Perfume: Patrick Suskind

"In eighteenth-century France
there lived a man who was one
of the most gifted and abominable
personages in an era that knew
no lack of gifted and abominable
personages."

Rated 8.4/10  (brilliant)

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, the protagonist of Patrick Suskind’s début novel is arguably one of the most extraordinary characters in contemporary fiction. This extraordinariness, which lies in his unprecedented and enviable power of smell, is an evident manifestation of the author’s creative genius and is responsible for the immense readability of this novel. 

My Thoughts: Wow! Well, I'd heard that this was a brilliant read by quite a few people and it sounded gruesome and horrific; something that would interest me, so I picked it up. 

In short, this is one of the strangest books I've ever read.

It's actually written really well, and I love that it kept me hooked right to the end simply because the concept was inspiring - the settings were vivid, and the characters were horrible! I loved that Suskind opens us up to the idea of scent and how important and under-rated it is to us. There wasn't as much action in it as I expected to come across, but it was interesting all the same. It captured settings through scent in a way that I've never found myself thinking about before. 

I love the power that Grenouille possesses and I love the way that Suskind writes him. I sympathised with Grenouille despite everything, and yet I couldn't like him in any way. He's a cold character but we know the reasoning behind it and we accept it. He has no endearing qualities for the reader to grasp, and he has no endearing qualities for other characters to grasp either. Brilliant!

We are also on a journey with a murderer, and there are very few authors that can write successfully on that basis. The fact that it is set in the 1700's is a huge bonus, as I love stepping back in time and surrounding myself with a way of life that differs so much to my own. I felt the urge to visit Baldini's store in particular. 

The ending of this book is completely bizarre and was probably the element that threw me off a little bit, and also the fact that it offered less action than I expected. I wanted this to be full on gore and horror - but it wasn't and it did drag in places. However, it was dark and gritty and beautifully written.

Theme: 5/5
I loved the concept of this novel and the originality of it.

Plot: 3/5
I needed more action and felt that the ending wasn't quite fitting.

Characters: 4/5
The characters were brilliantly written - especially Grenouille.

Setting: 5/5
A perfect setting.

Style: 4/5
I loved Suskind's style.

Overall: 8.4/10

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

"In my younger and more
vulnerable years my father
gave me some advice that I've
been turning over in my
mind ever since."

Rated 9.2/10  (brilliant)

After the war, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire pursues wealth, riches and the lady he lost to another man with stoic determination. When Gatsby finally does reunite with Daisy Buchanan, tragic events are set in motion. Told through the eyes of his detached and omnipresent neighbour and friend, Nick Carraway, Fitzgerald's succinct and powerful prose hints at the destruction and tragedy that awaits.

My thoughts: Fitzgerald absorbed me in this book from the onset with his stunning use of language and description. I found that the settings and characters came to true life inside my head, and as the action subtly whipped up from the pages, I couldn't put it down. It's one of those classic books that looks like it is going to be hard to read; to be all about the language and the style of prose - but The Great Gatsby had a lot more to it than that. It can be enjoyed (or not) on many different levels. As I purely and simply take pleasure from my reading books these days (and don't do the analytical reading of my college years), I am reviewing this based solely on my enjoyment of it - and I'm not going to dive into other aspects of the text. 

It's like a 20s soap opera from start to centre, and then a tragic film towards the conclusion. Very easy to read and very quick. I loved Gatsby as a character along with all of his flaws, and the style in which Fitzgerald writes (through Nick Carraway's eyes) means that we can really get a rounded view of him and the other characters.  The finale of the book is hard-hitting and involving, although I had twigged what was going to happen before it actually did. 

I understand that a lot of people have suggested that the characters are not realistic - that their actions and dialogue are over-bearing - however, I like the exaggeration of Daisy's hysteria, of Gatsby's  romantic obsession and Tom's perceived authority and deception. I like that Nick Carraway seems like a very normal person in comparison to the rest - in a sense, that he can be trusted to narrate the story to us; but is he really telling it as it is, or does he have rose-tinted specs on too? Is he manipulating the way that he describes the whole tale to us? It actually comes across as being very clever to me. 

One thing that did irritate me (every rose has thorns), was the over-use of metaphoric language near the beginning of the book. It overwhelmed me for quite a few pages, and although it was very good, there is such a saying as "too much of a good thing".

I was very much surprised by this book. I didn't expect to find myself absorbed by it. 

Theme: 4/5 

Exaggerated post-war characters that love to spend a bit of money, have a good time and enjoy a bit of scandal. Can't be bad.

Plot: 4/5

My only concern was that I had predicted the ending. It didn't ruin the effect of it for me though.

Characters: 5/5

The characters, for me, where perfect for their roles, particularly Nick as a narrator.

Setting: 5/5

Mansions, motorcars, pools and parties set in the 20's. Perfect.

Style: 5/5

Despite the overload of metaphorical language near the beginning, I loved it.

Overall: 9.2/10

Recommendation: I think that if you haven't already read it, then you should. It's that 'Great American Novel' that causes controversy. To be enjoyed, or not - even if it is simply to form your own opinion of it.