Date Finished: 11/03/2012
My Rating: 3.5/5
A wonderfully dark and smelly tale of a character with a remarkably sensitive nose (thereby making this the second book containing important noses on the list... the other being Midnight's Children). Set in France (written in German, translated into English... it seemed an appropriate book to be reading on International Book Day), it told the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born behind a fish stall at the market in Paris and left to die. He was discovered after his feeble cry, whereupon his mother was arrested and later executed for child abuse. Grenouille is passed from pillar to post until he finds his unusual talent for creating scent put to good use for a master perfumier. He leaves Paris, spends several years in a cave in a mountain before rejoining civilisation.
So many of the books on this list have characters that I don't like in them, and this was no different. However, you were never supposed to like anyone I don't think. Grenouille makes the reader feel uncomfortable, and all the characters that come into contact with him neglected him, used him and took advantage of him in ways that meant that you couldn't like them either.
The book was beautifully written (well, beautifully translated at least!), with wonderful descriptions of smells and countryside, and thoughtful endings for the supporting characters. I say 'thoughtful'. I probably mean 'sticky'.
The events of Grenouille's life eventually lead him to murder, and from there he develops an obsession with finding a way to preserve the beautiful scent of young, virginal girls. The book is gripping, mysterious and quite unlike anything I have read before. I loved it.
So, who should read this book? Anyone who likes well researched, well written murder stories. It's not a mystery. You already know who dunnit.
Next book: Lord of the Flies, William Golding
