Culled during a major cleanup of my bookshelf... now ready to travel!

From Booklist...

'The controversial French author of The Elementary Particles (2000) turns in another unremittingly bleak novel. In addition to amplifying his views on the decadence of Western civilization, Houellebecq displays an absolutely chilling prescience in his depiction of a violent Muslim sect. Misanthropic, sexually frustrated bureaucrat Michel embarks on a "Thai Tropic" package tour, amusing himself with snide commentary on his fellow vacationers and frequent visits to sex clubs. Although he is attracted to business executive Valerie, he has trouble engaging her in small talk. However, when they return to Paris, their relationship quickly turns passionate as they explore sadomasochism and public sex. Michel talks Valerie and her business partner into marketing sex tours to the Third World, selling them on his theory that Westerners have lost touch with their own sexuality. But when they decide to sample one of their own tours, their resort becomes a flashpoint for Islamic hatred. Houellebecq is unrelenting as he meticulously constructs a world that mirrors his own cold vision and that cuts uncomfortably close to the bone.'

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This book has arrived safe and sound thank you so much for sending it :-)

2 Nov 17 - I'm not even sure what to say about this book. I have bo idea his it ended up on the 1001 list. It has lot of graphic sex scenes that I found myself skipping through, it was more like something I would imagine could be found in porn. Michel is just unlikeable, Valerie unbelievable and I could not work out where the book was going. The ending seemed in poor taste, but maybe that's more because of events in the news over the last few years. On the plus side it was a quick read!

Sent on as a RABCK

Arrived safely I look forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing!

In truth I find this book rather difficult to review and that is as much down to the author's writing style as by the story. This is undoubtedly a book that is meant to shock and titillate the reader with equal measure.

Unfortunately, I feel that the main focus of this story gets lost in the welter of sexual description with the countless numbers of sex scenes making this book appear more like some sort of soft porn story than a serious novel. Michel argues that "you have several million westerners who have everything they could want but no longer manage to get sexual satisfaction... On the other hand, you have several billion people who have nothing, who starve, who die young, who live in conditions unfit for human habitation and who have nothing left to sell except their bodies and their unspoiled sexuality".

However, more than the sex what I really found uncomfortable about this book is the Islamaphobia. Muslims are the villains of the story, murderers of both Michel's father and his mistress. Politically, Islam is depicted as a threat to the diversity of French society. On the flip side Michel's opinion of Western society which appears over-feminised and faithless reads like some sort of Muslim propaganda.

Whilst I realise that France at large and Paris in particular have been subject to some pretty abhorrent terrorist attacks such Right Wing opinions have no real place in the 1001 list. That said and done I cannot honestly say that I hated it either.

Going out as part of a Reading it/Want it thread. Enjoy!

The book arrived today.
It's my first Houellebecq. Very curious about it, since I know the author is very controversial.
Thank you so much for sharing.