This is my choice for favourite book of 2017 roundabout. Will be ordered directly to the next person address.

I found this book thought-provoking and as scandalous as any other books of the author. I read it in early 2017, but still couldn't stop thinking about the matter mentioned even months after. The book resonated with me on emotional level, and although there were parts that I was definitely repulsed by, I still think it is a worth book for everyone to dig their toes into.

Travelling order:
1. Earthcaroleanne (UK) - done
2. Dark-Draco (UK) - done
3. Estelle1806 (Ireland) - done
4. Bookwormess (Finland) - done
5. Fifna (Netherlands) - done
6. Marsala (Netherlands) - done
7. Icila (France) - done
8. Weeder (USA) - done
9. Aramena (USA) - done
10. JudySlump612 (USA) - done
11. Mathgirl40 (Canada) - done

I don't need this back since I have a copy in Russian translation in my PC.

Sent to Earthcaroleanne 's address directly from amazon

You've found a travelling book. Hurray!
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!

Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.

Arrived with me this week. Doesn't look like one I would have picked up myself but this is why I love the Favourites Roundabout.

Interesting slant on radical Islam but too many French literary allusions for me.

Sending on in the roundabout.

Received - thank you. Not an author I have read before, so looking forward to trying it :)

So I finished reading this and I'm left with the overwhelming urge to shout 'what the hell was that all about?'

Set in the very near future, the Muslim Brotherhood comes to power in the French Elections, and one middle-aged literature professor has to come to terms with the changes in his life. Or does he? Because as far as I can see, he's a sad, annoying, self-obsessed little man at the beginning of the book, and is pretty much the same at the end - just potentially now Muslim instead of whatever he was before.

There were a couple of times I thought about giving up and going onto something else, but I do admit that the author's style is very good and I enjoyed what I was reading even if the actual story was a bit pants. It also helped that it was a short book, so I felt like I wasn't wasting too much time in finishing it off!!

Cutting out the annoying main character, the actual part of the story dealing with the politics and religious side of things was a bit tedious. The 'changes' in the French culture seem so subtle and I guess that was what the author was trying to show, but for a much better vision of how small changes can lead to a horrific future (and one that effects women the most, as here), read 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood.

So overall, I liked the style and reading it was ok, but it didn't do a lot for me. In fact, I found that it in many ways reaffirmed my belief that believing in God is AOK, it's the different religious trappings that go round it that causes all the problems!!

Off to the next person in the 'Favourite Book of 2017' Book Roundabout

Received today, thanks dark-draco.
I will put it on top of the pile, so I can forward it as soon as possible...

Just finished in a few days, and it will not linger in my memory !
Although I understood most references in the book, I did not really enjoy the story nor the style. Easy read, though.
Maybe the French translation would be better...

This is now going to bookwormess for the April read of the Book Roundabout.

Please let us know when you release it again...

Thank you estelle1806, the book has arrived with plenty of goodies like tea and Lindt chocolate. The idea of the book is quite interesting, as I've noticed there's a lot of people demanding changes in various countries. The synopsis actually reminded me a bit about the rise of Finnish Party in Finland's National Parliamentary Election of 2011 and the side effects it has had. We'll see how thought-provoking it will be.

Oh my, I'm so sorry! I was just checking my book piles and realized I haven't forwarded this one. I tried to read it, made it halfway and it was quite ok. I mean I was interested by the political things but the narrator's life wasn't that enjoyable.

I will mail this one to Fifna today in first class so it'll arrive as soon as possible. I'm so sorry for stalling! :´(

Off to Fifna! So sorry for the delay!

***************
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Arrived while I was at the Unconvention - thanks bookwormess!

Certainly a thought-provoking story and a good choice for the roundabout, as I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise. Many of the allusions were lost on me, but the general story is clear enough. I don't know that I'd say I enjoyed it, but the premise is good and it's an interesting topic. Thanks for sharing.

On its way to marsala.

I read this one as soon as it was published in France. Though-provoking indeed.

In the mail for Aramena.

Arrived today!

I struggled to get into this one and finally gave up. I hate to DNF a book, but my mind kept wandering, and since this one has taken so long to make it's rounds I decided to throw in the towel, so off it goes to JudySlump612.

Arrived safely in Minneapolis today, and it certainly looks interesting!

Another good example of the Roundabout's merits: this is a book I would never have picked up by myself, but I'm very glad I had the occasion to read it.

I agree strongly with dark-draco about the "annoying main character." Most of his contempt was directed toward women, but he was perfectly happy to belittle his male colleagues' scholarship and thinking. Meanwhile, after defending his dissertation, he doesn't seem to have achieved anything noteworthy himself. I wonder if Houellebecq is using him to accuse the ivory-tower intellectual establishment of being absent and ineffective in public life?

The part that I liked best was the election and political wheeling and dealing to form a coalition government. I can see a lot of advantages in a multi-party system in which voters have more choices than either 'A' or 'B' with no grey area in between.

Mailed to mathgirl40 for the Favourite Book of 2017 Roundabout

This book is now with me!

Parts of this book made for uncomfortable and unpleasant reading, and the narrator is rather loathsome. However, I found this novel very thought provoking. It's also timely, given the recent EU elections and other current political events. Unfortunately, I don't know as much about European politics as I ought to; otherwise, I probably would have appreciated the book even more. (Being Canadian, our media is dominated by political news about Canada and the US.)

This novel reminded me of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, in that it shows how certain ideas, ostensibly moderate and innocuous, can eventually lead to a horrific situation. It also shows how a charismatic leader who initially courts opposing factions could facilitate this process.

Thanks, Lamilla, for making this book available.

A thought provoking read but not necessarily and easy read. I found the narrator unlikeable and many passages really required a push to get through. However, it is a timely read.

Back in my hands now and available for another reader.

I have acquired this book.