My opinion here is completely unbiased. I haven't seen the film and knew nothing about this story before I started the book.
A very unusual but gripping tale, I must say. Well written, definitely.

This is the story of Grenouille, a baby born without hopes and left on a pile of rubbish by his own mother. Certain death, especially in 1738, would be expected but does not happen. Against all odds, Grenouille survives and grows up with a very distinctive feature: his olfactory system. From infancy, no scent, no smell, unpleasant or otherwise, escapes his nostrils. He categorizes each one of them and an endless sort of data base is stored in his brain.
A very inconspicuous fellow, without distinctive features, he is able to survive in a world that has deceived him from day one. And in turn, in his profound uneasiness, he becomes the deceiver. Little by little he starts to realise that his olfactory ability is indeed something that could turn useful, one day. Something for which people would appreciate him perhaps. Real love, real affection, he does not know. Perhaps he yearns for it. But in reality, he loathes people and is comfortable in his loneliness. And one day (he's about 12 by now) he picks up a faint scent in the air that he cannot name but gives him an incredible yearning. An irresistible urge to find the source of that scent and an infallible nose lead him to that source.....

From then on, a lot else happens. And Grenouille, that fragile, plain, indistinct, shadowy and secretive being takes us from one side of France to the next on a twisted olfactory errand. It is impossible not to be awed by this very distinctive feature of his. With it, when `utilized' properly, he is able to do wonders. But it is equally impossible not to commiserate him, not to feel sorry for a very lonely, lost soul even though his malignant twist cannot but horrify us.

A very unusual, disturbing story. A story where smell, stench, scent or delicate perfume mingle and replace our eyes and ears. I bet that this book will make you think about some veritable concepts contained here: i.e. our olfactory system has an incredible memory. Lost loves, Granny's apple pie, baby days, all it takes is a whiff of something we smelled before and we are travelling back in time...

If some nuances were lost in translation (from German) I do not know, but I found the prose stylish and entertaining. A 5 stars book from the beginning. My only disappointment came towards the end. An end which probably befits the whole medieval, grotesque tale but it was way, way too far fetched in my opinion (hence the 4 stars). Still, well worth reading it as it has the quality of a classic.

For fans of beautiful imagery, original plot and mild horror, this is a must-read. Like most people, I came to know about it as a result of the movie... and as is often the case, the book was far superior to the film (though the film followed the story closely, the book did a much better job of capturing the ending). "Perfume" is unique in its unusual plot, and paints a very clear picture in the reader's mind of the greatly various scenes. You will find yourself experiencing the smells and sounds Suskind creates, and thinking of this novel long after putting it down. My only regret in reading this book is that it got me hooked on the author and he's written very little else that I can find.

This is a wonderfully articulate book about an olfactory mutant with a decadent morality
(or amorality) in 18th century France. This man knows everything by his sense of smell.
His name in French is 'Frog'. Interestingly, he gives off no smell himself. He is shunned
by others.

Alternately amusing and gruesomely disgusting, this is a wonderful book.

Patrick Suskind artfully uses language to describe the scents perceptible to Grenoille, a hideous person with an exceptional sense of smell. He somehow has no scent of his own, and he thinks the best smell in the world is that of a pretty young virgin girl that he strangles to death when he is young. He travels from the streets of 17th century Paris to the isolation of the mountains, and kills over two dozen girls to capture their scent. It is an enthralling read, and while you hate Grenouille, you are fascinated by him. Plus, you learn more about scent and old fashioned perfume making techniques than you would ever otherwise care to. Kurt Cobian was inspired by this book to write the song Scentless Apprentice on the album In Utero (although you can't understand a word of the lyrics by listening to it). All in all, a good read.

What an unusual concept for book, this story of a man obsessed by capturing the ultimate perfume.

The book is very descriptive of 18th century settings in France and the lead character's incredible ability to recognize, save and catalogue every scent he has ever encounterd. Each of the characters has selfish motivations for their actions, which all come together in this highly unusual tale

I expected to book to be more violent and gory than it actually is. Most of the violence occurs in the background, so the heart of the book is focused on the murderer's various schemes and methods of capturing scent. This asexual murderer uses scents to unconsciously control the people around him and methodically create his ultimate perfume.

Thought provoking and unsettling, but very well written. I admire the translator's work as well, it is never heavy handed.