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BOOK REVIEW OF μPERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER∂ WRITTEN BY PATRICK SUSKIND ABSTRACT Final project ini merupakan ulasan dari novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer yang telah diterjemahkan kedalam berbagai bahasa termasuk bahasa Indonesia. Novel ini ditulis oleh seorang penulis Jerman bernama Patrick Suskind. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer bergenre thriller story. Penulis memberikan ringkasan singkat dari novel tersebut, dengan pemeran utama Jean Baptise Grenouille, seseorang yang tidak memiliki aroma tubuh tetapi diberikan anugerah yaitu indra penciuman yang sangat tajam. Cerita yang berisi tentang penyalahgunaan dari keahlian yang dimiliki manusia ini merupakan suatu yang baru bagi penggemar novel fiksi. Final project ini menyajikan pandangan-pandangan penulis mengenai kekuatan dan kelemahan dari novel tersebut sehingga pembaca dapat menentukan apakah novel tersebut layak dibaca atau tidak.
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a novel written by Patrick Suskind. The novel was written in 1985. The genre of the novel is fiction story and the scope is thriller story. The novel has been adapted into a movie in the same title that is Perfume , and produced in 2006. There are some reasons to review the translation version of the novel which is published by Dastan Indonesia. First, the cover of the novel shows a group of strangers and it claims the novel as an international bestseller. Second, the review of the novel presents frightening VHQVDWLRQ7KLUGWKHDXWKRUJLYHVDVXEWLWOHLQWKHERRN≥7KH6WRU\RID0XUGHUHU¥ From the cover of Perfume , it attracts the frightening sensation because it shows some people with bald head, colorful body and empty gaze. The text which said ≥,17(51$7,21$/%(676(//(5¥PDNHVWKHZULWHUDZDUHWKDWWKHQRYHOFDQEH guaranteed with its quantity and quality. The review that found in the back cover of the novel, tell us about what the novel is about. The thriller novel is about the main character, Jean Baptise Grenouille, who has a special gift from God, that he can smell everything in the world. Jean Baptise Grenouille is the only one human who has the best sense of smell. But, the amazing gift causes a big
GLVDVWHULQWKH*UHQRXLOOH∂VOLIHDVKLVRQO\ELg obsession is to make the best perfume which VLPLODUZLWKEHDXWLIXOYLUJLQ∂VRGRU The writer finds that the novel tells about a murdering of 25 girls who died tragically, with no clothes and no hair in their body. There is relationship between the murdering case and the perfume specialist. Why the girls were killed, why Grenouille interest to make a virgin perfume and how the effect of the perfume. Comments upon of the book from The New York Times , Time Magazine , etc support the reader to read the novel and make the writer believe that the novel is really interesting and has best quality story. Another reasons is the DXWKRUJLYHVDVXEWLWOHEHVLGHWKHPDLQWLWOH≥3HUIXPH¥DQRWKHU≥7KH6WRU\RID0XUGHUHU¥ The relationship between title and subtitle do not make sense because there is no connection meaning words between perfume and a murderer. According to Oxford Dictionary, the word Perfume PHDQV≥DVZHHWVPHOO¥LWVKRZVDEHDXW\RUDJRRGWKLQJ%XWWKHZRUG Murder PHDQV≥WKHLQWHQWLRQDODQGXQODZIXONLOOLQJRIRQHSHUVRQE\DQRWKHU¥LWVKRZVDQDQDUFKLVP or a bad thing. The contradiction between the meaning of Perfume and Murder invite readersto read this novel.
1.2. The Objective of the Writing The aim of reviewing a novel is to give some information to the readers about the content of the novel. In this project, the writer hopes she can help the readers to decide whether they will read the novel or not. The purpose of the writer for reviewing this novel is to explain the strong and the weak points of the novel that will be useful to the readers.
