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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
w końcu byłem dekadentem, a nie jakimś greckim wsiowym pedałem
Michel Houellebecq is one of those rare writers whose latest work I consistently bump to the top of my increasingly endless "to read" pile. I can't think of any writer as prescient as Houellebecq or who writes about current issues with as much aplomb.
Houellebecq's subjects seem to reflect the new political reality in Europe and, increasingly, the globe. The "everyman" his books depict war against the EU and feel increasingly victimized by globalization. The most vulgar insult a narrator in a Houellebecq novel might level at you is the word "elitist", and while this may make his protagonists sound akin to Trump voters in my own country, rest assured that Houellebecq's are far better read, citing, as they often do, Proust and Sartre, Thomas Mann and the French novelist Joris-Karl Huysman (among others).
So while my politics are about as far away from the right as you can get, there is nevertheless an undeniable draw I feel with the subjects raised in Houellebecq's novels. He is truly unafraid to prod the dark underbelly of whatever civilization-threatening issue Europe — and to an extent, the world — is currently undergoing.
Houellebecq's previous novel, [b:Submission|25322084|Submission|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1428639351l/25322084._SX50_.jpg|43535062], touched on the issue of immigration and, more specifically, the question of whether Islam is compatible with European values. "Submission" famously hypothesized that France's 2022 election would pit Marine Le Pen, leader of the far right National Front, against a Muslim candidate. In Houellebecq's version, the Muslim wins, thus changing the face of France, and Europe, forever.
Houellebecq and his prediction featured on the cover of the French satirical weekly "Charlie Hebdo" the week Islamic fundamentalists stormed that newspaper's office and killed a dozen of its staff.
Houellebecq's latest novel, "Serotonin", tackles the "gilets jaunes" or "yellow vests" movement that began in France in October 2018 as a protest against tax increases levied by French President Emmanuel Macron's government. Along the way, Houellebecq tackles globalization and EU regulations. The novel culminates, ultimately, in a farmers' strike that ends in tragedy.
Reading "Serotonin" you're never left in any doubt that Houellebecq wrote it. It bears his signature on every page. It also features his trademark narrator.
This, in the end, is why I cannot give "Serotonin" much of an endorsement. While the topic is new, and interesting, everything else feels the same. Houellebecq's narrator is the same as the narrator of his novels [b:Platform|88514|Platform|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328330240l/88514._SY75_.jpg|2205765], [b:The Map and the Territory|10099407|The Map and the Territory|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331358268l/10099407._SY75_.jpg|13583341], and the aforementioned [b:Submission|25322084|Submission|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1428639351l/25322084._SX50_.jpg|43535062].
Think of a bitter, middle-aged white man, angry at the world — in particular how it's changing — and reflecting, far too often in my opinion, on failed love affairs (on the sex, most particularly). Add in a general feeling of purposelessness, and a frustratingly high level of apathy, and you have your Houellebecq narrator.
It's navel-gazing of the most tiresome sort. Houellebecq is a fearless, immensely skilled writer, but in "Serotonin" I often found myself wishing that his narrator would forget about his dick long enough to actually focus on the topic at hand. Perhaps that was wishful thinking, because what we are left with instead in "Serotonin" is a lethargic lament on the end of democracy, civilization, and humanity itself.
Like the narrator's flaccid penis, which we are reminded countless times cannot sustain an erection on account of anti-depressants and the narrator's general sense of apathy, "Serotonin" never gains liftoff. Any pleasure derived is subsumed by a sense that we've heard this all before and, as a result, nothing resembling a climax ever arrives.
Houellebecq's subjects seem to reflect the new political reality in Europe and, increasingly, the globe. The "everyman" his books depict war against the EU and feel increasingly victimized by globalization. The most vulgar insult a narrator in a Houellebecq novel might level at you is the word "elitist", and while this may make his protagonists sound akin to Trump voters in my own country, rest assured that Houellebecq's are far better read, citing, as they often do, Proust and Sartre, Thomas Mann and the French novelist Joris-Karl Huysman (among others).
So while my politics are about as far away from the right as you can get, there is nevertheless an undeniable draw I feel with the subjects raised in Houellebecq's novels. He is truly unafraid to prod the dark underbelly of whatever civilization-threatening issue Europe — and to an extent, the world — is currently undergoing.
Houellebecq's previous novel, [b:Submission|25322084|Submission|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1428639351l/25322084._SX50_.jpg|43535062], touched on the issue of immigration and, more specifically, the question of whether Islam is compatible with European values. "Submission" famously hypothesized that France's 2022 election would pit Marine Le Pen, leader of the far right National Front, against a Muslim candidate. In Houellebecq's version, the Muslim wins, thus changing the face of France, and Europe, forever.
Houellebecq and his prediction featured on the cover of the French satirical weekly "Charlie Hebdo" the week Islamic fundamentalists stormed that newspaper's office and killed a dozen of its staff.
Houellebecq's latest novel, "Serotonin", tackles the "gilets jaunes" or "yellow vests" movement that began in France in October 2018 as a protest against tax increases levied by French President Emmanuel Macron's government. Along the way, Houellebecq tackles globalization and EU regulations. The novel culminates, ultimately, in a farmers' strike that ends in tragedy.
Reading "Serotonin" you're never left in any doubt that Houellebecq wrote it. It bears his signature on every page. It also features his trademark narrator.
