Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the chance to read this novel early.

Calling all fans of The Great Alone and Where the Crawdads Sing, this book is a must-read for you. Granted, those comparisons are quite loose, but this book will easily resonate with that particular set of readers. The Scent Keeper is supremely unique and truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I loved the idea of capturing scents, as it is something I have been wishing for the ability to do since I’ve had children. The scent of baby’s breath after they finish eating or the smell of the warm crevice of their neck, scents that disappear as children grow older would be just a few of the scents I’d love to capture. I remember holding one of my babies after they had awoken from a nap and having an overwhelming urge to bottle their scent forever, so I would never have to let go of that moment. Needless to say, this book was appealing to me.

The beginning of this story was a little slow but once I got attuned to the author’s voice and style of storytelling, I was hooked. I loved how this book felt like a fairytale from the get-go. It gave that ethereal feeling that comes from hearing a magical story as a child and I couldn’t help but relish in it. As the story progressed, some of that feeling transitioned to a more mature story, with hints of the memory of magic in the background. It was as if I was growing along with Emmaline. I was able to be fully immersed in her feelings and the journey life was taking her on.

It was interesting to me just how vivid the descriptions of scents could be in this story. The author was able to personify scent, making me wish I could know each smell mentioned in the story myself. I was fascinated by the research that went into this book as well, especially in regards to the use of scents in marketing. It made this fictional book incredibly educational as well as entertaining.

Overall, this was a beautiful, evocative story – one I wish could have continued even a bit longer. My only minor complaint is that the ending felt slightly abrupt. I could have done with a few more details and less wondering about what would come next. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this to readers looking for something wholly different from anything they have recently read. Pick up your copy today!

Rating: 4 stars.

---

Purchase on Amazon.

Social Media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram| BlogLovin’ |Goodreads

---

About the Author:

Erica Bauermeister is the author of the bestselling novel The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, and The Lost Art of Mixing. She is also the co-author of the non-fiction works, 500 Great Books by Women: A Reader’s Guide and Let’s Hear It For the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. She has a PhD in literature from the University of Washington, and has taught there and at Antioch University. She is a founding member of the Seattle7Writers and currently lives in Port Townsend, Washington.

 

 

About the Book:

Erica Bauermeister, the national bestselling author of The School of Essential Ingredients, presents a moving and evocative coming-of-age novel about childhood stories, families lost and found, and how a fragrance conjures memories capable of shaping the course of our lives. 

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.

Buy Links: