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clareolivia's review
5.0
Is anyone entirely good or entirely evil? Lara Elena Donnelly makes us question this with their new book, Base Notes. The cost of rent is soaring across the country and is becoming a crushing burden to many, especially in New York City. A perfumer, Vic Fowler, has no choice but to rely on new steams of income to make ends meet. After receiving an offer they couldn’t refuse, Vic must convince (threaten) a few friends to assist in a bloody errand. Willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to further their business, no one is safe from Vic’s dangerous ambitions.
I found the character of Vic to be very enthralling. For years I have wanted a story from the perspective of the villain and I may have found that in base notes. At the start, Vic is a very enjoyable and sympathetic character but as the story progresses we see Vic making more questionable choices until everyone they know and love pay the price. Apart from Vic, all characters are extremely rich and dynamic. As a reader, you wont find a single character in Base Notes, that is entirely good or evil. Even the most likable of characters have their dark sides.
Even with the most obvious antagonists in the story, its hard to pin down the real villain and it’s even more difficult to find the hero of the story. That may be why I found Base Notes to be such a great read. The biggest threats in story aren’t assassins in the middle of the night but crushing medical debt, student loans, and the rising cost of rent.
I found the character of Vic to be very enthralling. For years I have wanted a story from the perspective of the villain and I may have found that in base notes. At the start, Vic is a very enjoyable and sympathetic character but as the story progresses we see Vic making more questionable choices until everyone they know and love pay the price. Apart from Vic, all characters are extremely rich and dynamic. As a reader, you wont find a single character in Base Notes, that is entirely good or evil. Even the most likable of characters have their dark sides.
Even with the most obvious antagonists in the story, its hard to pin down the real villain and it’s even more difficult to find the hero of the story. That may be why I found Base Notes to be such a great read. The biggest threats in story aren’t assassins in the middle of the night but crushing medical debt, student loans, and the rising cost of rent.
nushhetti's review against another edition
4.0
It is difficult to talk about this book and not draw parallels with Perfume - the subject matter is too similar. However it has been a while since I last read Perfume so some of it may be a faulty memory.
The modern setting of Base Notes made if far more real than Perfume was for me. Difficult to read in parts, gruesome and gritty. There are a lot of unusual descriptions of mundane events - which forced me go back to check I had really read that correctly.
It was only once I had finished the book that I realised that I had assumed that Vic was male - I don't think their gender is ever revealed (I could be wrong).
The modern setting of Base Notes made if far more real than Perfume was for me. Difficult to read in parts, gruesome and gritty. There are a lot of unusual descriptions of mundane events - which forced me go back to check I had really read that correctly.
It was only once I had finished the book that I realised that I had assumed that Vic was male - I don't think their gender is ever revealed (I could be wrong).
corritos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jeudikale's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
When I was done it made me want to get a new perfume so when I found something nice on Fragrantica I checked the price and you know what I get why Vic did all this.
The POV character is absolutely amoral and has a very high opinion of themself, I'm down for pretentious prose in general and here it emphase their arrogance skillfully. However, I did find Vic's relationship to class and gender, as in desperate to and only able to express their identity through a refined aesthetic that are way out of their means, somewhat relatable. They're a dark mirror for dipshit trans guys who should have moved on from dark academia.
The intrigue itself was a bit more meh, I wasn't all that invested in where it was going and while it dragged on the conclusion was quite rushed. The ending itself was good though, it felt the right conclusion for Vic and their sinister class complex.
The POV character is absolutely amoral and has a very high opinion of themself, I'm down for pretentious prose in general and here it emphase their arrogance skillfully. However, I did find Vic's relationship to class and gender, as in desperate to and only able to express their identity through a refined aesthetic that are way out of their means, somewhat relatable. They're a dark mirror for dipshit trans guys who should have moved on from dark academia.
