Desde la infancia, Jac L’Etoile ha vivido atormentada por las visiones de un pasado que no puede ser suyo, y estos recuerdos siempre se asocian con los perfumes más exóticos, puesto que creció en la famosa perfumería Casa L’Etoile, la más antigua de París, cuyo fundador fabricó fragancias para Napoléon.
Ahora Jac se ha alejado del mundo embriagador de los perfumes para convertirse en una experta en mitología universal en Nueva York. Ahí recibe la visita inesperada de su hermano Robbie, que le cuenta que ha encontrado pistas importantes sobre la fórmula secreta del legendario perfume de Cleopatra, un hallazgo que podría hacer mucho más que salvar la Casa L’Etoile, que se encuentra en quiebra.
Los rumores sobre este descubrimiento pondrán en marcha una persecución de dimensiones internacionales, pero también el renacimiento de una gran historia de amor cuyos inicios datan de muchos siglos atrás.
Quizás sea verdad que existen ciertos secretos por los cuales vale la pena morir.

It was ok. A little Dan Brownish. ( )

While I was reading this book, certain themes rang familiarly. Perfume, Paris, immortality, Tibetan holy men, an institute dedicated to finding the key to eternal life, a search to find a particular perfume formulation.......hmmmmm.

I was thinking, "Well, this book is sort of boring, what would spice it up? How about a strong, independent female character; how about if we make her a Hindu woman on the run after refusing the suttee ritual.......now let's add a new male lead, a nice barbarian leader who is seeking immortality and has learned a thing or two already. Now, let's add.......the god Pan......only he will be invisible because no one worships him anymore, but he still smells pretty rank and needs some powerful fragrance to cover his foul miasma......"

Anyone who reads The Book of Lost Fragrances should treat themselves to Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins afterwards. It will be like a sweet, delicious, delightful dessert after sitting through a long, overcooked very bland meal. ( )

I had previously read this author's "The Reincarnationist". It was over two years ago. I remember being somewhat disappointed in it, but couldn't tell you an exact reason.

In this, her most recent novel, M.J. Rose again visits the subtle and fascinating world of past life echoes, over-layered with tense political drama. Well-crafted, with no jarring character notes, the plot flows and builds at a steady pace. Although one can guess what the final crisis will be, the outcome is not a given, and there are a few loose ends that are nicely wrapped up.

This book also uses a subject near and dear to my heart, fragrance. Called here simply the art of perfume, we know it today as aromatherapy. Ms. Rose has done her homework well, and gives some historical accounts, including references to Cleopatra.

By the way, the book's coverage of the subject of reincarnation is not preachy at all. There are several passages referring to various cultures, religions, and individuals who either espoused the concept, or were open to the possibility of its verity. But several characters, including the main one, retain a pretty healthy skepticism.

I greatly enjoyed this novel, and I'm very glad I came across it. ( )

Once again, I am fascinated and impressed with Rose's knowledge of reincarnation. By now, everyone knows about my interest and belief in the subject and I truly never tire of reading about it, whether it be in a fictional context or in non-fiction (although some may argue that it's all fictional). What I like about Rose's portrayal of the subject is her incorporation of it with history, as well as the current events of the day.

In this book, the fourth installment in The Reincarnationist series, we are treated to ancient Egypt, another subject of endless fascination for me, and the culture's use of fragrance as a link to past lives, particularly during the Ptolemaic period. From there, we are whisked forward to present day China and the endless struggle between Tibet and the Chinese government to control the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama. As usual, there is mystery and intrigue, which adds a suspenseful element to the story. For me though, the historical aspects of the story are sufficient to keep my interest. Add in a bit of alchemy, and you have a well-rounded and interesting story of history, science, and mysticism.

The beauty of this series is that you really can read the books without having read the earlier books. I still have not read the first and second books in the series (although they are on my shelf), but I had no problem reading the third, The Hypnotist, and the fourth (this one) books as stand alone novels. Rose is a talented author, with a gift for writing about a subject of which she is clearly passionate. I sincerely look forward to any and all future offerings from her, whether it be more books in this series, or a new set of books down the road.
( )