Nellie Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer By Patrick Suskind. I'm reading this at the moment, but really struggling with it. The premise is great, but I just can't find anyone in the book who I have any empathy with. I know I not supposed to like Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, but even still I like my main characters to have something I can say is positive about them. I did however like: The passages in the cave, at that point I began to feel a little sympathy as he appeared to be having some sort of breadown bought on by being overwhelmed by odours and not having one of his own. What did other think about this book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I thought this was much more a sensory book than one about characters. Agree there is not much to like about the main character but I think if you stop trying to empathise and approach the book by letting the amazing descriptions carry you back to a different place and time you may get more out of it. Worked for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopeanha Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 We read that one at school a few years back, I found it quite disturbing, a little disgusting but also quick to read 'cause it kinda sucks you in. A very weird book... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 I thought this was much more a sensory book than one about characters. Agree there is not much to like about the main character but I think if you stop trying to empathise and approach the book by letting the amazing descriptions carry you back to a different place and time you may get more out of it. Worked for me! I did try with the descriptions of the perfume making process, but as an engineer I just found them irritating they didn't really do justice to the process! Perhaps this book is too much like my day to day work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 haha maybe that's right. I sit at a dry, dull desk all day with no more exciting smells than post its and paperclips so the perfume bits were more exciting for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I absolutely love the fact that you have no empathy. I think it's crucial to the whole feel of the book. Partly to do with the story, but also because of the way it sort of mimics 19th century tales of murderers like Jack the Ripper or Sweeny Todd, perhaps, where there's a character with no good features at all stalking the streets and terrorising people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 The problem is that I don't find him frightening either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I actually found a lot of sympathy for him along the way, which felt rather strange. I loved the writing of this book - so evocative! My review is HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted October 15, 2008 Author Share Posted October 15, 2008 Well, I've finished it & I think I must have completely missed the point of this book. The ending was truely bizzare, I simply can't work out what his book was trying to tell me. I was really dissapointed in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitnat Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Interesting spread of opinions. I had heard of it...don't think I'll worry about getting it by the sounds of things here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Well, I've finished it & I think I must have completely missed the point of this book. The ending was truely bizzare, I simply can't work out what his book was trying to tell me. I was really dissapointed in it. It was my total-waste-of-reading-time book for last year. Couldn't stand it and the ending was barking mad (I reviewed it in my list for last year but that's millions of pages ago now) Nice to know I'm not alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.H Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 A total waste of time????? Can't believe that! I loved the book. I already read it some time ago and was fascinated. Firstly the way smells are described in the book is fantastic - I don't think any book as managed to bring that to life as good as this one. Second I think it is important that no empathy but also no hatred is created towards Jean Baptist - his history made him what he is, so he can't be blamed for that, but on the other hand he goes about the murders with the innocence of a child making you feel that what he is doing isn't in fact as bad. I agree the book is bizarre - but it is definitely something different and that is why I enjoyed it so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 A total waste of time????? Can't believe that! I loved the book. I already read it some time ago and was fascinated. Firstly the way smells are described in the book is fantastic - I don't think any book as managed to bring that to life as good as this one. Second I think it is important that no empathy but also no hatred is created towards Jean Baptist - his history made him what he is, so he can't be blamed for that, but on the other hand he goes about the murders with the innocence of a child making you feel that what he is doing isn't in fact as bad. I agree the book is bizarre - but it is definitely something different and that is why I enjoyed it so much! Thats an interesting thought. I always find it very hard when people use this as a reason for their current behaviour. Having a bad time at some point in your past does not, in my opinion, justify bad behaviour in the present, especially not murder. Perhaps thats why the book irritated me so much. It was my total-waste-of-reading-time book for last year. Couldn't stand it and the ending was barking mad Couldn't agree more... what on earth was going on with the orgy and then the grave yard in paris??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mines Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Though I enjoyed reading it, I think this book is overrated. The characters are cardboardy and the ending poorly handled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo-Bridge Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 This book really seems to be dividing those that read it! a bit of a "marmite" book I think. I have this on my tbr pile so I'll see what I think soon enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookie Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 I didn't read the book, but I saw the movie and it's an interesting story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kay_loves_purple Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Having read this more than a year ago, I'm happy to have my review of it to look at and remember (click to see it for yourself ) What I do remember out of the top of my head is that I did like the book although I wasn't particularly fond of the hero. I found the most interesting the effects the smell seemed to have in people's perception to the ones around them (as in, Grenouille had no smell so he was never noticed by people, to cite but an example). Other than that I have to say that I absolutely loved the movie. Very colorful and did very much justice to the book (in my opinion of course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 I read the book quite some time ago but I do remember I loved it. After watching the movie (really liked it) I kept saying I'd read the book again but never got to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I saw the film (which I loved, even though I was quite confused by the ending!) so now this is on my reading list for 2009! I hope I enjoy it as much (or more than) the film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kay_loves_purple Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I remember I was quite confused about the movie ending too I was glad to find it explained quite nicely in the book, so don't worry, it all makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 I remember I was quite confused about the movie ending too :) I was glad to find it explained quite nicely in the book, so don't worry, it all makes sense I'm glad it made sense to someone! I thought it was utterly bonkers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kay_loves_purple Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Sure it did! Grenouille has managed to bottle the loveliness itself (unfortunately I don't have the book nearby but I think that's what it was) -- a perfume which made the people smelling it feel intense love. So everyone present there felt such a powerful feeling they just had to express it: they made love to each other That's also how Grenouille died: wearing lots of the perfume made people there love him so much everyone had to have a piece of him. Or at least that is what I remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 LOL, good explanation! I understood why it happened, but, I still think it's a mad ending for a book. It really jarred with me, didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kay_loves_purple Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Having seen the movie first I've knew it all along that this is how the book will end -- probably that's why it didn't bother me at all (other than the murders going unpunished part, of course). I don't know whether it's a bad ending though -- one can think of it as Grenouille's masterpiece. I mean, the whole book is centered on smells and the way they affect people -- how else could it have ended other than allowing the main character to create the supreme smell, perfect in any way (or as close to perfection as possible), both irresistible and inspiring positive feelings. And then he killed himself as his masterpiece was done so he had nothing else to live for (making the reader happy too because Grenouille kinda deserved it, after all his murders). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 I think the problem for me was: The idea that such passionate love could be created from such awful acts of murder. It just felt so very, very wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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