I read Patrick Süskind’s ‘Perfume’ a few years back and since then I have wanted to read more of his works. I thought I will read his novella ‘The Pigeon’ for German Literature Month hosted by Caroline from Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and Lizzy from Lizzy’s Literary Life. I finished reading it in one breath. Here is what I think.
‘The Pigeon’ is the story of one day in the life of a fifty-something years old man, Jonathan Noel, who works as a guard in a bank. He is introverted, doesn’t like talking to people, likes being left alone, goes to work and comes back and minds his own business. When small unpredictable things happen in his life, his world turns upside down. One day a pigeon ends up in front of his door. It gives him infinite anxiety and he packs his stuff and leaves his room. One small thing leads to another, his whole day turns topsy turvy, his peaceful, calm world becomes chaotic and his carefully laid decades-old plans come tumbling down. Whether he is able to survive the domino effect of this small change to his day and come back to his home forms the rest of the story.
I loved ‘The Pigeon’. It has Süskind’s trademark beautiful sentences, his commentary on the human condition and his frighteningly realistic depiction of a character who is an outsider. If I had read this book when I was younger I don’t think I would have liked it that much. I am glad that I read it at the right time. It is a wonderful slim gem. A tiny masterpiece even. One of the reviews says this about the book – ‘Reminiscent of Kafka in its fearsome triviality and its bleak depiction of vulnerability.’ I can’t agree more.
Süskind has a very slim backlist. Other than ‘Perfume’ and ‘The Pigeon’ he has written just four more slim volumes. Wikipedia says that “Süskind lives reclusively in Munich, in Seeheim (Lake Starnberg) and in France (probably Paris and Montolieu). The public knows little about Süskind currently. He has withdrawn from the literary scene in Germany and never grants interviews or allows photos.” The description looks like that of one of Süskind’s own characters. Reclusive authors are always fascinating and it is intriguing why the best ones always end up being reclusive. However, one part of my heart feels sad that Süskind doesn’t write much anymore. I hope one of these days he gets up and starts on his new book. His readers would want to read that.
I will leave you with some of my favourite passages from the book.
He had once calculated that by the time of his retirement he would have spent seventy-five thousand hours standing on these three marble steps. He would then assuredly be the one person in all Paris – perhaps even in all France – who had stood the longest time in just one place. Presumably he had already achieved that, since by now he had spent fifty-five thousand hours on those marble steps.
That night there was a thunderstorm. It was one of those thunderstorms that do not burst suddenly with a volley of lightning bolts and thunder, but take a great deal of time and hold back their energies for a long while. For two hours it skulked about indecisively in the sky, with delicate sheet lightning, soft murmurs, shifting from neighbourhood to neighbourhood as if it didn’t know where it should gather its forces, and, expanding all the while, it grew and grew, finally covering the entire city like a thin, leaden blanket, waited again, using its irresolution to load itself with even more potent tension, and still it did not break…Nothing moved beneath the blanket. Not the slightest breeze stirred in the sultry air, not a leaf, not a particle of dust, the city lay there as if numbed, it trembled under the crippling tension, as if the city itself were the thunderstorm waiting to erupt into the sky.
He was just about to scream. He wanted to scream this one sentence…But in that moment of wanting to scream, he received an answer. He heard a noise. It was a knock. Very soft. And there was another knock. And a third and a fourth, from somewhere above. And then the knocking shifted into a regular, gentle drumming and the rolling of the drum grew more and more violent, and finally it was no longer drumming, but a powerful, glutted rushing around, and Jonathan recognised it as the rush of rain.
Have your read Süskind’s ‘The Pigeon’? What do you think about it?
I’ve never tried any Süskind, probably as million-sellers make me very nervous (many bad experiences!). Glad you liked this one though 🙂
I understand your feelings about million-copy bestsellers, Tony. Looking at Süskind’s writing and the way he is reclusive, I can’t imagine how he became a ‘bestselling’ writer. Both of the books of his that I have read – this one and ‘Perfume’ – are wonderful, especially for the way he has crafted his prose and for the beautiful sentences. Hope you get to read his books sometime.
This sounds wonderful, Vishy. I have only read The Perfum but, as you say, there really isn’t all that much more. He seems to craft his books very carefully.
Thanks Caroline! Nice to know that you liked ‘Perfume’. I liked what you said about Süskind crafting his books very carefully – it is so true. The sad thing is that he has written so few books. But the nice thing is that it is possible to read all of them in one go 🙂 I am thinking of doing that one of these days.
I am reading ‘Perfume’ at the moment and really enjoying it. I think I will have to investigate The Pigeon too.
Thanks for stopping by, Lindsay 🙂 Glad to know that you are reading Süskind’s ‘Perfume’ now and are liking it. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Happy reading!
As I was reading your review I began to wonder how much Suskind is like the main character in The Pigeon. Then I came to your sentence that stated ” The description looks like that of one of Süskind’s own characters.”
I saw the film version of Perfume, but didn’t read the book. I found it to be an unusual, compelling movie. Now I want to add Suskind to my reading list. Thank you for your great review.
Thanks Heidi 🙂 Süskind does look like a character straight out of his book! Nice to know that you liked the film version of ‘Perfume’. The book is wonderful too because of the beautifully crafted sentences and the way Süskind evokes the fragrance of perfume through his prose. Hope you enjoy exploring Süskind’s works. Will look forward to your thoughts.
pleased you loved this one I d as well I review it for german lit month last year I must try another by him soon ,all the best stu
Nice to know that you too liked it, Stu. I will stop by at your blog and read your review. Happy reading!
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I’ve only read Perfume as well like many of your other commenters. I will look out for this in the library – I love stories where the banal and meaningless to the majority have such a devastating effect on others.
Nice to know that you have read ‘Perfume’, Sarah. It is a really wonderful book. Hope you get to read ‘The Pigeon’ and like it. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
I’ve been meaning to read Perfume for years, but never got around to it. Do you think it would be better to start with that one, or The Pigeon? Which do you prefer?
‘The Pigeon’ is more a novella, Andrew. You can read it in an hour or two. ‘Perfume’ is a longer work, though as a novel it is still slim. And the characters and events and ideas are explored in more depth in ‘Perfume’. So if you are in the mood for a longer read, you can try ‘Perfume’. If you are in the mood for a quick read ‘The Pigeon’ is good. I will look forward to hearing your thoughts whenever you get to read them.
Oh I need to track down a copy. I love quirky characters like this one. And the writing sounds beautiful.
Hope you get to read this and like it, TBM. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
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