The Perfume Collector: A Novel
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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Grace Monroe, a newlywed raised in the studious world of Oxford and bland English food, is completely uncomfortable with the glamorous parties and socializing her new life demands. When a mysterious French benefactor leaves Grace a surprising sum in her will, she jumps at the chance to leave her overbearing husband and London’s glittering social scene behind. What she finds in Paris, however, changes everything she knew about her past and has the power to change everything about her future. Tessaro combines Grace’s story with that of Eva d’Orsey, muse to one of Paris’ most famous perfumers and possessor of quite a few unusual talents herself. Sliding seamlessly between the 1950s and the 1920s, Tessaro depicts New York, Paris, London, and Monte Carlo with lush, descriptive imagery and admirable authenticity. Grace is a beguiling heroine, uneasy in her current situation yet hesitant to fully uncover the connections she and Eva share. Fans of Anita Shreve and Maeve Binchy will find The Perfume Collector a bewitching, compelling novel, full of dark desires, long-buried secrets, revisited memories, and new opportunities. --Stephanie Turza
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Review
“The Perfume Collector is a crackling, beautifully paced story that weaves the world of fragrance into the lives of two vibrant women in a way few have experienced. Inhale deeply--a new way of telling a story of the heart.” (Kate Alcott, author of The Dressmaker)
“Fragrance, fashion, and a puzzling bequest lead a 1950s British socialite into a whirl of Parisian intrigue in Kathleen Tessaro’s The Perfume Collector.” (Good Housekeeping)
“A colorful, stimulating journey through time.” (Kirkus)
“A bewitching, compelling novel, full of dark desires, long-buried secrets, revisited memories, and new opportunities.” (Booklist)
“Dazzles the senses.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Beautiful imagery and prose are the strong points of this seductive story that paints the most bewitching picture imaginable of perfume creation and the muses who inspire it. The themes are brilliant . . . and likely to leave readers feeling awestruck by the end of this classy and unforgettable novel.” (Romantic Times)
“A mesmerising novel of passion and scent.” (Woman and Home (UK))
“This evocative novel spins you back a few decades to the 20s and 50s where a young bride suppresses her intellect to be the trophy wife her husband desires. She is devasted when he is unfaithful but could it be the making of her?” (Glamour (UK))
“Through vivid descriptions, lively mishaps and devastating details, Tessaro serves up a witty, original, fast-moving debut.” (USA Today on Elegance)
“Witty…proves that confidence never goes out of fashion.” (Glamour on Elegance)
“A compelling plot in a truly magical Parisian setting, fascinating information about the way perfume is made, and great secondary characters make this a charming read. . . . Readers of the works of Emily Griffin and Laura Florand will enjoy.” (Library Journal)
“A lovely tale of a young woman in London who receives a mysterious inheritance that brings her to Paris and eventually to an old perfume shop. . . . Sigh.” (NY Daily News, The Summer's Best Beach Reads)
“Fragrance, fashion, and a puzzling bequest lead a 1950s British socialite into a whirl of Parisian intrigue in Kathleen Tessaro’s The Perfume Collector.” (Good Housekeeping)
“A colorful, stimulating journey through time.” (Kirkus)
“A bewitching, compelling novel, full of dark desires, long-buried secrets, revisited memories, and new opportunities.” (Booklist)
“Dazzles the senses.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Beautiful imagery and prose are the strong points of this seductive story that paints the most bewitching picture imaginable of perfume creation and the muses who inspire it. The themes are brilliant . . . and likely to leave readers feeling awestruck by the end of this classy and unforgettable novel.” (Romantic Times)
“A mesmerising novel of passion and scent.” (Woman and Home (UK))
“This evocative novel spins you back a few decades to the 20s and 50s where a young bride suppresses her intellect to be the trophy wife her husband desires. She is devasted when he is unfaithful but could it be the making of her?” (Glamour (UK))
“Through vivid descriptions, lively mishaps and devastating details, Tessaro serves up a witty, original, fast-moving debut.” (USA Today on Elegance)
“Witty…proves that confidence never goes out of fashion.” (Glamour on Elegance)
“A compelling plot in a truly magical Parisian setting, fascinating information about the way perfume is made, and great secondary characters make this a charming read. . . . Readers of the works of Emily Griffin and Laura Florand will enjoy.” (Library Journal)
“A lovely tale of a young woman in London who receives a mysterious inheritance that brings her to Paris and eventually to an old perfume shop. . . . Sigh.” (NY Daily News, The Summer's Best Beach Reads)
More About the Author
Kathleen Tessaro is the author of Elegance, Innocence, The Flirt, and The Debutante. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and son.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 66 people found the following review helpful
By
Shane
on May 15, 2013
Format: Hardcover
2 Comments
Sending feedback...
