Perfume by Patrick Suskind

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There’s not a lot of plot here. The author is more obsessed with smell than anything, and I’m surprised that the book isn’t printed on scented paper to make you sniff between chapters. The introduction of Suskind’s characters isn’t memorable enough; it’s as if he wishes the reader to dispose of their memories as soon as he’s done with them; it’s as if an odour has faded away. But what the tale does do is teach you about the human self and its evil ways. Every character featured in the book is out in some way to exploit others, and there’s very few acts of kindness portrayed. It’s a story about how the masses react to the events within; and the hysteria that Suskind creates isn’t entirely dissimilar to what we see in the media today. It’s no wonder that his protagonist; while portrayed as evil; tires of this world.

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