One of my all time favorite novels! I kept re-reading this book to a point that I lose count. It's a shockingly elegant, frightening, rich and masterfully crafted story about the 19th century Paris and a murderer with a highly unusual talent.

edited@01/12/2021:

I watched n  Parfumn, the rewritten version/adaptation of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer! And I find it to be very delightful and creative!

هذه الرواية لا تُقرَأ فقط.
بل يُترَك شذاها يتغلغل إلى جيوبك الأنفية لتتشممها ببطء !

أنصح بها لمن يبحث عن الفكرة الغريبة المُبهرة، وروعة الأسلوب معاً.

Este libro es una experiencia sensorial olfativa, el libro no se lee sino se huele, se aspira y se exhala

Es un clásico situando en Francia del siglo XVIII descrita como un lugar desagradable, apestoso, caótico, nauseabundo y en medio de todo nace esto Grenouille, nuestro protagonista, en un mercado lleno de pescado y fruta podrida es abandonado por su madre al nacer y tiene que aprender a sobrevivir a muchas pruebas a lo largo de la historia

Lo interesante de este personaje es que tiene la capacidad de oler TODO, el aire, el vidrio, el mar, las flores, TODO, completamente todo pero él mismo no tiene olor alguno. No huele a absolutamente nada.

Debo decir que esta es una historia que no se concentra en el desarrollo de personajes, sino, en la historia misma y como dije, más que nada en darnos una experiencia sensorial como pocos libros pueden hacer. Sin embargo, Grenouille, es un personaje que no se olvida, es un genio calculador que puede lograr mediante la creación de perfumes hechos con los más extraños ingredientes, engañar a cualquier persona y someterla como el quiera.

Es un personaje narciso, malvado, lleno de odio por la humanidad y su único interés en la vida es crear el perfume perfecto.

Esta es la historia de uno de los hombres más geniales y abominables de los que he tenido la suerte de leer, un libro oscuro y retorcido como ninguno y con uno de los mejores finales de la historia.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is about odors, smells, scents, bouquets, aromas, stenches, miasmas, etc. and their influence over people’s senses and, ultimately, actions and decisions. Now what if you could capture such influence and make it yours? What if, with such power in your hands, you could control people, lure them, abuse them, and have them do whatever you want without them ever being the wiser? How much time would it take before you, the master perfumer, began to fall prey to your own newfound ability, then went to town with it and altogether joined the dark side, succumbing as a result to all its seductive, alluring, and murderous vices and perversions? Well, if you are so inclined to find out, the answer is in this book, which, truth be told, is an absolute masterpiece… that is, until you reach the end. And then, even though you know it couldn’t have ended any other way, you can’t help but notice a wistful fragrance of might-have-beens in the air as you reluctantly yet gladly turn the last page.

OLIVIER DELAYE
Author of the SEBASTEN OF ATLANTIS series
n  n

The focus on smells is great. I'll keep this around for whenever I need words to describe scents.

The story is ok. A bit unnecessarily grim. A bit dated and sexist. There's some great biting humor and some clunky dialogue.

But stinky Paris and the world of smells? Fantastic.

Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer is simply one of the greatest horror novels ever written.

Taking place in 18th century, France, it begins with an infant born with one difference from the rest of the world: Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with the ability to smell anything and everything in the world around him.

Although not a novel of the supernatural as commonly defined, in a sense, it is, because his ability can only be defined as that of supernature.

While not being the most prolific author, Patrick Süskind, has made his permanent mark not only in horror and gothic fiction, but in the circles of high literature, as well.

More a modern descendant of Edgar Allan Poe or Robert Louis Stevenson and other great gothic writers of that period than to most writers working today, Perfume, is a unique, fresh, story of mystery, suspense, and madness.

For those of you tired of books you can see right through, anticipating where the storyline is going and how it's going to end, this is the book for you.

I can't imagine anyone figuring out the ending, or even trying to, because you wil be so caught up in the book, you will savour every page and description until the end.

It's really hard to find good modern gothic fiction, horror or otherwise, that's done with a literate touch from someone that conveys the feeling of actually being there inside a rich, period piece setting.

A book no one with literate reading interests should miss.

Though different, it will appeal to readers of newer masters of horror; Thomas Ligotti, Patrick McGrath, Laird Barron, and Matt Cardin.

And to older masters; Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Machen, M.R. James, Edith Wharton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry James, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Bram Stoker.

* I do like the cover to the more modern version of this book but, if you are a true book connoisseur like me, track down the 1987 September edition, 1st paperback printing by Pocket Books with the shiny red embossed lettering on a red & black book. It's just fantastic and reminds me of a combination of the artwork for the film, Amadeus (1984), the infamous murderer, Jack The Ripper, and to The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde.








My highest of all recommendations!!!!!