The intrigue itself was a bit more meh, I wasn't all that invested in where it was going and while it dragged on the conclusion was quite rushed. The ending itself was good though, it felt the right conclusion for Vic and their sinister class complex.
menshevixen's review against another edition
3.0
The author is undoubtedly one of the finest prose stylists currently working, and the worldbuilding and general plot were intriguing, but ultimately this book didn't come together for me. For one thing Gorgeous writing, a variety of darkly appealing characters, and the quintessential alienation of New York City. A very YMMV book.
Spoiler
you can't just kill every person who bothers you.ella026's review
4.0
Okay, I loved this book, devoured it and now I'm sad and can't stop thinking about it.
Lara's characters always draw me in even if they are ambitious to a fault and destroy everyone around them. But hey Vic makes some great perfume so it's totally fine. The writing is equally stunning and I expect no less from Lara. Her turn of phrase is so clever and perfect describe what's being conveyed. These are some of my favourite quotes "as I watched a smile begin to bloom across his face like mold" and "He made a sound like something going wrong beneath the hood of the car." I just found them so charming. This mixed with the smell descriptions, which can be so hard to pull off given how subject it is, gives a beautiful veneer for such an ugly story. This is a bit of a tangent but I find that some of the best writing come from perfume reviews. They are amazing and I think authors should browse fragrantica even if they hate perfume, they have a real way with words.
If you want an update on Patric Suskind but with an added dose of the evils of capitalism and the devaluing of artistry for brand recognition then pick this up, you won't be disappointed. Now I am going to buy some perfume, gotta say this book isn't good for my bank balance.
Lara's characters always draw me in even if they are ambitious to a fault and destroy everyone around them. But hey Vic makes some great perfume so it's totally fine. The writing is equally stunning and I expect no less from Lara. Her turn of phrase is so clever and perfect describe what's being conveyed. These are some of my favourite quotes "as I watched a smile begin to bloom across his face like mold" and "He made a sound like something going wrong beneath the hood of the car." I just found them so charming. This mixed with the smell descriptions, which can be so hard to pull off given how subject it is, gives a beautiful veneer for such an ugly story. This is a bit of a tangent but I find that some of the best writing come from perfume reviews. They are amazing and I think authors should browse fragrantica even if they hate perfume, they have a real way with words.
If you want an update on Patric Suskind but with an added dose of the evils of capitalism and the devaluing of artistry for brand recognition then pick this up, you won't be disappointed. Now I am going to buy some perfume, gotta say this book isn't good for my bank balance.
siavahda's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know if this is an enjoyable book as such, but it is most definitely an excellent one. I have to give 5 stars just for pulling off that ending without making it comedic or ridiculous; that is some damn impressive skill right there.
rtc!
HIGHLIGHTS
~art > people
~unconventional perfume
~fucked-up dynamics all around
~MC = terrible person + fantastic character
~it’s all capitalism’s fault really
Base Notes is not the kind of book I usually read – although the premise is that it’s possible to recreate memories as perfumes (so long as you make the perfume out of people!) it’s only barely speculative fiction. I’ve seen it described as a thriller, as psychological fiction, even as a mystery (how???), but most people probably wouldn’t call it SFF.
But who cares, because it’s Donnelly, and if you aren’t reading Donnelly, why are you even bothering???
Vic is the nonbinary head of Bright House, a perfumery that is struggling to stay afloat amidst bigger, better-funded, and more commercial competitors. Sure, Vic has long-since discovered the secret to capturing a single memory in perfume, but that’s not exactly consumer-friendly, since it requires the corpse of a person who shares that memory and only works for another person who shares the memory. But it might be the key to success after all – all Vic’s struggles will disappear if they can just complete one very impossible memory-scent commission…
Base Notes is sharp and elegant and merciless, bitter and desperate and precise, amoral and horrifyingly hypnotic. It is a book that stings like salt in a wound. Vic is a terrible, fascinating person, simultaneously ruthless and vulnerable – casual about killing, but soft and fragile when it comes to a haircut that fits their gender identity and self-image. That juxtaposition is what makes Vic, if not likeable, then still someone we find ourselves rooting for.