I absolutely love historical fiction and anything having to do with fragrances. So, the fact that the author blended both elements together was both intriguing and cleverly done. The Perfume Collector is beyond exquisite; exploring mystery, societal issues concerning women of two different period in time, and of course, the beauty of romance and how various scents come in to play with intimacy among other things.
This story was truly a journey of self-discovery, and I was intrigued by every thing it had to offer. For one, the main characters. I liked Grace. My perception of the kind of person she was grew the more I read. Her personality came off as kind, accepting, but beautiful without understanding the meaning of the word and how she embodied that within herself. And towards the end you begin to see her character experience growth and start to acknowledge things she was apprehensive about in the beginning. I was happy that the author enabled Grace to breathe in a new found air of independence and come into herself a bit more. And as for Eva, well, I was completely taken by her. As oppose to the life of Grace, Eva's was no fairy-tale She experienced the good and the ugly, and the fact that she overcame so much was just impressive.
I enjoyed the time frame and moving from one to the other, getting the chance to learn about both women and establish the connection that became quite clear early on. The whole mystery of Grace finding out about Eva and the reason for her inheritance was really well written. By the time I figured it out I wanted to shake Grace and ask, "don't you see?" But her wanting to hold on to HER truth was evident throughout the pages, and the moment she caught sight of what was really real then it all gets even more interesting.Read more ›
This story was truly a journey of self-discovery, and I was intrigued by every thing it had to offer. For one, the main characters. I liked Grace. My perception of the kind of person she was grew the more I read. Her personality came off as kind, accepting, but beautiful without understanding the meaning of the word and how she embodied that within herself. And towards the end you begin to see her character experience growth and start to acknowledge things she was apprehensive about in the beginning. I was happy that the author enabled Grace to breathe in a new found air of independence and come into herself a bit more. And as for Eva, well, I was completely taken by her. As oppose to the life of Grace, Eva's was no fairy-tale She experienced the good and the ugly, and the fact that she overcame so much was just impressive.
I enjoyed the time frame and moving from one to the other, getting the chance to learn about both women and establish the connection that became quite clear early on. The whole mystery of Grace finding out about Eva and the reason for her inheritance was really well written. By the time I figured it out I wanted to shake Grace and ask, "don't you see?" But her wanting to hold on to HER truth was evident throughout the pages, and the moment she caught sight of what was really real then it all gets even more interesting.Read more ›
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By
Gaele
TOP 500 REVIEWER on May 16, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Comment
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With an eye for creating and interweaving the threads of a story through the evocative and intriguing use of three classic perfumes, Tessaro manages to tell a story in multiple parts, from variant perspectives to leave an impression that lingers like scent on the air.
Introducing Eva at the end of her life, and Grace in the midst of her marital crisis: the intersection of these two stories with the rather obvious connection between the two lives is told through the story of three scents and their development: over several decades in each woman's life.
The one miss on characterization for me was in the two male characters that were prevalent in Grace's life: her husband and her Parisian Solicitor. Both could have enhanced their impact in Grace's journey with more development and strength of presence.
This is a fascinating look at the creation of perfume, and the elements that go into making that one scent that can trigger memories of those who encounter it. Additionally, Tessaro manages to make a beautifully evocative, if not particularly suspenseful story as Grace investigates Eva's past and helps to find her own new purpose in life. The story is easy to read and not particularly taxing to the reader as they are far ahead of Grace in discovering her mystery. If you have read and appreciated her books Innocence, The Debutante or The Flirt - you will enjoy this just as much.
I received an eBook from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Introducing Eva at the end of her life, and Grace in the midst of her marital crisis: the intersection of these two stories with the rather obvious connection between the two lives is told through the story of three scents and their development: over several decades in each woman's life.
