By Christina McLaurine
The final book of Alka Joshi’s Jaipur Trilogy, The Perfumist of Paris is a story of scent, memories, and secrets. In this novel, the reader follows Radha in 1974, and the spirited teenager we meet in The Henna Artist, has blossomed into a bright and vibrant woman. Living in Paris, Radha is trying to balance being a wife, and mother and her budding career as a lab assistant at a perfume house. In search of inspiration and materials for her first solo project, her first business trip takes her back home to India. While there, she learns that Nikki, the child she gave up at the age of thirteen, is on his way to Paris to find her. The secrets of Radha’s past are catching up to her and as they do, they threaten the stability of the family she’s created and the future she’s been working towards.
Nothing pulls a memory from the recesses of the mind like scents. They transport us back in time as they unlock memories of parents, lovers, heartbreak, and delight. Some readers might find Joshi’s descriptions of perfume synthesis and scent production uninteresting but they paint a vivid picture of the detail and refinement the process entails. The way Joshi uses scent to coax out memories from the characters’ past is sure to have readers reminiscing about the scents of their lives.
Unlike the first two books in the series, The Perfumist of Paris doesn’t alternate points of view. All four parts of the novel are told solely from Radah’s point of view. The first half of the book is slower paced as it’s more character-driven. The second half of the novel is plot-driven and as such is faster paced. The Perfumist of Paris is a wonderful finale to this exciting trilogy. Readers are reacquainted with characters from the first novel and left satiated as the loose ends are tied up and there are no questions left unanswered. Turning the last page of this book will have readers wanting to return to The Henna Artist to restart their journey with these enchanting characters.
Thank you, HarperCollins, for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.