the sentiment is missing from the English translation..

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

none of u get it --- it's like watching a thousand exceptionally clever but viciously blinded donkeys ---- my heart aches for you all

[@LoriAistulf]

Didn't know that there was a movie! I will definitely watch it soon :) A historical fiction that you might like (just finished it yesterday): His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet. You probably heard of it, it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize last year. In short: murder in a small village of the Scottish Highlands in 1869. I can't tell you what I liked the most about it otherwise it would spoil it, but trust me! :D

[@Chareads]

That sounds insanely up my street, somewhere between Crime & Punishment and Sherlock Holmes but in Scotland. Awesome. Adding to the wishlist.

[@una_10bananas]

This book is extremely bizarre, I liked it but didn't know what to say about it. Well done for coherently describing it.

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

that was not coherence but ignorance and this book is pearls before unconscious pc swine

[@daianamastrocola7286]

I'm obsessed with this book

[@dirtyriotgrrrl]

i loved how everywhere he went death followed

[@clivewilson116]

thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook even after watching the movie at least 3 times, very sad

[@papajcina]

I personally loved the whole Cave bit, honestly might be my favorite in the whole book. I think it was incredibly essential to the story and its exclusion from the movie is why im not watching it. The cave was his disgust for humanity and then rebirth. He had to explore both avenues to truly understand that theres no place for him in the world which is why he accepts his fate in the end. I personally loved that beat so so much and it made the book so great imo

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

not to mention their ignorance of the torture and execution preceding. ... nor the story of deepest hipocrisy beneath the surface of the story. ... all wasted pearls on swine

[@bridgetstyles3605]

Tbh I only want to read this book because it was Kurt Cobain’s favorite books, but I’m very excited to read it

[@lilyklement]

same aha that’s why i’m here rn

[@dudeitselina]

I read this a couple of years ago and hated it! I thought it was dull and longwinded but perhaps that may be because I saw parts of the movie first and so was waiting for the good bits. I may have to revisit the book because you talk about its writing so highly!

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

pls, not on this twee idiot's recommendation. Read it through the fashion ---- ie. catch its true scent.

[@isaosman8138]

talk about the white nights by fyodor dostoevsky

[@skorpio419]

Love this MOVIE..!!!!

[@LauraDFTBA]

Had you seen the film before reading or after? Did you end up with John Hurt being the narrator voice in your head too?

[@Chareads]

+Laura Simmons hahaaa. I saw the film first but years before I read it, didn't have the John Hurt narrator but I so wish I had!

[@ryanbrooks5899]

Why does everyone who gives jon away die?

[@chboskyy]

When I read this years ago I really really disliked it, but I can't remember why! Maybe I should reread it? I did really enjoy the film though.

[@Chareads]

huh I don't know what could make someone heavily dislike it besides a distaste for the main character (which is probably the sane opinion), let me know if you do reread it, I'd be curious to see if your opinion changed. A few bits are quite tiresome, like when he lives in the cave and the exhaustive period of time dedicated to the perfumer Baldini's money/identity issues, I remember stumbling over those parts when I first read it, but nothing deadly.

[@pyntaman-7410]

HELO

[@Alenakip]

I just started rereading this. Last time was 10 years ago and i was still in high school. I remember enjoying it maybe because of the movie hype, but i am looking forward to see what my adult self thinks of it now. I m loving it so far..

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

hope u read it properly the 2nd time

[@sunniti31]

when he killed the first girl he wasnt sad at all ; actually he was happy for the first time of his life

[@welkflingers]

I promise not to sell your perfume secrets

[@muzafferbilsin59]

Dude, can you put Turkish subtitles in your videos. I want to listen to foreign writers from you.

[@dennispuente9409]

I’m here because of Kurt Cobain. What a great read!

[@keithVader1385]

Who?

[@melvacdr2929]

you look like donna from that 70s show !!

[@Chareads]

I don't see it but I will take it

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

correction she looks like a self satisfied ignoramus

[@yaboy5692]

I hate that he looks actually handsome in the movie but is so NOT in the book

[@chriswright4677]

Scentless Apprentice .

[@chrishamilton2559]

Jean Baptiste was autistic. Deep analysis done

[@HABLA_GUIRRRI]

oh yeah... the 'a' word... ha ha ha ha