This, in the end, is why I cannot give "Serotonin" much of an endorsement. While the topic is new, and interesting, everything else feels the same. Houellebecq's narrator is the same as the narrator of his novels [b:Platform|88514|Platform|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328330240l/88514._SY75_.jpg|2205765], [b:The Map and the Territory|10099407|The Map and the Territory|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331358268l/10099407._SY75_.jpg|13583341], and the aforementioned [b:Submission|25322084|Submission|Michel Houellebecq|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1428639351l/25322084._SX50_.jpg|43535062].
Think of a bitter, middle-aged white man, angry at the world — in particular how it's changing — and reflecting, far too often in my opinion, on failed love affairs (on the sex, most particularly). Add in a general feeling of purposelessness, and a frustratingly high level of apathy, and you have your Houellebecq narrator.
It's navel-gazing of the most tiresome sort. Houellebecq is a fearless, immensely skilled writer, but in "Serotonin" I often found myself wishing that his narrator would forget about his dick long enough to actually focus on the topic at hand. Perhaps that was wishful thinking, because what we are left with instead in "Serotonin" is a lethargic lament on the end of democracy, civilization, and humanity itself.
Like the narrator's flaccid penis, which we are reminded countless times cannot sustain an erection on account of anti-depressants and the narrator's general sense of apathy, "Serotonin" never gains liftoff. Any pleasure derived is subsumed by a sense that we've heard this all before and, as a result, nothing resembling a climax ever arrives.
2.5/ rozumiem zamysł ale to chyba jednak nie dla mnie, a szkoda
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
reflective
sad
5 stars? Yes. Did I like it? Well...no I guess. The thing is this book makes you feel some type of way, it disgusts you, makes you scared, shocks you, it makes you feel something different, it makes you want to throw it somewhere with as much force as you have and punch the author as much as you can, but this book is reality somehow. It includes racism, xenophobia, sodomy, pornography, pedophilia, prostitution, depression, suicide, and almost a murder. It deserves 5 stars for the book in general and the braveness of the author to include such ill subjects and describe them it that way but it literally destroyed me mentally, it destroyed my life. Saying I dislike it would be an understatement.
This is that one book that I'd burn after reading it, and never talk about it again!
This is that one book that I'd burn after reading it, and never talk about it again!
6/10
Got a pretty similar feeling out of this book as I did with American Pastoral: where it has a lot of super strong moments, but certain parts where it really just didn’t grab my interest.
The opening of this book was fantastic. The narrative voice was incredibly strong and felt completely original in the way it blended humour with burning feelings of self-hatred and isolation.
However, for me, I felt like I lost a bit of momentum with the novel when it got to the point where the protagonist was basically listing all his failed past relationships. Though elements of the sections were engaging, to me, it often came off as a bit repetitive and confusing - particularly trying to keep up with who was who (it took me an embarrassing amount of time to realise that Claire and Camille were two separate people). I felt like if Houellebecq integrated the narrator’s ruminations into the context of the present events (i.e. the whole farm thing) the book would have felt a bit more balanced to me. I felt like the farm bit equally dragged without the humourous, self-deprecating reflections to balance it out; which I felt could have been used to contrast his present situation really effectively.
The novel definitely picked up toward the end - as his ultimate demise became increasingly inevitable, and in response, his actions became increasingly erratic. The decision to fade things off and leave the state of the narrator somewhat ambiguous was also a really great decision from Houellebecq.
On the whole, good book, but I felt like Atomised was definitely the superior novel out of the two Houellebecq’s I’ve read so far.
Got a pretty similar feeling out of this book as I did with American Pastoral: where it has a lot of super strong moments, but certain parts where it really just didn’t grab my interest.
The opening of this book was fantastic. The narrative voice was incredibly strong and felt completely original in the way it blended humour with burning feelings of self-hatred and isolation.
However, for me, I felt like I lost a bit of momentum with the novel when it got to the point where the protagonist was basically listing all his failed past relationships. Though elements of the sections were engaging, to me, it often came off as a bit repetitive and confusing - particularly trying to keep up with who was who (it took me an embarrassing amount of time to realise that Claire and Camille were two separate people). I felt like if Houellebecq integrated the narrator’s ruminations into the context of the present events (i.e. the whole farm thing) the book would have felt a bit more balanced to me. I felt like the farm bit equally dragged without the humourous, self-deprecating reflections to balance it out; which I felt could have been used to contrast his present situation really effectively.
The novel definitely picked up toward the end - as his ultimate demise became increasingly inevitable, and in response, his actions became increasingly erratic. The decision to fade things off and leave the state of the narrator somewhat ambiguous was also a really great decision from Houellebecq.
On the whole, good book, but I felt like Atomised was definitely the superior novel out of the two Houellebecq’s I’ve read so far.
Lamento mucho, me duele mucho terminar este libro y no poder decir que me ha encantado. Sí, se reconoce en él al autor de Ampliación del campo de batalla, Sumisión y demás, pero con menos estilo. A ratos se me ha hecho hasta pesado.
Un poco como la pastilla anticonceptiva: me está dando depresión consumirlo o consumirlo me hace observar de otra forma mi existente depresion?
Me ha gustado bastante a pesar de.
Me ha gustado bastante a pesar de.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes