Review: The Scent Keeper

Title: The Scent Keeper

Author: Erica Bauermeister

Publisher: 21st May 2019 by St. Martin's Press

Pages: 304 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: fiction, contemporary

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world--a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination.

Lyrical and immersive, The Scent Keeper explores the provocative beauty of scent, the way it can reveal hidden truths, lead us to the person we seek, and even help us find our way back home.

My Thoughts

‘The Scent Keeper’ is a truly unique and special tale about secrets and forgiveness, all linked by the power of scent. This is a book that will bring your senses/scents alive, transporting you to far off places, evoke forgotten memories that remind you of days long gone. I very much enjoyed this book with its flavour of magical realism with lent itself perfectly to Emmeline’s coming of age story.

Emmeline’s entire life is shaped by fragrances and the power of scent to capture moments in time. It’s a beautiful evocative tale. From the outset on her tiny island retreat with her father, to embarking on a journey of discovery, this story will draw you in. Who exactly is she and where will the scent trail lead on her quest to reveal the many hidden truths of her history.

‘We are the unwitting carriers of our parents’ secrets, the ripples made by stones we never saw thrown.’

The most powerful aspect of this book is the writing. It is magnificent. You will become immersed in its lyrical prose that will, at times, have you pausing for reflection. Erica Bauermeister is a gifted writer and she imparts this tale beautifully with much creativity. This is a tale full of imagination and emotion.

‘I remember the smell of wood smoke and pine pitch in my father’s beard as he read to me at night ... an olfactory reminder that had sunk into the walls and never quite disappeared. I remember the way the rain seemed to talk to the roof as I fell asleep, and how the fire would snap and tell it to be quiet.’

I highly recommend taking the time to lose yourself to the magic that is this book with its unique premise. Exploring important themes in the guise of following and losing yourself to the power of scent.

‘All those stories, all those lives, each one an entire world to the person living it, and yet I knew none of them. Maybe that’s how it always is, I thought—we all just go along, catching glimpses of one another, thinking we know everything.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.