Book 4: Perfume by Patrick Suskind

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, by Patrick Suskind, is an unusual book. This wasn't on my original list of books I planned to read, but a friend lent it to me and said it was a good read. She was right - but it's also very strange. Set in 18th century France, the story describes the life of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an orphan with an outstanding sense of smell which allows him to train (via a circuitous route) as a master perfumer. That doesn't make him happy, and he feels nothing but contempt for humankind. There is one smell that he prizes above all others - and it emanates from unmarried teenaged girls. His attempts to capture and distill the scent lead to a murderous rampage through Grasse.

Fans of 18th century French literature will feel right at home with the descriptions of people and surroundings which help to make this such a vivid story. There's a lot of fascinating information about the science of making perfume and of course the main character is a hero (anti-hero?) like no other. Although I never liked Jean Baptiste Grenouille, I found his sheer repellence compelling and the beautifully written book was hard to put down. More than 300 reviewers on Amazon agree with me, so give it a try.