READERS GUIDE

Questions for Discussion

1)   The many scents of different perfumes evoke memories and feelings for Elena as well as for many of the other characters in The Secret Ways of Perfume. Is there a scent that evokes strong memories for you? Do you associate certain scents with certain people or moments in your life?

2)   Have you ever had a signature fragrance created specifically for you? How did it make you feel when you wore it?

3)   Separate from what their scents evoke in an individual, flowers and herbs have also traditionally had their own meanings, their own “language.” Before you read The Secret Ways of Perfume were you aware of what the individual flowers symbolically represent? Have you ever used flowers to convey a specific message to anyone?

4)   Elena was searching for her ancestor’s celebrated perfume recipe, but what do you think she was really in search of? And did she ultimately find it?

5)   Do you think Elena made the right decision to go to Florence without Cail? Did Cail overreact?

6)   Why do you think Elena decided to call her mother at the end of the novel? Do you think Elena truly understood and forgave her mother at that point, or was it just the beginning?

7)   The Secret Ways of Perfume was originally written in Italian but translated into English. If you could read Italian, would you be interested in reading it in the original language or would you prefer to just read the translation? Why or why not?