(Well. I was rooting for them. I suppose your mileage may vary.)
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
rtc!
HIGHLIGHTS
~art > people
~unconventional perfume
~fucked-up dynamics all around
~MC = terrible person + fantastic character
~it’s all capitalism’s fault really
Base Notes is not the kind of book I usually read – although the premise is that it’s possible to recreate memories as perfumes (so long as you make the perfume out of people!) it’s only barely speculative fiction. I’ve seen it described as a thriller, as psychological fiction, even as a mystery (how???), but most people probably wouldn’t call it SFF.
But who cares, because it’s Donnelly, and if you aren’t reading Donnelly, why are you even bothering???
Vic is the nonbinary head of Bright House, a perfumery that is struggling to stay afloat amidst bigger, better-funded, and more commercial competitors. Sure, Vic has long-since discovered the secret to capturing a single memory in perfume, but that’s not exactly consumer-friendly, since it requires the corpse of a person who shares that memory and only works for another person who shares the memory. But it might be the key to success after all – all Vic’s struggles will disappear if they can just complete one very impossible memory-scent commission…
Base Notes is sharp and elegant and merciless, bitter and desperate and precise, amoral and horrifyingly hypnotic. It is a book that stings like salt in a wound. Vic is a terrible, fascinating person, simultaneously ruthless and vulnerable – casual about killing, but soft and fragile when it comes to a haircut that fits their gender identity and self-image. That juxtaposition is what makes Vic, if not likeable, then still someone we find ourselves rooting for.
(Well. I was rooting for them. I suppose your mileage may vary.)
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
lilibetbombshell's review against another edition
5.0
This book is another of my most-anticipated reads of 2022. Given my slight obsession with books that focus on the senses as a plot device (olfactory being my favorite, which is the sense this book relies on), it’s hardly a surprise that I wrote directly to the publisher in order to get early access to this title. I wasn’t going to let it slip away from me. I was focused on getting my hands on it, and I am so happy I did, because it was so good.
This book wasn’t exactly everything I hoped for, but it was dang close. Close enough to warrant the full five stars. The first-person POV narration is written as if this were a memoir written by an unreliable narrator. In this way, the book reminds me of Nabokov’s “Lolita”: you know from page one of both that classic novel and this book that your narrator is not to be trusted. They’re spinning the yarn, and you’re only getting to see what they are choosing to show you. In this book, the narrator, going by the name Vic Fowler, even breaks the literary fourth wall to speak to us readers directly, because he needs to make sure he has our attention. He’s a vain man who longs for someone to understand him or to accept him.
The perfume industry is one historically steeped in barbarism, shady experiments, and chemical experimentations I cannot even begin to understand. But I’ve always had a strong nose, even for being a girl growing up in a smoking household, and I’ve always adored perfumes (I have worn the same scent for a good many years now: Marc Jacobs Daisy). I can remember vibrantly the smell of my grandmother wearing White Shoulders, my mother wearing Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door, my prom date (and eventual assaulter) wearing Aspen, too many boys I went to high school with wearing Drakkar Noir, my ex-girlfriend and how she always smelled neutrally of Ivory soap and cigarettes, the heady and dark smell of the wall of leather floggers at Mr. S in San Francisco, and my ex-husband smelling of Ralph Lauren Polo Blue and sweat. None of my memories can compare with the in-depth and highly-descriptive words, phrases, and passages in this book not only describing scents, but describing the process of capturing nature and managing to put it into alcohol so it eventually makes its way into a glass bottle to be worn by a human.
But this book goes even further than just talking about the mainstream perfume industry, because Vic Fowler also has an off-the-books commission-only perfume business… and the commissions are definitely illegal. And that’s where this book, also like Lolita, becomes elevated to something both darker and more satirical than just your regular thriller. Because the rich can have any perfume they want, legal or illegal. But what if they want the memory of a person? They pay a perfumer whose business is on the rocks for the privilege. But what if it doesn’t stop there? What other scents or memories can their money buy? And to what lengths will out narrator allegedly go to in order to perfect his art, to meet these challenges, and to cover all of his tracks?