دوستان میخوایم راجع به «عطر» از «پاتریک زوسکید» داستانی که مثل به طبل ، تووخالیه ، حرف بزنیم.
از معرفی کننده های کتاب خواستم که اثری رو با تم دو تا از بهترین کتاب هایی که خوندم «تونل» از ساباتو و «کلکسیونر» از فالز عزیز بهم معرفی کنن و اینگونه بود که با عطری آشنا شدم که یکسال و خورده‌ای گوشه کتابخونه من خاک خورده بود ، البته تا پریشب...!
داستان از زبان نویسنده معاصر آلمانی روایت میشه که هدفش خلق جامعه فرانسه در 200سال قبل از وقت خودشه. خب...همینجا یه ادعا بزرگ داریم.خلق فضایی در باب گذشته نیازمند پژوهش و استفاده از زبان قدیمه تا فضای قدیم برای من مخاطب ملموس تر باشه.لذا اینکه «زوسکید» اصلا هدفش پرداختن به فضای گذشته نیست.بدون هیچ جزئیاتی و استفاده از اصطلاحات قدیمی صرفا داره داستانی رو روایت میکنه که باز داستان ادعاش قد کوهه و چیزی که ما میبینیم در حد کاه.
داستان درباره زندگی یه قاتله. اول این رو بگم کتاب در قرن 20 نوشته شده پس طبیعتا انتظار داریم خرافه حداقل نداشته باشیم.اما خرافه داریم.از وقتی که بچه بدنیا میاد حس شوم بودن داره...شوخیه؟
بعد نویسنده هدفش اینه که بزرگ شدن بچه رو سخت جلوه بده ولی در کمال تعجب میبینیم الگو برداری شده از آلیور تویست دیکنزه و اصلا هم بچه شر بنظر نمیرسه.
نه اختلالات روانی ، نه مسئله‌ای ، نه درگیری هیچ چیزی وجود نداره که ما قاتل رو با انگیزه درست و حسابی ببینیم.صفر. بعد به قتل اول نگاه کنید: صرفا قاتل برای اینکه از بوی دختر خوشش اومده اون رو میکشه و لباس هاش رو در میاره و اون رو بو میکنه.
قتل هم ، نویسنده خیلی سریع ازش رد میشه. جوری که هیچ حسی رو در ما برانگیخته نمیکنه. این انگیزه قتل رو میذارم به عهده شما که بگین چقدر با عقل جور درمیاد؟
به یاد بیارید ، «نقاش» رو در «تونل» چقدر این درگیر ذهنی که برای قاتل درست میشه اون رو به جنونی برای کشتن معشوقش میکشونه. من به اون میگم انگیزه قتل اما به این ، نمیدونم چی بگم.
شخصیت ها ، استروتیپیک و درگیرشده در کلیشه‌اند.به حدی که شخصیت که سهله ، تیپ هم نمیشن.در حد اسم باقی میمونن.

سر مجموع نه تنها از خوانش ، که از خرید «عطر» از «زوسکید» هم پشیمونم و بنظرم اثری بی ارزش و غیر انسانیه.

"So what did you think of it?" she asked. "I've been trying to write something, but all I can come up with is that it's a weird story about a guy who has an unusually good sense of smell."

She stopped, struck by a thought. "Wait a minute. You've got a pretty acute sense of smell yourself. I've noticed, don't try to deny it. That thing with the toaster. Right?"

He was cornered, and vaguely assented, hoping she would drop the subject. But she persisted.

"So you must have read it too. What did you think?"

"Well," he said reluctantly after a while, "You can't really describe it with words. That's the point. But you could describe it as... as a smell."

"As a smell?"

"You'd actually have to create the smell," he said. "I thought about it quite a lot."

"What would it smell like?" she asked, amused. "Beautiful young virgins?"

"A bit," he said. "But that isn't the dominant note."

"What is, then?"

He hesitated. It sounded so absurd. "Epistemology," he said after a long pause. "And moral philosophy. You know. Kant."

"It smells of Kant?" she asked. "But what does Kant smell like? I wouldn't have thought he had a smell."

"Oh, he does!" he said. She had never seen him so animated. "And you can extract it. Süskind is absolutely right. Grease-soaked linen, that's the way to do it. Enfleurage. Distillation. People who are reading Kant have a special aroma."

"But don't they have to be dead for you to be able to get it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That is the main problem," he replied. He looked at her, and now all the excitement was gone. "It's a problem," he repeated. "But it's one you can solve. If you're persistent."

She was staring at him as though she had never seen him before. What was he doing? He had already told her far too much.

"Just kidding," he said, and he moved the corners of his mouth upward as he had learned to do. "Just kidding. Actually, I can sum it up in a couple of words. People stink."

This is one of those books that is made up of such a great writing prompt, one that is loosely based on olfactory super powers and the so called “true” power of pheromones. It’s exciting for some chunks – there were portions of the book that reminded me of Harry discovering the secrets of the Half-Blood Prince in potions class (and this is always a good thing). Ultimately, I enjoyed the book as it was happening, did not think about it when it was not, and doubt I will remember any of it to any great degree after a year or so. Great book to bang out on a 7-8 hour flight.

