This work of Suskind's is the moving story
of a Paris-born
murderer and takes place in 18th century France.
Suskind
uses skilful literary techniques to allow the reader to really slip
into the role of Grenouille, the
murderer. This person has exceptionally
pronounced sensual perception with relation to the smells of certain things.
With this Grenouille can differentiate every
perfume and conceivable scent into
its composite parts. During the course of his life with its very tragic
beginning, Grenouille develops an internal "scent-database". With this
he composed the most wonderful perfumes in Europe, which are however sold under the name of his boss. Soon the
grown-up Grenouille develops an interest in the charming scent of virginal
women and hopes to be able to capture such a scent for himself alone. For this
reason he roams the country looking for a means to capture scents from
inanimate objects. After he perfects his method and steals the scents of
several virgins, he wants to steal the scent from the woman whose perfume he finds
the most attractive as a grand finale. The end of the story is abstract and
somewhat unexpected. All in all the book is worth reading and offers the reader
a very thrilling atmosphere.