PERFUME: THE STORY OF MURDER

Theyearis1738;theplace,Paris.Ababyisbornunderafish-monger’sbloodytableinamarketplace,andabandoned.Orphaned,passedovertothemonksasacharitycase,alreadythereissomethingintheauraofthetinyinfantthatisunsettling.Noonewilllookafterhim;heissomehowtoodemanding,and,evenmoredisturbing,somethingismissing:ashiswetnursetriestoexplain,hedoesn’tsmellthewayababyshouldsmell;indeed,hehasnoscentatall.Slowly,aswewatchJean-BaptisteGrenouilleclingstubbornlytolife,webegintorealizethatamonsterisgrowingbeforeoureyes.Withmountingunease,yethypnotized,weseehimexplorehispowersandtheireffectontheworldaroundhim.Forthisdarkandsinisterboywhohasnosmellhimselfpossessesanabsolutesenseofsmell,andwithithecanreadtheworldtodiscoverthehiddentruthsthateludeordinarymen.Hecansmelltheverycompositionofobjects,andtheirhistory,andwheretheyhavebeen,hehasnoneedofthelight,anddarknessisnotdarktohim,becausenothingcanmasktheodorsoftheuniverse.Asheleaveschildhoodbehindandcomestounderstandhisterribleuniqueness,hisobsessionbecomesthequesttoidentify,andthentoisolate,themostperfectscentofall,thescentoflifeitself.Atfirst,hehoneshispowers,learningtheancientartsofperfume-makinguntiltheexquisitefragranceshecreatesaretherageofParis,andindeedEurope.Then,secureinhismasteryofthesemeanstoanend,hewithdrawsintoastrangeandagonizedsolitude,waiting,dreaming,untilthemorningwhenhewakes,readytoembarkonhismonstrousquest:tofindandextractfromthemostperfectlivingcreatures—themostbeautifulyoungvirginsintheland—thatultimateperfumewhichalonecanmakehim,too,fullyhuman.Ashistrailleadshim,atanever-quickeningpace,fromhissavageexiletotheheartofthecountryandthenbacktoParis,wearecaughtupinarisingstormofterrorandmortalsensualconquestuntilthefrenzyofhisfinaltriumphexplodesinallitshorrifyingconsequences.Toldwithdazzlingnarrativebrillianceandthehauntingpowerofagrown-upfairytale,Perfumeisoneofthemostremarkablenovelsofthelastfiftyyears.