Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn is a contemporary and satirical nod to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction (3.75/5 stars)

Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn is a contemporary and satirical nod to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction.

I inhaled this book pretty quickly by listening to an audio review copy from @simon.audio and following along in my physical review copy from @simonbooks

Astrid is a disaster lesbian novelist who is in a bit of a slump. After an incident where she’s called out on something she said, she struggles with sobriety and the allure of two women–a manic pixie dream girl of a PhD student studying lesbian pulp fiction and a more mature and settled vegan artist living off an Urban Outfitters settlement.

Astrid is, at times, a polarizing and unlikeable main character. She leans into mania and her favorite intoxication routine, which she’s named The Patricia Highsmith: a blend of alcohol, weed, amphetamine, and cigarettes. But I did always find myself rooting for her.

If you’re a fan of trainwrecks, downfalls, and the climb back up, you should absolutely pick this up, especially if you are a sapphic.

CW: alcohol use, drug use, addiction, toxic relationships, gaslighting, stalking

I received a complimentary review copy from Simon Books, Simon Audio, and NetGalley. All opinions contained herein are my own.

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