The one miss on characterization for me was in the two male characters that were prevalent in Grace's life: her husband and her Parisian Solicitor. Both could have enhanced their impact in Grace's journey with more development and strength of presence.
This is a fascinating look at the creation of perfume, and the elements that go into making that one scent that can trigger memories of those who encounter it. Additionally, Tessaro manages to make a beautifully evocative, if not particularly suspenseful story as Grace investigates Eva's past and helps to find her own new purpose in life. The story is easy to read and not particularly taxing to the reader as they are far ahead of Grace in discovering her mystery. If you have read and appreciated her books Innocence, The Debutante or The Flirt - you will enjoy this just as much.
I received an eBook from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
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39 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By
Helen Beahan
on August 29, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Comment
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I was really looking forward to this as I loved Tessaro's "Elegance", but I was quite disappointed. With an intriguing-sounding plot, "The Perfume Collector" should have been fascinating, but sadly it isn't. After an interesting start, the pace slows very quickly. The protagonist is not very likeable and at times downright irritating, the constant switching between time frames slows the unfolding of the plot to a tedious crawl and the intrigue and mystery that should keep the reader turning the pages is ruined by the author's need to tell you what's coming next. Tessaro telegraphs EVERY supposed twist and turn, leaving the reader with no surprises to discover for themselves. There are some lovely descriptions of Paris and of one of my personal fantasies, a day of shopping at the Galeries Lafayette, but I really had trouble finishing this one.
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29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By
Anna Ayala
on July 19, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
Verified Purchase
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The description of the book appeared more literary, and even the cover suggests a more literary bent. The "mystery" of who she is and how she ends up receiving this inheritance is already solved from the very beginning and then it's hard to really want to know more of the "mystery" because it doesn't really exist.
The only thing that is "literary" about this book is the way two life stories are told side-by-side with this back-and-forth storytelling mode. There's also some interesting commentary that can be made about how these women are affected by the societal double standards for their gender roles.
However, a great deal of this book is dedicated to the sexual worlds of mistresses, affairs, high society mumbo-jumbo and elaborate descriptions of the sensual in ways that go beyond literary into the world of romance in that a real literary author wouldn't need to focus on who sleeps with whom and what it felt like.
Some of the descriptions were interesting, and some of the commentary was also interesting. The person knows how to write well, albeit some errors in spelling here or there that didn't get edited out. But there's also a bit too much cliche in this book and lack of any real suspense to make it a lasting piece of literary fiction. As a romance, though, it worked.
My biggest pet peeve is that it's described as "historical" fiction, but there's nothing particularly historical about this except perhaps for some knowledge of perfume sellers and how they made their craft in the past. Feels like false advertising.
I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been titled a romance. The whole thing begins with a failed marriage relationship, and really the enjoy book appears to be designed around failed relationships with the opposite gender and how they impacted the female protagonists. Also about their sexual partners and some layers both of feminism and victimization.
The only thing that is "literary" about this book is the way two life stories are told side-by-side with this back-and-forth storytelling mode. There's also some interesting commentary that can be made about how these women are affected by the societal double standards for their gender roles.
However, a great deal of this book is dedicated to the sexual worlds of mistresses, affairs, high society mumbo-jumbo and elaborate descriptions of the sensual in ways that go beyond literary into the world of romance in that a real literary author wouldn't need to focus on who sleeps with whom and what it felt like.
Some of the descriptions were interesting, and some of the commentary was also interesting. The person knows how to write well, albeit some errors in spelling here or there that didn't get edited out. But there's also a bit too much cliche in this book and lack of any real suspense to make it a lasting piece of literary fiction. As a romance, though, it worked.
My biggest pet peeve is that it's described as "historical" fiction, but there's nothing particularly historical about this except perhaps for some knowledge of perfume sellers and how they made their craft in the past. Feels like false advertising.
I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been titled a romance. The whole thing begins with a failed marriage relationship, and really the enjoy book appears to be designed around failed relationships with the opposite gender and how they impacted the female protagonists. Also about their sexual partners and some layers both of feminism and victimization.
Thank you for your feedback.
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