The Spell of Aromas Summary

This chapter explores the importance of aromas and their role in human attraction and repulsion. The beginning of the chapter tells of Cleopatra's use of the fragrance of roses as her signature scent, which she flaunted in the face of her lover's queen when she visited Rome with her son. Allende speculates on how humanity might have come to creating scents to be worn on the human body.

She shares with readers a story about the skunk family that lives under her home. For years, she tried to get rid of the skunks, but they kept returning to her basement. After a time, she realized that the skunks' odor did not bother her family anymore, but that they actually liked it.

A man's sensitivity to smell and a woman's sensitivity to smell is very different. A woman's...