perfume the story of a murderer patrick süskind

Grenouille’s killing is almost an afterthought to this mission. He collects the scents of young girls that astound and captivate him in order to make a scent for himself out of their scents and thereby ascertain his own existence. Because Grenouille has no scent, the people around him are repulsed by him it is this social ostracism and isolation that underlies his fear of not truly existing. Perfume is a mix of carnal desire and disappointment, but perhaps most importantly, it is about the fear of the fleeting existence of the individual. Süskind makes it his duty to connect the reader to the main character in such an evocative yet delicate way that once we are present for his first murder, it becomes a disappointment to not experience the rest. We are taken through every filth-filled part of Paris, but, disturbingly, the city doesn’t come across as repulsive. His painful existence drags through a cold childhood into a miserable youth, but this story is enlivened by a rich portrayal of the senses, brought to life with Grenouille’s every breath. Grenouille is treated like an animal by those around him. Grenouille is a monster created by the cruelty of the society he lives in and by his own unique gift: an olfactory sense that stretches beyond normal human understanding. There is no compassion to be found in this book. She is executed for abandoning him, and so Grenouille is left an orphan in the depths of eighteenth century Paris. We follow the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born at a fish market to a mother who leaves him to die after giving birth to him.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind explores a fantastical and fabulously decadent universe. Inhale, and let it out pick up your favourite book and close your eyes and just breathe.

Perfume the story of a murderer patrick süskind