The Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (1820)
“The Perfume” is an 1820 novella by German writer and perfumer Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a self-obsessed genius who has a supernatural sense of smell. He uses this ability to create the perfect perfume and becomes a murderer in the process.
The story opens with Grenouille’s birth in 1738, which he later describes as “the day I ceased to be anything but a sentient being.” His mother dies while giving birth to him, and he is left to fend for himself in the wilderness. As an infant, his sense of smell is so acute that he can tell what time it is by smelling the smoke from different parts of town. He also has an acute sense of hearing: He can hear the sound of the church bell from miles away; when he gets older, he can hear people’s footsteps from far away.
Grenouille grows up and becomes an apprentice at a perfume shop owned by Monsieur Baldini — who becomes his mentor — but his skills are not appreciated by his peers or customers because they all find him repulsive. So he takes it upon himself to learn about perfume
Most Sexually Disturbing Books
- In the Woods by Tana French
The first in a series of detective books, this story begins with the murder of a 12-year old boy and then moves back in time to tell the story of how his friends grew up. At its core is a mystery that will leave you guessing until the very end. It’s dark, it’s creepy, and there are some seriously messed up scenes.
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
This classic horror novel tells the story of four people who are invited to spend a summer in an old mansion where ghosts may or may not be lurking about. It’s a chilling tale that will leave you looking over your shoulder long after you’ve finished reading it.
- The Shining by Stephen King
The famous horror writer’s best known work is also one of his most disturbing novels (and movies). It follows Jack Torrance as he goes insane while trying to care for his family at an isolated hotel on top of a mountain during winter break from school (what could possibly go wrong?). If you like your scares psychological rather than gory or supernatural, this is one book you’ll want to read before bedtime — or maybe wait until morning so it won’t keep
