The Perfumist of Paris

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. In what ways does The Perfumist of Paris serve as a conclusion to the Jaipur trilogy (which includes The Henna Artist and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur)? If you’ve read Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, how does its exploration of professional women balancing career and family compare to similar themes in The Perfumist of Paris?

2. What aspects of 1970s Paris and its perfume industry left the strongest impression on you?

3. The novel uses scent as both a plot device and a metaphor. Did this approach enhance your connection to Radha’s journey?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Radha struggles to balance her professional ambitions with family responsibilities. When have you encountered similar tensions between competing aspects of your identity?

2. What specific scents trigger powerful memories for you?

3. Throughout the story, Radha keeps her past with Niki secret from her family. What has influenced your decisions to share or withhold significant personal information in your life?

4. Female solidarity helps Radha overcome professional and personal obstacles. Describe a time when support from others helped you navigate a difficult situation.

5. If you’ve lived in multiple cultures or locations, what resonated with you about Radha’s struggle to integrate her Indian roots with her Parisian life?

6. Radha ultimately finds peace by accepting her whole self rather than compartmentalizing. When have you experienced a similar integration of seemingly conflicting parts of yourself?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What differences and similarities do you see between the gender expectations in today’s society and those in 1970s Paris and India (as the novel portrays them)?

2. The novel portrays the appropriation of Indian techniques for a Western perfumery without acknowledgment. What similar examples of cultural appropriation versus exchange have you observed in society?

3. In what ways does Radha’s story reflect both the gains of 1970s feminism and the obstacles to women’s advancement that persist today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Analyze how specific scents in the novel reveal character and advance the plot.

2. The painting Olympia and Victorine Meurent’s story parallel Radha’s journey, contributing to the theme regarding memory and identity. What insights does this historical reference provide about women’s experiences across different eras?

3. Examine instances in which food functions as a symbol of cultural identity in the novel.

4. What aspects of Radha’s character development from The Henna Artist to The Perfumist of Paris did you find most compelling?

5. The novel shifts between Paris and India, creating contrasts in setting and culture. What purpose do these geographical shifts serve in the narrative?

6. Consider the novel’s portrayal of relationships among the female characters. What statement is Joshi making about the importance of women supporting women?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were creating a signature perfume that captures your essence, what scents would you include and why?

2. Imagine that you are developing the next fragrance in Sheela’s “Remember Me” collection based on another forgotten woman from history. Who would you choose and why?

3. If Radha were to write a letter to her 13-year-old self at the end of the novel, what wisdom would she share?

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