Read for research. 

I liked it! Way outside my area of interest but I thought a lot of the alchemy and perfume history was really cool and enjoyable. I read this book for a sweeping history of a consumer juggernaut, wanted what is essentially propaganda and I got everything I wanted and more. Not trying to be tongue and cheek, I think this is a comprehensive look at a monolithic product. 

Not especially well written. The book repeats itself a lot, and I feel like there are more than a few times where the author makes a claim or assertion that feels a little undeserved.

I should also not it seems other reviewers who know much more about this stuff than I do seem dissatisfied with this book in a way I probably could not detect. 

Coco Chanel comes across as.... kind of stupid and pathetic? Trying to sell out her business partners to the Nazi's over a bad deal she took is disgusting, but she doesn't really come across as talented. A visionary... maybe at one point? The perfume is much more interesting than she is. I kept waiting for her to lend an interesting perspective at any point after the blueprint of Chanel No.5 and it just never comes. 

She sucked! Cool book, though.