1.3. About the Author and His Works The author of the book is Patrick Suskind. He was born in March, 26th 1949, in Stranberger Ambach, Bavaria Lake near Munich in Germany. He studied middle age and modern history in Munich University and Aix-en-3URYHQFHLQ XQWLO ,Q∂VKH ZRUNHGDVVFHQDULR∂VZULWHUIRU.LU5R\DODQG0RQDFR)UDQ]H$FWXDOO\KHZDQWHGWREHD pianist, but he had a problem with his hand. Suskind started his career as a drama writer before he wrote Perfume: The Story of a Murderer was adapted in a film. His second novel, The Pigeon , later adapted as a play, was first staged at the BAC Theatre in London in May
- His next play was The Double-Bass was first staged in Munich in 1981 and has since become one of the most performed plays in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In 1992, he published The Story of Mr Sommer. He also wrote The Story of Drei geschichten und Eine and an essay ≥2Q/RYHDQG'HDWK¥ Suskind gives more attention in single character and
coming from a girl who was 14 years old. Starting from there, the killings were begun, because he wanted to kiss WKHVFHQWRIWKHJLUO∂VERG\KHDFFLGHQWDOO\NLOOHGKHU$IWHUWKH death, he kissed every part of her body. None have passed because every part of her body has own flavor. When delivering the skin on Giuseppe Baldini, a famous perfume maker, he was very interested to learn how to catch a scent. Baldini finally allowed him to become his disciple. 8QH[SHFWHGO\*UHQRXLOOH∂VSHUIXPHVPDGHYHU\ZHOOOLNHGVRKHOSHGWKHFDUHHURI%DOGLQL that originally was going bankrupt. Grenouille had become an expert distillation. But, he decided to leave Baldini and went to South to learn how to make perfume. Then, he lived in seclusion in a mountain, which no one dared to place it. He was just eating and roughing it. Grenouille met the Marquis who changed his life and brought him to town, he created perfumes that make people attracted to the previous approach because the people had never thought of his presence. Grenouille moves to the city of Grasse, the place where the center of production and sales of perfumes which is comfortable area. Here, he learns the various techniques of making perfumes. At Madame Arnulfi, he is free to make a lot of varieties of perfumes and perform distillation. His first interest to scent the bodies of a virgin girl get in excited to catch the human scent. 25 tubes of perfume he provides, the hunt is begun. When a girl alone, he hit her head with the wood. Then he shaves her head, strip off her clothes and her body smeared with fat and then wraps it in cloth. The smell of the girl, he finally gets it. He does so until the girl number 24. This case uproar in the town that there is a sadistic killer which then force the parents to keep their daughters. For the 25thERWWOHKLVGHVWLQ\LVDJLUOQDPHG/DXUH5LFKLV5LFKLV∂V father realizes that his daughter become the target of the killer therefore he leaves the city of Grasse and tries to distract the killer. But in vain, the killer with a keen sense of smell might eventually take the girl's scent. However, criminals are finally caught, Grenouille gets hanged. When the citizens of the whole city come to witness his death, he spread a perfume from the scent of the 25th^ virgins. Unexpectedly on the ground, all people having sex, there is a mass of sex. The scent is so drugged people. Grenouille releases and escapes.
The end story of Grenouille is tragic, he comes close a bunch of people, where he spreads the perfume on all of his own body, and then one by one, people are approaching Grenouille and begin to eat parts of his body with greedily.
