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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
This was my first Houellebecq, and also one of his first works (1994). From what I had read about him already, I think the chance is not big that he is ever going to become one of my favorite writers: cynicism, nihilism, and pessimism in general are wasted on me.
Reading "the extension of the domain of fight" (this is a literal translation of the French title; the English title summarized it in a wonderful way in just one word, "whatever") very quickly called in memories of Sartre's "La Nausée" and also a little bit of Camus ' "L'Etranger". It's as if Houellebecq has replaced these nihilistic masterpieces in our time (well, to the nineties to be exact). With at least 1 big difference: the ironic undertone. In addition, with Houellebecq you get a whole social analysis on top of it, on neoliberalism and the commercialization of our society. Interesting, but very one-sided, because the focus remains on the futility and hopelessness of life. In the end the author surprised me positively) with the poetic description of an intense nature experience. I am looking forward to Houellebecq’s next work, but I was not really impressed by this one.
Reading "the extension of the domain of fight" (this is a literal translation of the French title; the English title summarized it in a wonderful way in just one word, "whatever") very quickly called in memories of Sartre's "La Nausée" and also a little bit of Camus ' "L'Etranger". It's as if Houellebecq has replaced these nihilistic masterpieces in our time (well, to the nineties to be exact). With at least 1 big difference: the ironic undertone. In addition, with Houellebecq you get a whole social analysis on top of it, on neoliberalism and the commercialization of our society. Interesting, but very one-sided, because the focus remains on the futility and hopelessness of life. In the end the author surprised me positively) with the poetic description of an intense nature experience. I am looking forward to Houellebecq’s next work, but I was not really impressed by this one.
May not have loved the book, but the last line, 'It will not take place, the sublime fusion; the goal of life is missed. It is two in the afternoon', was enough to bump it from a middling 3 star to 3.5. I think the first two parts were rather weak, but the development of the narrator's psyche in the last part makes up for the drag of the beginning.
The novel is more of a voyeurism of the tech work environment than a commentary on it, although the commentary comes from that voyeurism. The equation of financial culture with sexual is an interesting and accurate one, insofar as you view sex in a capitalist society as a commodity. Tisserand's particular plight is interesting in that regard, and the narrator attempts to act out his own fantasies - he is passive yet opinionated, he silently hates everything around him, but never makes an attempt himself to change it - to get revenge on his ex-lover through a stand-in (Tisserand for him and the girl for Véronique). Echoes the quiet misogyny of many novels of its time and before, it is simply not interesting any longer.
The animal dialogue segments reinforce the overall tone of the narrator's thoughts, and particularly his penchant for projecting his own desires onto others, here acting them out in his fictions. I did, however, think they were thrown in as an attempt at originality which came across bizarre and useless. They don't add much to the story at all that isn't already - or couldn't be - explored through the existing content of the novel.
The novel is more of a voyeurism of the tech work environment than a commentary on it, although the commentary comes from that voyeurism. The equation of financial culture with sexual is an interesting and accurate one, insofar as you view sex in a capitalist society as a commodity. Tisserand's particular plight is interesting in that regard, and the narrator attempts to act out his own fantasies - he is passive yet opinionated, he silently hates everything around him, but never makes an attempt himself to change it - to get revenge on his ex-lover through a stand-in (Tisserand for him and the girl for Véronique). Echoes the quiet misogyny of many novels of its time and before, it is simply not interesting any longer.
The animal dialogue segments reinforce the overall tone of the narrator's thoughts, and particularly his penchant for projecting his own desires onto others, here acting them out in his fictions. I did, however, think they were thrown in as an attempt at originality which came across bizarre and useless. They don't add much to the story at all that isn't already - or couldn't be - explored through the existing content of the novel.
Je m'interdisais de lire cet auteur. Il a fallu qu'un mec mignon m'en parle pour que je sois faible et me decide à mourir moins bête sans en attendre grand chose.
C'est mysogine, à la limite de l'apologie de la violence domestique. Cet homme semble un être misérablement frustré sexuellement et sentimentalement et préfère le mettre sur le dos des femmes que sur ses propres turpitudes.
C'est mysogine, à la limite de l'apologie de la violence domestique. Cet homme semble un être misérablement frustré sexuellement et sentimentalement et préfère le mettre sur le dos des femmes que sur ses propres turpitudes.
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Entiendo que no sea plato de gusto de muchas personas. El personaje de una novela tiende a identificarse con su autor. Y el personaje derruido de ésta novela encarna lo peor que se agita bajo la apariencia civilizada de nuestra era post industrial. A pesar de todo, el mecanismo de identificación hace que acompañemos con empatía a un personaje nada, o casi nada, empático. Es un libro que aúna humor con desesperación sin por ello sumirnos en la desesperanza. A veces roza la parodia y otras veces el lirismo. Su equilibrio, a pesar de la brutalidad con la que está cincelado, es delicado. Una obra maestra no apta para todos los públicos.
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Michel Houellebecq has been described as the enfant terrible of contemporary French writers. And I think that’s an apt description, in the same way that Macaulay Culkin in The Good Son or that rambunctious kid from The Omen were enfant terribles...
Read the rest of my thoughts on Houellebecq's Whatever at www.joaquinlowe.com/blog on on my blog here on my author page at goodreads!
Read the rest of my thoughts on Houellebecq's Whatever at www.joaquinlowe.com/blog on on my blog here on my author page at goodreads!
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really don't get why I like this kind of thing so much... by "this thing" I mean gloomy manchild incel moaning and mean-spiritedness. For some reason I'm always quite onboard for delving into this kind of pointless mentality, a big fan of Diary of a Oxygen Thief, Notes From the Underground, and all that sort of stuff. But what's weird is that I find these kinds of attitudes intolerable in real life. Maybe there's just something good about getting a little peer behind the curtain, though I don't want it right in front of me.
Either way, Whatever is another one of those books, so I loved it more than what I probably should, even though I wouldn't say it was doing anything especially new. Would recommend it if you're also into that kind of thing.
Either way, Whatever is another one of those books, so I loved it more than what I probably should, even though I wouldn't say it was doing anything especially new. Would recommend it if you're also into that kind of thing.
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes