Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

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I have this lovely Friday night off, which I intend to spend in blissful solitude. It's on nights like these that I indulge in watching my favorite movies... movies that completely captivate me, but aren't as beloved by my boyfriend, friends, or family. And that's okay because sometimes these movies are better enjoyed by myself. I can get lost in them more easily. :)

One of these movies happens to be "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". I absolutely love this movie. While flipping channels in my dorm a couple years ago, I came across it playing on the college movie station. Although I found the scene intriguing, I immediately changed the channel. I knew that it would be one of those movies that I'd have to see from beginning to end... not from some random spot in the middle.

When I looked up the movie, I found out that it was based on the novel by Patrick Suskind. I got my gritty little bookworm hands on a copy of the novel and promised myself that I could watch the movie as soon as I finished the book. And oh, what a book!

It's been about a year since I finished "Perfume" the novel... so I can't promise a detailed review here or anything. It's not fresh on my mind, but parts of it have moved me so deeply that I will always have it on my mind. If I were only allowed to recommend one book for the rest of my life, "Perfume" would be the one.

And it was definitely a good choice to read the book before the movie. The movie is a masterpiece in my eyes, but pales in comparison to the book. There is so much left out of the movie, which is understandable considering the time frame. Without reading the book... you can enjoy the movie, but you will be left with so many questions. Watching the movie after reading the book, you're able to fill in all the blanks and appreciate the cinematic splendor.

Description of Perfume from Goodreads:
"In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift-an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and frest-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume"-the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity."

This novel has all the beauty, elegance, and romance of period drama. It also has the suspense, blood, and thrill of a mystery. It's fascinating to get inside the mind of the strange, half-mad, half-genius murderer Grenouille. While reading this book, there were many instances that I was literally brought to the edge of my seat as I turned the page. And there were also several moments that I was moved to tears... sometimes by fear, sometimes by awe, sometimes both.

I'm not sure what I would categorize this novel as. It's a period piece. It's a mystery. It's a thriller. It's a horror story. It's a sick fairy tale. And it's the most grotesque of romances.

It's different, but it's brilliant.

Amore.

P.S. I know that there are readers out there who can't resist turning to the last page of a novel to see how it all ends. I've never been one to do that; I feel it spoils the ending. I beg of you to resist that temptation if you decide to read this novel. The ending is so shocking, so wonderful, so disgusting, and so beautiful. I'm sure that tempts you even more, but the ending cannot be appreciated unless you read all those pages that come before it. Without those pages, you will not understand the ending. So please, I implore that you read the ending when you get there. It shall be sooo worth it!