This is a very strange and deeply unpleasant book about a young man who knew no love growing up in 18th century France, has a virtual super-power in his sense of smell, and becomes a serial killer focussing his attention of beautiful young women. And yet — it’s a very interesting book and worth reading. One learns a lot about scent and how perfume is made. And also about the everyday cruelty and violence of life just a few centuries ago. I read this when visiting Provence, including the town where much of the book is set, Grasse. Grasse has a international museum of perfumes and their shop actually sells this book. (I assume they haven’t read it.)

And one strange note: When it looked for it on Amazon, I read this was the number one bestseller in their category “Erotic Science Fiction”. It’s not erotic and it’s not science fiction. Maybe there should be a new category for “Psychotic Serial Killers Who Make Perfume”. Too niche, right?