Have you ever held a book and wondered where it had been before you came to own it, or where it will end up once you have finished with it? Well, welcome to the world of bookcrossing.

It would make someones day if you add a journal entry to tell those who had the book before you where you found it. You can remain anonymous if you want to, though if you create a screen name you will be able to get notification each time someone else journals this book.

When you have finished please release the book (and make a journal entry stating where you left it) to let it continue on its journey.

Following this book on its travels can be very fun.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 1985 literary historical cross-genre novel (originally published in German as Das Parfum) by German writer Patrick Süskind. The novel explores the sense of smell, and its relationship with the emotional meaning that scents may carry. Above all this is a story of identity, communication and the morality of the human spirit.

The story focuses on Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfume apprentice in 18th century France.

Grenouille (French for "frog") is an unwanted Parisian orphan who, having no personal scent (learned later in the narrative), is rejected by others because they are unwittingly disturbed by him, later understood to the reader as stemming from his lack of odor. He has an extraordinary power to discern odours, and comes to loathe the scent of other people.

He becomes apprenticed to a tanner at the age of eight, and after work explores the city. One day he smells a divine scent and follows it, and is shocked to find that the source of this beautiful scent is a young virginal girl just passing puberty (14-15 years old). He gets closer to her, unnoticed, to get a better smell of her scent. When leaning in and becoming more intoxicated by the divinity of her scent she notices him and begins to scream, so he holds her mouth shut, accidentally suffocating her while continuing to be enamored of her scent. But he learns that soon after death the scent dissipates and is lost. He vows to himself that this is his life's purpose, to regain that scent.

This edition of Perfume have as their cover image Antoine Watteau's painting Jupiter and Antiope, which depicts a murdered woman.

I saw the film before reading the book, and having enjoyed it I had high expectations of the book. I was not let down. Once I started reading I was hooked and completed it within the same day.

The book is about smells, you cannot smell what Jean-Baptiste does, yet somehow the intensity and variety of smells successfully comes across. You do have to suspend belief in reality to be able to enjoy the story, especially at the end, but it is worth it. I enjoyed the style of writing: narration with a lack of actual dialogue...it did mean I was always hearing a voice in my head.

Thanks so much for your donation bookowl1000!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.

Put into the UK 1001 library book box.

Arrived in the UK 1001-Library Bookbox.

To be sent to Saskiaosmile.

Sorry for the delay.

Thanks very much soffitta1 ! The book seems interesting and has some good reviews. I am looking forward to read it!