Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

4.0
based on 4225 ratings

About this book

An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation, Patrick Suskind's classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man's indulgence in his greatest passion -- his sense of smell -- leads to murder. In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift -- an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume" -- the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brillance, Perfumeis a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity. Translated from the German by John E. Woods.

Book Details

ISBN13 9780375725845
Series/Work OL10834W View on OpenLibrary
Publisher Vintage
Language ENG
Created At January 30, 2025
Updated At January 30, 2025
Last OL update January 18, 2025

Community Reviews

Write a review

No reviews yet. Be the first to review this book!