Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Softcover

Süskind, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140120831 ISBN 13: 9780140120837

Publisher: Penguin, 1987

Synopsis

Survivor, genius, perfumer, killer: this is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. He is abandoned on the filthy streets of Paris as a child, but grows up to discover he has an extraordinary gift: a sense of smell more powerful than any other human's. Soon, he is creating the most sublime fragrances in all the city. Yet there is one odor he cannot capture. It is exquisite, magical: the scent of a young virgin. And to get it he must kill. And kill. And kill.

About this title

Review:

Praise for PERFUME
" A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
-- Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"
" A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
-- Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"
" Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
-- Campbell Geeslin, "People"
" A strange and ingenius work of literature."
-- Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"
" Mr. Su skind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
-- Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"
" Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
-- John Updike, "The New Yorker"
" Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
-- Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"
" Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
-- Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer"

Praise for PERFUME

"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"

"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"

"Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, "People"

"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"

"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"

"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, "The New Yorker"

"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"

"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer"

Praise for PERFUME
"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"
A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail.
Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"
Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel.
Campbell Geeslin, "People"
A strange and ingenius work of literature.
Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"
Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut.
Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"
Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant.
John Updike, "The New Yorker"
Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best.
Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"
Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale.
Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer""

Praise for PERFUME
"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times
"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, San Francisco Chronicle
"Reading Perfume is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, People
"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe
"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review
"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, The New Yorker
"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, The Kansas City Star
"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Praise for PERFUME

"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times

"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, San Francisco Chronicle

"Reading Perfume is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, People

"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe

"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review

"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, The New Yorker

"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, The Kansas City Star

"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland Plain Dealer

From the Back Cover:

'In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages . . .'

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in a Parisian slum and abandoned on the streets, discovers he has an extraordinary - near superhuman - sense of smell. As he sniffs his way across France, this gift is exploited by Grenouille to make the world's most marvellous perfumes. Yet in seeking perfection in his experiments, he realises that a vital ingredient is missing for the perfect scent: innocence.

And in order to get the ingredient he needs, he must capture it - whatever the price.

'Ingenious and totally absorbing' - Daily Telegraph

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0140120831
• ISBN 13: 9780140120837
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 263