Donnelly obviously did her research and put hard work and devotion into this book. It shows with every page she wrote. The writing is precise, and I love morally ambiguous, unreliable narrators. Vic Fowler’s vanity is only outmatched by his narcissism. I both hate him and admire him. When he seemingly commits to a course of action he commits, but when he tells us what he’s done, I of course don’t know if he’s telling us the truth or just trying to make himself look better. That’s the beauty and the horror of an unreliable narrator. You just want things to be easy. You just want to lean into the narrative and not question it. But that’s letting the narrator seduce you. Do you really want to be that easy of a mark? I don’t, so I admire their audacity and hate them for it at the same time. It’s a much more thoughtful and satisfying read that way.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting my request to review this title.
This book wasn’t exactly everything I hoped for, but it was dang close. Close enough to warrant the full five stars. The first-person POV narration is written as if this were a memoir written by an unreliable narrator. In this way, the book reminds me of Nabokov’s “Lolita”: you know from page one of both that classic novel and this book that your narrator is not to be trusted. They’re spinning the yarn, and you’re only getting to see what they are choosing to show you. In this book, the narrator, going by the name Vic Fowler, even breaks the literary fourth wall to speak to us readers directly, because he needs to make sure he has our attention. He’s a vain man who longs for someone to understand him or to accept him.
The perfume industry is one historically steeped in barbarism, shady experiments, and chemical experimentations I cannot even begin to understand. But I’ve always had a strong nose, even for being a girl growing up in a smoking household, and I’ve always adored perfumes (I have worn the same scent for a good many years now: Marc Jacobs Daisy). I can remember vibrantly the smell of my grandmother wearing White Shoulders, my mother wearing Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door, my prom date (and eventual assaulter) wearing Aspen, too many boys I went to high school with wearing Drakkar Noir, my ex-girlfriend and how she always smelled neutrally of Ivory soap and cigarettes, the heady and dark smell of the wall of leather floggers at Mr. S in San Francisco, and my ex-husband smelling of Ralph Lauren Polo Blue and sweat. None of my memories can compare with the in-depth and highly-descriptive words, phrases, and passages in this book not only describing scents, but describing the process of capturing nature and managing to put it into alcohol so it eventually makes its way into a glass bottle to be worn by a human.
But this book goes even further than just talking about the mainstream perfume industry, because Vic Fowler also has an off-the-books commission-only perfume business… and the commissions are definitely illegal. And that’s where this book, also like Lolita, becomes elevated to something both darker and more satirical than just your regular thriller. Because the rich can have any perfume they want, legal or illegal. But what if they want the memory of a person? They pay a perfumer whose business is on the rocks for the privilege. But what if it doesn’t stop there? What other scents or memories can their money buy? And to what lengths will out narrator allegedly go to in order to perfect his art, to meet these challenges, and to cover all of his tracks?
Donnelly obviously did her research and put hard work and devotion into this book. It shows with every page she wrote. The writing is precise, and I love morally ambiguous, unreliable narrators. Vic Fowler’s vanity is only outmatched by his narcissism. I both hate him and admire him. When he seemingly commits to a course of action he commits, but when he tells us what he’s done, I of course don’t know if he’s telling us the truth or just trying to make himself look better. That’s the beauty and the horror of an unreliable narrator. You just want things to be easy. You just want to lean into the narrative and not question it. But that’s letting the narrator seduce you. Do you really want to be that easy of a mark? I don’t, so I admire their audacity and hate them for it at the same time. It’s a much more thoughtful and satisfying read that way.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting my request to review this title.
parchementhallucinations's review
I'm a very sensory person, so I loved the vivid descriptions of scent, but this book just felt unbelievably slow for me. I'v struggled to make it halfway through and not a single question has been answered about how our protagonist does what they do, or their actual plan. It's just not holding my interest.