So what is this fascination all about?įirst of all, Perfume is based on proper historical research. Even now, when I browse through my copy of the Dutch translation, I'm tempted to go back to page one, and read the whole thing from cover to cover. But when I gave it a second chance, several years later, I succumbed to the captivating force of the book: I simply couldn't put it down. I'm not a fan of the horror genre, and I found the opening scenes in the book rather revolting. I have to admit that my first encounter with Perfume, more than ten years ago, can't be described as love at first sight.
For his definitive masterpiece, Grenouille resorts to dramatic sacrifices. As a perfume apprentice, he quickly reveals his uncanny talent for fragrant compositions but conventional methods will not lead him to his ultimate goal. Throughout his childhood, he avidly memorizes the fragrant landscapes surrounding him in a desperate attempt to regain his own humanity, he becomes obsessed with the idea of creating the most sublime perfume imaginable. While the 'demonic' absence of a personal smell makes him a social outcast, Grenouille's interior world is completely dominated by olfactory perceptions: the boy thinks, dreams, lives in terms of scent.
Perfume is the horrifying tale of an 18th century Parisian orphan, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, whose primal curse - his unhuman lack of body odor - is paradoxically contrasted by a superhuman sense of smell. This may be your last chance to apply your personal, unbiased imagination to the story. The eponymous movie, directed by Tom Tykwer, will premiere in a few months. A combination of breathtaking suspense and unparalleled olfactory prose, this literary debut was one of the greatest worldwide bestsellers in the mid '80s. It's never too late to read a good novel but if you haven't read Süskind's Perfume yet, now is the time to do so.
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