Scent
of Darkness
Margot Berwin
Margot Berwin
Genre: New Adult / Paranormal
Publisher: Pantheon
Date of Publication: January 29th
2013
ISBN-10: 030790752X
ISBN-13: 978-0307907523
ASIN: B008WONVHU
Number of pages: 240
Book
Description:
When
Evangeline's grandmother dies she leaves behind a ruby-red vial of perfume with
the instructions: Don't pull out the
stopper, Evangeline, unless you want everything in your life to change.
From the moment Eva places a drop
on her neck, she becomes the object of intense desire for everyone around her.
Soon she's torn between Gabriel, a quiet medical student, and Michael, a
beautiful and self-absorbed artist.
Scent
of Darkness is about loving someone who is evil, tarot, New Orleans, and of
course perfume.
About
the Author:
Margot Berwin earned her MFA from the New School in 2005. Her
stories have appeared on Nerve.com, in the New York Press, and in the anthology
The Future of Misbehavior.
Her first novel Hot
House Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire was published in 2009 by Pantheon
and translated into 20
languages. Her new novel, SCENT OF DARKNESS, also by Pantheon is coming out on
January 29, 2013.
Margot Lives in New
York City.
Twitter: @MargotBerwin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margot.berwin
Margot Berwin - Interview
How did you come up with the title for your new book?
That was just about the hardest part of writing Scent of Darkness. The original title
Was AROMATA, but some of the sales people had trouble with it because it’s a made-up word and they thought no one would recognize it. So then we went through about 20 other titles and landed on Scent of Darkness.
What books/authors have influenced your life?
I love the French writer, Marguerite Duras. She wrote a book called The Lover that influenced me a lot when I was starting to write. It’s perfect in every way. Beautiful story and extraordinary writing. It won the Prix Goncourt in France, which is a prize given for the best and most imaginative book of the year.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Well I haven’t started a new book yet, but I have been asked to write a sex and dating column for bushwickdaily.com. It’s an online newspaper out of Bushwick Brooklyn and it’s been a lot of fun! It’s called DIRTY TALK with Margot Berwin. It’s not really dirty, but people do ask some questions about sex. Check it out!
Do you have a song or playlist that you think represents this book?
Yes! Music is really important to me when I'm starting a new book. I like to walk around my kitchen, drinking, thinking, listening to music, and talking to myself--hoping my roommate doesn't hear. Once I have the feeling of the piece I'm working on, once I really understand it, I'll gravitate to music with that same mood to keep me locked in. To keep my mind from drifting into a different space.
For Scent of Darkness I listened to:
Mazzy Star--Into Dust
A beautiful song about death. Moody, dreamy, painful, lush and drawn-out. In Scent of Darkness I have a sentence that reads: "Jasmine smells like the body in its final hours, like the sweet, sweet, scent of decay. Get used to it, Evangeline, and death will never surprise you." For me, Into Dust, feels like the heavy scent of jasmine. It has the density I was looking for in certain chapters.
The National--Wasp Nest and Lucky you
I was really into these two songs when I was writing. Actually I listened to both CDs, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers and Cherry Tree, over and over. They're both dark pieces about love and they helped me stay in the mood.
U2--so cruel
Ah, what can I say about this song. As a writer I think the lyrics are Dylan-esque, Young-esque, Springsteen-esque--right up there with the words of the greatest singer/songwriters. I've been listening to it for years. I never tire of it. Actually, I think Achtung Baby is a masterpiece of writing from start to finish. My novel has a lot to do with cruelty in love so this song was a natural fit.
Adele—Rolling in the Deep
I was obsessed with the words of the title—Rolling in the Deep. They describe so much and so few people ever get there in relationships.
Dolly Parton--Jolene
There's a part in my book where one girl tries to get with someone else’s guy. Jolene captures that feeling perfectly. That fear that another girl is simply to beautiful and desirable to compete with.
My Review:
This book was dark, and weird. I LOVED IT! To choose good or bad when you love both is a hard thing to do. Especially when a tarot reading is affecting your decision. I liked the grandmother character, and thought that she had a lot of knowledge to share, and she never got the chance.
There were some weird customs that the grandmother had, but they become clear towards the end of the book.
I was so curious about the scented perfume that I wish the book was scratch and sniff. I kept trying to think of the scents in my head and mixing them together. I also liked how each scent symbolized a certain item. I have lavender by my front door, and I always believed that is was welcoming to my guests.
I enjoyed reading about Evangeline and how she didn't listen to her grandmother's or the tarot reader's advice. She wanted to be popular, and that she did. It seemed even alley cats were after her scent.
I liked the ending and it tied up all the loose ends nicely.
I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own!
Giveaway:
Giveaway:
The Scent of Darkness sounds so unique and intriguing. I always loved the vibrant, mystical, dark, and romantic allure of New Orleans. It's such a perfect setting for stories. I think my fascination with it started with movies like Angel Heart and Cat People.
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