If Yellowface and My Year of Rest and Relaxation had a lesbian child together, it would be this book. Dorn used lesbian pulp tropes so effectively here, and I had a great time in the head of such an unlikeable narrator. I was very afraid going into this that the perfume imagery would turn gimmicky, but Dorn did an excellent job at weaving it meaningfully into the story and I thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out what fragrances she was referencing. All in all, this was a fun and biting book that scratched just the right itch for me.

Not for me. The summary described it as a fun, comedic, lesbian pulp fiction.
There was nothing funny about this except the main characters audacity.
The main character astrid, is self destructive, hateful and ignorant.
Another reviewer described it as a "bojack horsemen" character type but the plot was all around rough.
After being "canceled" for using derogatory terms at a book panel, astrid is advised by her agent to relax and take some personal time. In the beginning there is alot of discussion on lesbian culture and the harmful stereotypes that lesbians are acussed of. But astrid is the harmful stereotype. Disgusted to the point of almost gagging at the idea of bi/pansexuals and believes other queers that dont identify as gay or lesbian, hurt lgbtq people. She has downright sexist attitude and refuses to take accountability.
Astrid moves and her new neighbour penelope is an older lesbian that astrid immediately hates and judges based on appearance but then slowly starts to like penelope
I would say it'd be a good journey on drugs and sexuality and acceptance but astrid doesnt learn anything about acceptance and sexuality (stops sleeping with people/friends but questions why those friends wouldnt pick her to date after everything that astrid has said and done)

Perfume and Pain is a high-octane character study of Astrid, an LA author in her mid-30s who cannot stop falling into the same cycles of toxic women and vice cocktails. She is ruining her own life, on a roller coaster to oblivion, when she’s trampled by a circus of circumstances that motivate her to turn her life around. Astrid is hatable yet endearing, honest to a fault, and a melodramatic darling. You’ll love this book if you love supporting women’s wrongs.

Astrid’s inner monologue is intimate and vulnerable, voicing nasty, insecure judgements similar to those I’ve had of both myself and others in my weakest moments. The supporting cast is witty and I enjoyed her banter with all of them. Despite the theatrical personalities of each character, they all felt human in the imperfect and messy way that humans are. What I liked most about Perfume and Pain is that by the end of the book Astrid still isn’t the most enlightened version of herself. She’s improved significantly in one aspect of her life—impulse control—but she does not stop being an awkward over-thinker. And this does not stop her from being loved.

Seeing just how rock-bottom she was made me feel all the more proud of Astrid for putting in the work to heal herself and foster healthier interpersonal connections. Perfume and Pain highlights the difficulties of finding and keeping genuine relationships as an introvert. I very much related to Astrid’s over-achiever-who-can’t-ask-for-help energy and her paradoxical need to seek others’ approval while dreading being perceived. The more she tries to project an effortlessly cool and unbothered image, the more she tears herself apart. This book intricately demonstrates how much we get in our own ways, but also how important our environment is to helping or hindering personal growth.

I’m not rating this book higher than 4 stars because there were a lot of references that went over my head, which I can’t evaluate the merits of. Lesbian pulp fiction of the 1950s is not a topic that I had previous exposure to, and not one that I’d gain a deep-enough appreciation for after some superficial research just to understand the book’s references. So, as a commentary on modern lesbian/queer culture, I can’t say that it really wowed me or changed my perspective (perhaps because my exposure to the culture is too Gen Z, a rift the book itself points out). I did, however, start listening to Cat Power, who, in my estimation, ran so Lana Del Rey could walk.

I haven't read any of Anna Dorns other books, but if they're anything like Perfume and Pain, I think she's going to be added to my small list of favourite authors. (Alongside Mona Awad, Leigh Bardugo, and Eva Ibbotson she'll be in great company).

Supposedly an ode to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction, my only experience with the genre is from this novel, so far, so I don't really know how it stands up in that regard. But wow I loved this book so much, it really scratched an itch in my brain... I found myself reading super slowly and reading other books in between chapters because I didn't want it to end.

The story is about an LA author who is just a mess. Alcoholic drug addict, keeps getting cancelled online because she has no filter, obsessed with dating and just falling apart in so many ways, but I loved her so much. Its honestly probably a red flag how much I love this kind of 'unlikeable female character'. I wish I had no morals or shame so I could also be an awful mess of a person who just does and says whatever she wants. But luckily for everyone, I'll have to stick to reading about it instead.

The great thing about this book though, is that under the surface it was lot more than just a satirical look at Hollywood and Queer culture and Lesbian Pulp... It had a lot of heart and ultimately was the story of a woman with a lot of problems learning how to get better and to like herself. I loved the chaotic vibe of this book but I also loved the calm, feel-good, and tranquil ending.

If this book sounds up your alley at all based on my review I definitely recommend picking up a copy when it's out May 21, or you can pre-order it like I'm about to,(because I read this digitally but I NEED to own it). Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster Canada for the Netgalley arc, without which I may not have read this fantastic book!

I absolutely devoured Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn. I loved how raw and brutally honest this book was in terms of addiction, lesbianism and finding your place among the ever-changing spectrum of sexuality. I enjoyed the way that Astrid, our main character, was never reliable in any sense and was very self-aware of all of her flaws, yet didn't do much to improve them in any way.
Stories about flawed queer identifying characters are important, and I think the way Perfume and Pain is delivered is an excellent mix between funny and light-hearted with darker and more introspective undertones throughout. A lot of Astrid's behavior and qualms with others misusing queerness could be very relatable for those who have identified as LGBTQIA+ as the definitions and identities have grown and changed over the last few decades.
Overall, I thought this book was incredibly entertaining and full of dark humor. Fans of Melissa Broder and Mona Awad would love this book.

3.5⭐️. I would first like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc I received of this book in exchange for an honest review! This one is for the chaotic girlies!! Perfume and Pain tells the story of Astrid, a messy, mentally unwell, 30-something lesbian author living in LA. Mix this with a mild drug addiction, intense girl obsession, and lack of self preservation and the result is the story line of this complex, character driven novel. The character of Astrid, although starts off to me quite unlikable, eventually progresses to one I am quite fond of. Her character arc was a treat to read and I enjoyed the general wackiness of this story. If you enjoyed Greta and Valdin or Really Good, Actually you will love Perfume and Pain!! I think for me it fell a bit flat in that I wanted a bit more character background and the end felt a bit rushed. Other than that this was a very enjoyable, quick read!

This book was so different than anything i normally read. It was uncomfortable, messy, and even problematic. The main character was unlikeable but extremely interesting. It keep me hooked.
Extra point for being queer.

Thank you Simon & Schuester Canada and Net Galley for my ARC of this book.

I honestly wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started this novel. I was excited to read something different than the genre I usually read and boy, was I in for a treat.

Perfume & Pain is at times uncomfortable in a way that makes you pause, think for a while, then go back wanting to devour it. Honestly similar to how Astrid feels on the Patricia Highsmith. Astrid’s relationships with both Ivy and Penelope satisfy both aspects of her personality: the one that’s ruled by addiction and the one that craves the ability to pull away from everything around her and just be.

The use of perfume is also vital to the storytelling. At first it almost felt trivial, a way of explaining her addiction. Then you see how the perfume is a metaphor for her trying to find herself. The scents that Astrid describes can help the reader navigate her emotions.

In the end, this novel captures beautifully how messy life can be. How stressors can pile up and cause us to self harm in ways that we can try to excuse; and that coming down from this can also be beautiful.