Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is probably one of the most unusual books I have ever read and it left me with mixed feelings of satisfaction, that one gets after having read a good book, and disgust, that one experiences after reading something totally indigestible! I loved and hated this book at the same time. For one, I could really relate to Grenouille in the really powerful nose thing. Since childhood, the extremely keen sense of smell has caused me a lot of discomfort and even though I cannot magically smell people across the city, I do rely on my sense of smell for a lot of things, including walking in the dark. Consequently, the book was a treat as far as it was limited to the amazing descriptions of various smells, something I have never ever come across in any other book. I could almost smell the things described myself!

What disappointed me was the abrupt ending! It was way too abrupt. Right in the middle of all the commotion, the book just...ends! It leaves you dissatisfied and it simply does not go with everything. In fact, it almost feels like the author did not know what to do with this character who was as inhuman as a tick! So, he had to end this novel.

What can I say? You might love it. You might hate it. However, I can assure you, it will keep you engrossed for many nights even after you are done with it. Worth a read at least once!

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