Has anybody read a book called 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind?

Question

I have read it many times and it is probably my favourite ever, yet nobody I've spoken to has ever read it too.
If anybody on here has read it what are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I've read it and loved it. It's one of those books I get excited abotu lending to other people.
You know it was supposedly Kurt Cobain's favourite book, my friend who is a massive Nirvana fan actually heard of the book because of that and read it and then gave it to me because it was so good.
Also, it has been made into a film starring Alan Rickman and Dustin Hoffman amongst others, it has not been released here yet.

Answer 2

I read it about 6 years ago. I have a very strong sense of smell anyway, so the book made me feel quite unwell whilst I was reading it. Not to say I didn't enjoy the book. It was great, but I'm wondering how they will be able to translate it onto the silver screen. Its not like you can smell the images unless they bring back smell-o-vision (although I believe the producers have designed a perfume range to go with the film to be sold in high end London stores). I saw the trailer for it last week and it is a bit creepy and doesn't give away too much of the plot fortunately.

Answer 3

A couple of times.
It's one of those rare books that makes you perceive the world differently while you're reading it, isn't it? I've never been as aware of my sense of smell as during the few weeks I was reading. (Martin Amis' "Time's Arrow" tells a life in reverse starting with the death and played backwards to birth. When you look up from the book you have to remind yourself which way time is going!)
After such a brilliant piece of writing it's disappointing that Suskind has never really hit such heights again. Though I would warmly recommend "The Double Bass", a novella which lets us in on the musical instrument and the aching love of its player for a musician down the front who he will never be near. A good read.

Answer 4

Hi Sam! I too thought this was one of the most amazing books I have ever read, and raved on about it to friends only to get blank looks... The way that Suskind creates a blank canvas in Grenouille, rejected because he has no sense of smell, and uses him to reflect the dark, seedy underbelly of humanity is amazing. I love the way he combines the poetry of beautiful scent with the stench of human life in a way that becomes increasingly nauseating and uncomfortable as the book progresses. It's a mini-masterpiece that deserves better recognition!

Answer 5

It is a fascinating book. The author is German isn't he and I did wonder if we were meant to search for metaphors as many German authors seem to use them quite often, especially in a dark sort of way.
On the surface it's a book about obsession, possession and how far someone is prepared to go to realise this. It certainly raised more questions in my mind than answers.
It has been interesting to read what other people think of it. I read it about three years ago and since then have often wondered about it. From what I have read, Kurt based one of his albums on the book.
I think it is a book which has touched a nerve, worldwide. Very interesting question....

Answer 6

Yes. It was a good read, but a very strange one. There must be a few people out there who have read it because it came 71st in "The Big Read" Poll of Britain's 100 favourite books back in 2003.
There's a film of it coming out next year which has got Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman in it.

Answer 7

Yes, it is excellent and very original. There is supposed to be a film which is set in contemporary LA starring Leonardo De Caprio, the ending has been changed so he seduces a female guard with one of his scents and escapes. He is chased along the freeway and shoots down two helicopters with a missile launcher and soon has the national guard, the FBI and the army chasing him down to Mexico. I won't give the ending away but it sounds good.

Answer 8

Everybody read it in the 1980s when it came out and was a big time bestseller - a huge hit and a great story that I remember well. It's back in the shelves now because of the german film.

Answer 9

I´ve read it some years ago, the truth is that I remember that I liked it but I don´t remember the argue very well, the main character gives details of how he mades the perfumes and I remember that the most succesfull perfume was made of **** of cat.
I´m I wrong?. Rewards from Spain.

Answer 10

I read it a few years ago. I thought it was ok, but not the best book ever for me.

I've heard that a film based on it is coming out soon