15 Mar 2012 01:35:40
Jac L'Etoile and her brother, Robbie, are heirs to a well-respected French perfume company. One day, Robbie tells Jac that he's made a discovery that could rescue the business from possible bankruptcy. But Robbie disappears before he can show it to her. Jac soon discovers that other people are desperate to have what Robbie has uncovered. The secret involves a scent that unlocks the mind to remember past lives. This particular fragrance might have ties to Cleopatra.
To find her brother, if he's still alive, Jac will require help from a man she once loved but is now married to someone else.
One of the subplots involves the conflict between China and Tibet. The Dalai Lama's successor involves reincarnation, and in the novel, the Chinese government will do anything to make sure the perfume never succeeds and the current Dalai Lama will be the last.
"The Book of Lost Fragrances" ends with a glossary that highlights Rose's research and demonstrates how the seemingly fantastic idea of a reincarnation perfume is not so far-fetched.
