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  • Perfume

  • Penguin Modern Classics
  • By: Patrick Süskind
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (234 ratings)

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Perfume cover art

Perfume

By: Patrick Süskind
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Publisher's Summary

A downloadable audiobook edition of the modern classic Perfume read by Sean Barrett.

Survivor, genius, perfumer, killer: This is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. He is abandoned on the filthy streets of Paris as a child, but grows up to discover he has an extraordinary gift: A sense of smell more powerful than any other human's.

Soon, he is creating the most sublime fragrances in all the city. Yet there is one odour he cannot capture. It is exquisite, magical: The scent of a young virgin. And to get it he must kill. And kill. And kill...

©2014 Patrick Suskind (P)2014 Penguin Audio

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What listeners say about Perfume

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Amazingly Dark Story

Second time reading this story. I love how scents are so well described. The plot is amazing, dark and unique. The only dull part is the cave section in the middle.
Narrator does a brilliant job with the book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

much better than the film

i have alwats really liked the film , the book is way better.
great narrator, for once a male voice actor who has the range to do other voices besides his own.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Such an interesting story!

I really, unexpectedly, enjoyed this book. To my surprise, Grenouille was actually very relatable. The story was also very dark and so humorous. I really enjoyed it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Creepily enchanting

I read this book years ago and loved listening to it. Very gruesome story told beautifully. Loved it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Highly original

Such an original premise to see the world through ‘the best nose in Paris’. Ominous, witty and surprising, with a memorable main character and clever ending

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic original concept.

Enjoyable different concept on the quest for acceptance. Great book, 5 stars from me. Super performance from the narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book

Maybe not *amazing* but an original story full of little details that get you invested in the main character and even after several listens I still like it.

Yeah it's only 6 hours or so but it's well timed and any longer would have meant filling it will filler text - like do many too-verbose authors like to do simply to inflate their titles, with fluff.

Good book so yes: get it, you won't wish you hadn't - like we do with half the crap filling audible 😉

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very weird

I found this very disturbing tale quite riveting in many ways. It is not very often that the main character is so very unlikeable and creepy. Beautifully narrated but not a book I would recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So disturbing… I loved it.

This book is extremely unique.
It was extremely disturbing but so beautifully written.
I recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and bizarre

Incredibly read, brilliant characters, bizarre story. I think Lapvona took huge inspiration from Perfume (this is much, much better). Beautiful use of language, dark, weird and hilarious.

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