Has anyone read perfume?

[McDreamy]

It has been recommended by a friend. Just looked it up on Amazon but not sure if it looks like my kind of book. `is it gruesome?

It's an excellent book. More chilling than gruesome and very very well-written. Def try it.

fabulous book, read it.

Agree it's very good. Very odd, but very good. I think the gruesomeness depends on whether you're of a sensitive disposition. My mum is, and found bits of it too stomach-churning for her; but if you're not, you should be fine!

ok thanks, might pop to the library to the library to see if they have a copy.

Absolutely brilliant book! And - unlike many novels that are so derivative nowadays -it's original and interesting.

Ooh get it!

Yes it's brilliant; I've never read anything else like it.

Get it - it's fab.

Just read it last week...The descriptions of the smells within the novel are utterly spell binding I thought,I didn't find the gory bits that bad,just a very thought provoking book..

Good read! I'm going to watch the film to see if they have captured the book-I hope I won't be disapointed.

I quite liked Pigeon too.

This is one of my favourite books, and a favourite of almost everyone I know who has read it!

It's completely unique. I read it all in one go (pre kids) when off work sick and was utterly absorbed. Enjoy

It is a pile of pseudo-intellectual cack, in which the author demonstrates over several hundred pages his total lack of understanding of biology, physics and chemistry.

The f**g Pigeon is even worse.

It is unique and not really that gruesome once you get into the book.

The writing is brilliant, even more so when you consider the English version is a translation of the original German. There is not one word in it that "feels" like its been translated from another language iykwim.

There was a thread on here a while back - mebbe a year ago (?) - along the lines of "what book did everyone rave about to you but you absolutely hated?" something like that.

And my answer was Perfume by Patrick Suskind. Unreadable pretentious self-conscious shite imo.

Still, plenty of proper Perfume fans here so obv I was missing the point! lol.

´well another way of putting it, is that it probably appeals to Paulo Coehlo fans.

[bet you hate it] heckler scuttles away into a dusty corner

Each to their own NighbyNight but since when does a work of fiction - ie something made up - have to be factually correct in terms of biology, physics and chemistry?

Infact, getting my dander up now, I have read 1000s of books, across all genres, and been a reader professionally in my past, and if I had to choose one book, just one book, that I thought was TRULY overrated, it would be Perfume.

Oh dear, getting overwrought. Off to lurk on another topic ...

Counting, that is an interesting question. JKRowling manages to pull off breaking every rule in teh book, Perfum doesnt.

I think its about how the author tells the story. I dont mind a story going to outrageous flights of fantasy, as long as it all hangs together in the story, and the "rules" are clearly stated. But when the author writes about something that is scientifically impossible, and doesnt present any good explanation about why its possible in his/her book, then the book just loses its appeal. Another big turn-off is when the author marvels, or makes a big philosophical point, about something that has a simple scientific explanation.

Understand where you are coming from but think I approach bks from totally opp direction . Being completely non-scientific myself I don't worry about factual elements, just like being lost in the descriptive/sensual/fanciful aspects. (Wierdly though, don't like magical realism [hmmm].)

On the other hand, I do get miffed when I'm distracted by a creaky plot.

Did you like Life Of Pi?

no, I liked it so little in the bookshop, that I didnt buy it, so havent read all of it.

I also dont like magical realism - if you studied science, then you'd probably spot the crap in books like Parfum as well!
the author lives in Mu nic h near us, so is a bit of a local celeb.

Mentioned Pi because I think its a perfect example of good writing overcoming/carrying an utterly fanciful story and making it believable ...well, for susceptible souls such as myself anyway ...

I'm one hour ahead of UK too (Brussels) so off to bed and next chapter of 'Black Swan Green' (reserving judgement so far).

is this the same book-come-film? Saw the film last year, and it was interesting and a bit inconsistent. My friend who I saw the film with had read it, and thought it was a bit poor..more film-worthy than book worthy. in her modest opinion.