While sense of smell shapes how we all recognize and remember our experiences of the world around us, the nuance and subtlety of aromas are difficult to capture in words. Thus, Phantasmic Perfume achieves something rare in the literary space not only by describing a generous sprinkling of aromatic scents in incisive and lusciously vivid detail but also by weaving each as a distinct and salient thread into the storyline. The depth that author Ku Nai-Fang brings to both the protagonist, a Taipei perfumer, and the overall story, which whimsically includes an orangutan master fragrance formulator, reflects on her own lived experience as a real-life perfumer. Fragrant smells move the story forward toward an end flush with self-awareness and acceptance.