Perfumes

I enjoyed learning how perfumes are 'built', but it's the humour and amazingly vivid descriptions that really wowed. I never expected perfume reviews could be so smart, witty and imaginative. The descriptions of scents they despised were as good as the ones they loved ex: "vile fruity", "cheap and confident", "uncomfortably sweet" and "bad vanilla".

There are some books on the clearance shelf that have missed there niche, then there are those that should die there with the funerals only attended by the authors (not even the publisher or editors): this book is the latter. First, there is only 50 pages of actual book (more on that later). Second, of those 50 pages, it lacks a coherent focus, any sort of transition or unification. Why? Third, the authors did not write together but wrote separate interspersed sections that contrast greatly (but NOT in a comparative sense): LT wrote in highly technical terminology and complex structures that should be reserved for those studying chemistry (not indulging even his own notion of perfume being the art of chemistry); TS wrote in insipid prose without conveying any real information (ironic considering her criticism of perfumes' marketing copy). She (TS) is no expert, merely a person who has "written hundreds of reviews on websites" (consumer reviews on open forums; this is about the equivalent of my saying I am an advice columnist because I have answered over 500 questions on Yahoo Answers). It is like both wanted to write a book but neither could get a book deal on their own, so they were slapped together (him the brain, her a semi-writer with none) but separated like bad salad dressing, giving you that oily coating in your mouth that prevents the experience of any flavour. Despite her discussion of the changing tide in perfume where enthusiasts are searching for the vocabulary and means of description/understanding to intellectualize perfume's enjoyment much like wine, she offers no explanation. Meanwhile, his technical discussions are beyond the average enthusiast but still leave so much detail out as to never inspire the chemist to grow into a perfumer. There is little for the novice enthusiasts and expert alike. Lastly, their "guide" at the end, a compendium of their "reviews" of perfumes (comprising 300+ pages of the book) are based solely on personal taste with little to no description of the artistry and form of the perfume, making the "guide" useless to the reader, who will have their own tastes. A good reviewer, like a food columnist, can break down the balance and elements within so as to discern that a dish may be technically good despite not fitting in their personal tastes, but neither has such skill with perfume. To be generous, at most read the 3 pages of FAQs (geared to the novice enthusiast), but you can do so in a minute holding the book at the store: do not purchase! You can learn more about perfume from frivolous women's magazines while awaiting your haircut.