‘The Scent Keeper’ by Erica Bauermeister

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The first book I read by Bauermeister was called No Two Persons. It brilliantly portrayed, through a number of linked short stories in an unusual structure, how fiction can affect different people in totally different ways. No two persons will ever have exactly the same take-away from a novel. This is my second novel by Erica Bauermeister, and it is rather unique as well.

In this book, the main character Emmaline navigates coming-of-age, finding her identity, questioning her background, planning her future, sorting out what she holds most dear, but the focus is mostly on the unique guiding force in her life–her keen sense of smell.

Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood, secluded on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses but tells her very little else. 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. The most critical thing he doesn’t tell her, is anything about her mother, or how she and her father came to be on a remote island. As Emmeline grows, so too does her curiosity, until one day she is vaulted out into the real world – a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the ‘real’ world and the clues to her identity–a challenging quest.

The sense of smell is fascinating. I’ve often been in awe of how dogs have such an exponentially greater sense of smell compared to humans. I’ve been surprised by a vivid memory of long ago, conjured from a smell. I admit to having baked cookies or bread on a day potential buyers would be in the house, to make the space more inviting. The way the author wafts the power of scent through Emmaline’s propulsive story, makes for a very readable and enjoyable novel.

PS: This book influenced my trip to the grocery store this morning. I bought yeast and cardamom based on her descriptions of the rich aroma of Cardamom Buns. I had forgotten about cardamom, I haven’t tasted or smelled it in years. I’ll make some of those buns this weekend! 🙂

‘No Two Persons’ by Erica Bauermeister

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” The writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860

Wow. I have to say this delightful and insightful book of linked short stories was so beautifully written and easy to read. The author drew me into each story in a page (or less) which is my benchmark for short stories. The writing is simple and though the book doesn’t feel profound, it had an effect on me and how I view fiction. Bauermeister masterfully shows how fiction can deepen our lives and take us to places we didn’t know we needed to go.

Alice, a young struggling writer finally produces a book and sends it out into the world. Her story is the first, and then the rest of the stories focus on 9 people who read the book. It was fun to begin to learn about each person, knowing that in some way they would come in contact with Alice’s book, be challenged, be changed, or just be seen.

Anyone who has ever been in a book club, will have wondered how one book can hit people so differently, and even hit the same person in different ways when reading it at another time. This book shows the answer to that question in such a marvellous way. I couldn’t put it down. Short story collections are not often immersive for me, but this one was.