I don't even know what to say about this book...it was...strange but also incredibly thought provoking! I feel weird saying I enjoyed it, but I did!

Despite its name, Perfume is not a pleasant book. Quite the opposite, it is terrifying and gore for the most part. The perfume the author builds between the pages reeks. It is a combination of what is worse in humans: body odor, vileness, jealousy, pride, and finally murder.

Since the novel is a classic (and a movie), I suppose the plot might be fairly well known so I will resume it a few words. We begin in the slums of Paris in the eighteen century where a baby boy is born and dumped in the trash. His lungs are quite powerful and it screams his way out and into the cold world. The little boy is passed around from caretaker to caretaker until it becomes obvious there is something quite different about him. Baptiste Grenouille has an incredible smell while he does not have any body odor himself. He also possesses an amazing capacity to survive through disease, hard work and unfriendly individuals. After learning all about the smells of Paris he decides he wants to create fragrances and becomes an apprentice to one of the oldest perfumers in Paris. As you can imagine, Batiste proves to be genius at creating new smells but he also becomes obsessed to find the perfect fragrance which in the end it will lead to murder.

Perfume is an original and unique novel and similar to some smells, it both repulsed and entranced me until the last page. It is about the creation of a genius and a monster, about the stinks of Paris and the enticing world of perfumery. The writing is not always perfect, it a bit dated but still it was a book like I’ve never read before. Recommend but not for everyone, something I keep saying a lot lately. It seems my reading choices are a bit creepy lately

(Book 243 from 1001 books) - Das Parfum. Die Geschichte eines Mörders, Patrick Süskind = ‎‬Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Patrick Suskind

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 1985 literary historical fantasy novel (published originally 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 have.

The story mainly concerns Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (French for "frog"), an unloved 18th-century French orphan who is born with an exceptional sense of smell, being able to distinguish a vast range of scents in the world around him.

Grenouille becomes a perfumer but becomes interested in murder when he encounters a young girl with an unsurpassed wondrous scent.

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «عطر: سرگذشت یک جنایتکار»؛ «عطر»؛ نویسنده: پاتریک سوسکیند (زوسکیند)؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش نسخه فارسی روز بیست و دوم از ماه سپتامبر سال2002میلادی

عنوان: عطر: سرگذشت یک جنایتکار؛ اثر: پاتریک سوسکیند (زوسکیند)؛ ترجمه مهدی سمسار؛ نشر مهدی سمسار، سال1372، در311 ص؛ شابک ایکس-964875818؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان آلمان - سده20م

عنوان: عطر؛ اثر: پاتریک سوسکیند (زوسکیند)؛ مترجم: رویا منجم؛ نشر تهران، نگاه سبز، سال1379، در272ص، شابک9645639115؛

عطر: قصه یک آدمکش، رمانی است که «پاتریک زوسکیند» نویسنده «آلمانی» آن را در سال1985میلادی منتشر کرده‌ است؛ در زاغه های «فرانسه»ی سده ی هجدهم میلادی، نوزادی به نام «ژان بپتیست گرنویی» با استعدادی ناباورانه، به دنیا میآید؛ او حس بویایی بی نهایت قدرتمندی دارد، و تشخیص بوهای مختلف حتی از راه دور، برای او کاری بسیار ساده است؛ او در کودکی، وقت خود را صرف رمزگشایی بوهای مختلف «پاریس» میکند، و شاگرد عطاری، برجسته میشود، که به «ژان»، هنر کهن ترکیب عطرها، و گیاهان ارزشمند را آموزش میدهد؛ اما کار در یک مغازه ی عطرفروشی، اصلاً برای نبوغ «گرنویی» کافی نیست؛ «ژان بپتیست» در یک روز به رایحه ای برمیخورد، که او را وادار میسازد زندگی خود را صرف خلق «عطر غایی» کند؛ رمان «عطر سرگذشت یک جنایتکار»، با ارائه ی داستانی درخشان، و حیرت انگیز، بدون شک یکی از برترین آثار ادبی چند دهه ی اخیر است؛ این کتاب به چهل و پنج زبان ترجمه شده، و بیش از پانزده میلیون جلد از آن در جهان به فروش رفته‌ است؛ براساس داستان همین کتاب، در سال2006میلادی نیز فیلم «قصه یک آدمکش»؛ به کارگردانی «تام تیکور» ساخته شده است

نقل از متن: (در فرانسه ی سده ی هجدهم میلادی، مردی میزیست که یکی از بااستعدادترین و پلیدترین شخصیتهای عصری بود، که شخصیتهای با استعداد و پلید کم نداشت.)؛ پایان نقل از متن کتاب؛

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 14/10/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 11/09/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی