The perfume: The story of the camel killer

Author's name: Patrick Süskind Publisher: Al-Jamal Publications for Publishing and Distribution Publication year: 2009 Literary classification: Novel Book summary: The events of the Perfume novel begin in 1738 AD in a fish market in one of the Parisian neighborhoods, where Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, the protagonist, is born. His mother tries to get rid of him as usual with her illegitimate children, but life writes him a different story, and her affair is exposed, leading to her execution. The infant moves between several places after people who care for him turn away from him, ending up in an orphanage for a financial fee. He lives in this orphanage rejected by all his peers, who tried to kill him since his arrival. Despite that, Grenouille clings to life and overcomes all the difficulties he faces. At nine years old, he begins working in a tannery with a harsh and strict man. Grenouille feels a passion for the smells of the tannery that sharpens his keen and strong sense of smell. In 1953 AD, Grenouille smells an enchanting scent of a beautiful girl and is attracted to her. A strong desire to possess the girl's perfume is born in him, and this desire is only extinguished by killing the girl. At that moment, he discovers that his goal in life is to learn how to create every scent he desires and to become the greatest perfumer in the world.