REVIEW
This novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a phenomenal novel because it is included in the International bestseller, which has been translated in various languages. The book that tells about a crime serial killer who killed 25 virgins has strengths and also weaknesses. 3.1. The Strengths The strength of the novel comes from the intrinsic elements. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer has straight forward plot line so that the reading story after another is not difficult for readers to follow the story. Sequential depiction of the story and vivid detail of every movement of setting the place and time makes this novel quite easy to understand. In addition, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer uniqueness lies in the writing of the chapters and sub chapters. On the chapter just written "Bagian I" to the chapter and the VDWX¥≥GXD¥≥WLJD¥DQGVRIRUWKHVHFWLRQ7KHUHDUHQRWLWOHVWKDWH[SODLQWKHVWRU\RIWKH sections. Unlike the other novels such as Moga Bunda diSayang Allah written by Tere-Liye that always include the title to name each chapter in the novel for example ≥-HUXN3DQDV 6SHVLDO¥ LVWKHWLWOHRIILUVWFKDSWHUWKDWH[SODLQWKHVWRU\LQWKHVHFWLRQDQG≥ Merah Kuning +LMDX¥ to second chapter, but Perfume: The Story of a Murderer only include numbers only. Therefore, readers are increasingly interested and curious to read more. Depiction of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille main character is so clear since the beginning RIWKHVWRU\DGGVWRWKHVWUHQJWKRIWKLVERRN*UHQRXLOOH∂VFKDUDFWHUWKDWKDYHDVWURQJ ambition in his life, which change his ability into a cold-blooded killer. Grenouille which was born as a man who has expertise in abnormal sense of smell is sharp and the lack of which he has no body odor, bringing him into a life journey that ended tragically. The goal of killing that was done by Grenouille was clearly written, because he wanted to get a perfect perfume, he must kill 25 virgins. The depiction of the cruel murder makes the reader feels fear but at the same time, it also raises the curiosity to continue the rest of the story. *UHQRXLOOH∂VDELOLW\WRVPHOOWKHDURPDRIDOOWKDWH[LVWVDQGPDNLQJWKHSHUIXPHJLYH a new knowledge for the reader who previously did not know how the origins of perfume making. The most apparent knowledge of the authors in terms of making perfume can give the idea of scents that make the reader know about a lot of scents in the earth. In addition, the effects of perfume scent that affects a person's emotions. For example, Grenouille has not been punished because he spread a perfume so people become worship him. The reason why
Moral messages or story that can be taken from this book is to never see anyone from their lack. Behind the lack of Grenouille who do not have body odor since his birth, he is a genius who knows all the scents in the world. In conclusion, there are 3 points that are found in the book. First, that is about the UHDVRQZK\WKHJLUOVZHUHNLOOHG7KHFDVHKDSSHQHGEHFDXVH*UHQRXLOOHQHHGVWKHLUERG\∂V odor to make a perfect perfume. Second, why Grenouille interests to make a virgin perfume, WKHDQVZHULVEHFDXVHKHUHDOO\ORYHVWKHLUVPHOO7KHLUERG\∂VRGRULVVRVSHFLDODQGPDNHV he feels comfortable with his life. Finally, that is about how the author writes the murdering case.
CONCLUSION
Perfume: the Story of a Murderer , work of a legendary writer Patrick Suskind was sold over 15 million copies. The novel which telling about a sadistic killer named Grenouille is presented coherently by the author. The only motive to get the best perfume was by killed 25 virgins. Behind an ordinary man there was extraordinary talent to get the main ambition in life. A highly detailed depiction of the story makes the reader swept under on a starring part in the story. An actual idea is something very simple about the irregularities of human talents, VRWKHZULWHUGHVFULEHGLWDVDQHZVWRU\DQGLQYLWHUHDGHU∂VLQWHUHVW2QHRIWKHWKULOOHUILFWLRQ novel, stressful enough with the existing character of the psychopath and the presentation of the story in the selection of the words that make this Perfume: the Story of a Murderer worth reading by thriller lovers.
REFERENCES
Liye, Tere. 2006. Moga Bunda Disayang Allah. Jakarta: Republika McGrath, Patrick. 2007. Mad House: The Story of a genius Murderer (diterjemahkan oleh Widati Utami). Jakarta: Dastan Books Suskind, Patrick. 2009. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (diterjemahkan oleh Bimo Sudiarto). Jakarta: Dastan Books ≥%LRJUDSK\RI3DWULFN6XVNLQG¥ http://www.gradesaver.com/author/patrick-suskind/ http://yqyq.net/3695-Kratkaya_biografiya_Patrika_Zyuskinda.html SEMARANG, 2 November 2012 DIAN LUSIANA/ UNIVERSITAS DIPONEGORO
