Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born in 1738 in a Paris fish market, abandoned, and grows up without any smell of his own but with an extraordinary nose. He becomes an apprentice to the perfumer Baldini, learns the craft, and moves to Grasse, where he becomes obsessed with capturing the scent of a young girl. To do so, he starts to murder women and extract their fragrance. Süskind describes eighteenth-century France through smells, and builds a story of a monstrous genius who feels nothing for people.
Good for readers who like dark, historical fiction with a strong sensory style. It is a fitting pick for anyone drawn to unusual protagonists and the chill of cold obsession.
Deep and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1995
- Publisher
- TEA
- ISBN
- 9788878193529
- Language
- IT
