The highest achievement of any novelist is to create a world so real you can see, feel, hear and touch it. In the case of The Book of Lost Fragrances, the author M.J. Rose wrote a book where the reader enters the novel through their sense of smell. The Book of Lost Fragrances has many layers that intertwine ancient and contemporary perfumery against the backdrop of historical, social and political drama. But it is the author's deft storytelling about a love that transcends time that ultimately transforms the book from a work of fiction into a rare glimpse into the realm of possibility of the tenacity of the human soul.
The novel opens in Alexandria, Egypt, 1799. Napolean Bonaparte, his entourage, a guide and a French perfumer Giles L'Etoile uncover a crypt where two embalmed bodies, one male and one female are entombed, undisturbed for thousands of years. The ancient couple seem to be clasping hands around a clay pot that fills the room with a dizzying and disorienting scent so powerful that Giles has a vision that he is someone and somewhere else, sitting beside a beautiful woman sobbing by the banks of the Nile. The scent is all around him and tears come to his eyes as he realizes he is smelling liquid love. Suddenly, there is a shout that the place is cursed; Napolean drops the clay pot and Giles quickly scoops up its shards and a papyrus scroll as he leaves the tomb.
As the book continues, the reader goes back and forth in time and place- New York, Paris, Communist China, Egypt and Tibet. The descendants of Giles L'Etoile, Jacinthe Etoile (Jac) and her brother, perfumer Robbie L'Etoile, are now the owners of the House of L'Etoile and are caught up in a web of suspense and secrets so powerful they become targets for assasination. From Queen Cleopatra surveying her perfume factory in Judea (according to Ms. Rose's research Cleopatra was said to keep a book of all her fragrance formulas, which as never been found) to a climactic encounter with the Dalai Llama in the Louvre in modern day Paris, central to the novel's heart are the themes of reincarnation and love between soul mates (Âmes Sœurs) that can only be reunited by the mystical properties of the perfume that remains in the shards of pottery found in 1799.
To reveal the intricacies, the twists and turns of the plot and characters would definitely be a spoiler, but I will share one of many of my favorite "scented" passages. Jac goes in search of her missing brother Robbie who has disappeared in the family's home and parfumerie (she is trying to find him by detecting 'the Fragrance of Loyalty' the siblings had created when they were young that he would have left as a clue). "Inhaling, she focused on deciphering the scents in the air. Earth. Rotting wood. Stone dust and mold. Clean crisp resins from the cypress hedges that made the maze. The night blooming Jasmine planted in the garden along with the early roses.And grass. Together all the scents created a loamy datk oud. A mysterious and bewildering earthy perfume that suggested forests heavy with foliage. So thick only shafts of sunlight penetrated. So dense a child could wander forever and never find her way out." -Page 194
Olivier Durbano and author M.J. Rose
M.J. Rose spent over two decades researching history and reincarnation. Yet, it is her love for fragrance and her in depth knowledge of the scented world that will intrigue perfumistas. In the advance copy, I was delighted to see this photo of Ms. Rose with niche perfumer Olivier Durbano (Robbie L'Etoile was based in part on Olivier). When Dimitrius Dimitriadis of the former award winning blog, The Sorcery of Scent once mentioned to me he was involved in a book project, he didn't give many details. I was equally delighted to see Dimi's name credited with helping Ms. Rose compose a comprehensive glossary.
I asked Ms. Rose about her own experience with perfume, love and memories.
M.J. Rose's Perfume Collection
"My love of fragrance started when I was a little girl. My mother and I both wore the same perfume – Guerlain's Shalimar. I used to sit at her vanity and spray myself silly with it while putting on her jewelry and makeup. For years, I never wore anything else. I never thought it was odd we wore the same fragrance. But the first time I put it on a few days after my mother passed away, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that it wasn’t my scent anymore. It was only hers. I had to stop wearing it but I still have four vintage bottles to this day. I sometimes open one and dab some of the juice on my wrists, wait a few moments and then breathe in deeply…she’s there with me.
At one point in my professional life, I was the creative director of a NYC advertising agency and Charles of The Ritz was my account. I worked on the creation and launch of Xia Xiang fragrance – we shot the commercials in Hong Kong, and also did YSL Opium Fragrance commercials.
Fragrance has also spilled over into my personal, adult life and I’ve been buying decanted samples of vintage perfumes now for years. I have about a dozen really great old scents – the oldest is a pre-World War II bottle of Guerlain's Coq D’Or. So, I guess you can say that fragrance has always been present throughout my life!"-M.J.Rose
Frederick Bouchardy, owner of Joya Studio was so moved by The Book of Lost Fragrances that he created Âmes Sœurs to evoke the novel's theme of soul mates that could find each other through fragance after thousands of years.
At the recent Elements Showcase in New York Mark Behnke and I had the opportunity to speak to Frederick (a co-founder of the successful exhibition) and to preview Âmes Sœurs. Although I did not have any visions of my previous lives, Âmes Sœurs is a beautiful scent that is hypnotic.The container is made of slip cast porcelain, with porcelain "shards" glazed and painted in 22k gold and an inside that is also glazed and painted 22k gold. Each top is plated gold and hammered by hand. Then the perfume (sweet citrus topnote that melds into smoke-covered orange blossom) is blended and poured by hand with natural carnauba and jojoba oil. (The numbered edition of 15 is entirely made in New York City).
Top: Tamarind, Grapefruit, Cypress
Mid: Rose Bulgar, Ginger, Orange Blossom
Dry Down: Cedarwood, Incense, Amber, Sweet Musk
Thanks to Ms. Rose and to Frederick Bouchardy, one commentor will be eligible to win an advance copy of The Book of Lost Fragrances with the author's notes and a sample of Âmes Sœurs (they will be shipped separately). Draw ends Monday February 20, 2012
If you are reading CaFleureBon you love perfume and the arts. READ THIS BOOK; you will not be dissapointed. For every book on preorder,(The Book of Lost Fragrances goes on sale March 13, 2012) a sample of Ames Souers will be made available. Here is how:
1. Just click on the preferred website and pre-order The Book of Lost Fragrances from the links below.
2. Email the receipt, or a scanned copy of it, to LostFragrances@gmail.com along with your name and mailing address for fragrance delivery.
3. Your sample of Âmes Sœurs will be shipped to you on or before March 13th. The book will arrive separately, from the store of your choice, at the same time so you can enjoy both together.
Your Favorite Independent Book Seller
*Offer ends March 1st, is limited to numbers of supplies available, and is only for readers in the US and Canada.
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