This is a bit of a weird one, and I don’t know how many people will relate to this. But the smell of a fiction book is so impactful to me. I really like fanning open a book and smelling it (to the point of it being creepy if someone saw me doing it), and also smelling it throughout my reading. I don’t think I’ve ever put a book mark in a book without putting my face in it first.
But in my opinion there’s more to it than just appreciating the book. Smell plays a massive role in forming memories, and certain smells will throw you back to a different time. The smell of a book has a part in how I remember the story and when I go back and smell one of the books I read, it immediately throws me back into the emotions I felt reading the book, its amazing.
As an experiment, close your eyes and pick out a random book you’ve read, and smell it. If you’re like me you will immediately know the book, and be brought back to the story. Its as if the smell is a part of the narrative and the world and characters of the book. Its something we don’t get with movies. We get music, but we don’t get any particular and recognizable smell. It is a part of the narrative in a way. Smell is the music of books.
If smell is so impactful, maybe authors could experiment with using it. Its just a fun and outside the box thought, but imagine a chapter where the characters are in a forest, and of all those pages are made to have a forestry smell…I mean come on. I get that its unrealistic when producing books mass market and such, but yeah, that would be a unique experience.
But back to my original thought. The smell of a books paper is so fascinating to me. Do you feel the same? What does the smell of a book do for you? Do you just not think about it? Or do you also find it meaningful? I thought of this when I smelled The Name of the Wind my Patrick Rothfuss just before. It was so recognizable and it immediately brought all of the emotions back that I had from reading it. I really appreciate smell.
by booboobumper