The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose
Publisher: Atria (March 2012)
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Book Tours
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio
Format Read: ARC
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra—and lost for 2,000 years.
Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.
Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation. The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.
My thoughts: I was first introduced to M.J. Rose’s writing when I read The Hypnotist last fall. I was immediately captivated by the unusual methods she uses to transport the characters to the past. The Book of Lost Fragrances is just as captivating and unique as The Hypnotist was.
I must admit that I haven’t finished reading the book as I’ve had very limited reading time since the birth of my littlest monkey, the time I have had has been completely devoted to this book. Rose has the ability to combine elements of many of my favorite genres into one fascinating page turner. I hope to have a full review for you soon. In the meantime, make sure to check out some of the other stops on the tour. You can find the complete tour schedule at the Historical Fiction Book Tours website.
http://hfvirtualbooktours.
You can also follow the tour on twitter using this: #LostFragrancesVirtualBookTour
© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.
You and I are in the same boat with our little monkeys.
This does sound good.
I would love to try the audio.
I have heard wonderful things about this book, so I will be interested to see what you think when you are finished. I can certainly understand why you have had so little time to read with your newest arrival