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nadnoennas's review against another edition
4.0
Jed Martin ist ein großartiger Charakter. Die technischen Details seiner Arbeit und das Innenleben des Kommissars gingen mir erst gen Ende auf die Nerven, aber genug. Interessantes Buch über das Leben. Anders weiß ich es nicht auszudrücken.
feltfrog's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
hux's review
3.0
Having read my first Houellebecq (Atomised), I resolved to read more. This is my second forray into his work, and while it wasn't as good as Atomised, it was, nonetheless, a wonderful reading experience and frankly, a damn sight more creative and interesting than most of the turgid contemporary novels I mistakenly read because they're nominated for Booker prizes.
The book is about an artist called Jed who seeks to paint the famous writer, you guessed it, Michel Houellebecq. I enjoyed Houellebecq making himself a character, and especially enjoyed the moments when he mocked his own character (at one point he muses on whether Houellebecq might be a paedophile).
Frankly, this book, though not being anything profound, was significantly more fun and enjoyable to read than most of the crap I read these days. Original and thought-provoking. I will definitely seek out more of his work
The book is about an artist called Jed who seeks to paint the famous writer, you guessed it, Michel Houellebecq. I enjoyed Houellebecq making himself a character, and especially enjoyed the moments when he mocked his own character (at one point he muses on whether Houellebecq might be a paedophile).
Frankly, this book, though not being anything profound, was significantly more fun and enjoyable to read than most of the crap I read these days. Original and thought-provoking. I will definitely seek out more of his work
eekhoorn's review against another edition
2.0
Het eerste deel van dit boek was slaapverwekkend saai, maar vanaf pagina 215 (de moord) werd het interessant. Ik snap alleen nog steeds niet waarom al die informatie over de hond en de impotentie van een hond en een politieman zo belangrijk was dat er vier pagina's aan besteed moesten worden.
Edit: ben er net achtergekomen dat sommige delen van dit boek letterlijk gekopieerd zijn van Wikipedia en/of Wikipedia nadoen (en dat is geen plagiaat dan of zo maar gewoon zijn stijl) EN DAT VERKLAART ZOVEEL. Soms had ik echt t idee dat ik Wikipediapaginas aan t lezen was.
Edit: ben er net achtergekomen dat sommige delen van dit boek letterlijk gekopieerd zijn van Wikipedia en/of Wikipedia nadoen (en dat is geen plagiaat dan of zo maar gewoon zijn stijl) EN DAT VERKLAART ZOVEEL. Soms had ik echt t idee dat ik Wikipediapaginas aan t lezen was.
schildpad's review against another edition
2.0
Het eerste deel van dit boek was slaapverwekkend saai, maar vanaf pagina 215 (de moord) werd het interessant. Ik snap alleen nog steeds niet waarom al die informatie over de hond en de impotentie van een hond en een politieman zo belangrijk was dat er vier pagina's aan besteed moesten worden.
Edit: ben er net achtergekomen dat sommige delen van dit boek letterlijk gekopieerd zijn van Wikipedia en/of Wikipedia nadoen (en dat is geen plagiaat dan of zo maar gewoon zijn stijl) EN DAT VERKLAART ZOVEEL. Soms had ik echt t idee dat ik Wikipediapaginas aan t lezen was.
Edit: ben er net achtergekomen dat sommige delen van dit boek letterlijk gekopieerd zijn van Wikipedia en/of Wikipedia nadoen (en dat is geen plagiaat dan of zo maar gewoon zijn stijl) EN DAT VERKLAART ZOVEEL. Soms had ik echt t idee dat ik Wikipediapaginas aan t lezen was.
philadelphiamusicjon's review
5.0
I've always enjoyed Houellenbacq's work but this is the best yet. In many ways this book is like his other books theme wise, he very accurately tells the story of this modern world and asks questions which we are not used to being asked, questions of loneliness, aging, the value of human communication in modern times, the oddness of sex, but in this book he does not go on any of the tangents on sex or quasi sci-fi that he has gone to in all of his other books that i have read, though writing a very subtle story that cuts the line between truth and fiction very thin.
Loved it!
Loved it!
eirikbergesen's review against another edition
4.0
Well-written and whimsical, probably insisting on not delivering needy readers a more consistent plot. However, this leaves a bit too much to desire.
celiapuma's review against another edition
3.0
3.8 ⭐️ bien écrit mais à la fin de la lecture on a juste envie de hausser les épaules et passer à autre chose.
pursuer's review
4.0
Houellebecq speaks with such a severe pessimism about life and the human experience, that it can be hard to feel happy after a good read. Francois in Submission is left with only his hedonistic desires, drifted away from his concern with God. Michel and Bruno in The Elementary Particles finish their lives with degrees of dissatisfaction, dying as they lived their own separate lives.
Jed Martin in the Map and the Territory dies with regret, yet he is the most victorious out of the three. He was able to change his world, able to help his friend. He died, still chasing his desire, but perhaps this desire was pure happiness. A longing for something more than money and love. Unlike Francois, Jed’s focus in life was not the women he screwed, but the work he did. He was able to create his own niche, rising from tragedy, dying with dignity. There is no other happier end for a Houellebecq character.
It was a refreshing change of pace to not be inundated with graphic accounts of coitus in a Houellebecq work. The man can write such thoughtful prose when not smushed in between pages bordering on smut. And I love his other novels, but the sex bothered me somewhat. This novel felt so impactful, it felt so meaningful, more than Houellebecq’s other novels. There was a sense of hope within this book. That we can rise up for the occasion and act on opportunities given to us.
Perhaps this is too much of an optimistic look at a Houellebecq novel, and I know this sex-less read will be the last of his bibliography. My optimism will be dashed by Platform or Serotonin, but Jed Martin’s story will leave just as big of an impact on me.
Jed Martin in the Map and the Territory dies with regret, yet he is the most victorious out of the three. He was able to change his world, able to help his friend. He died, still chasing his desire, but perhaps this desire was pure happiness. A longing for something more than money and love. Unlike Francois, Jed’s focus in life was not the women he screwed, but the work he did. He was able to create his own niche, rising from tragedy, dying with dignity. There is no other happier end for a Houellebecq character.
It was a refreshing change of pace to not be inundated with graphic accounts of coitus in a Houellebecq work. The man can write such thoughtful prose when not smushed in between pages bordering on smut. And I love his other novels, but the sex bothered me somewhat. This novel felt so impactful, it felt so meaningful, more than Houellebecq’s other novels. There was a sense of hope within this book. That we can rise up for the occasion and act on opportunities given to us.
Perhaps this is too much of an optimistic look at a Houellebecq novel, and I know this sex-less read will be the last of his bibliography. My optimism will be dashed by Platform or Serotonin, but Jed Martin’s story will leave just as big of an impact on me.
gcullman's review
2.0
This was a pretty pretentious book. I was very proud of myself for finishing it.