Maybe it’s that I am too young to understand his work, maybe I haven’t read enough French literature, maybe I haven’t read him enough, or maybe it’s that I don’t agree with him politically (I’m a leftist) but I just don’t get him. He is provocative and that has been working for him. I thought Submission was…eh? (also kind of islamophobic). Though maybe I didn’t like that one because I don’t live in France and I don’t know the situation there. I tried Elementary Particles, I thought a part of it was really strange. I feel like he tries to be Céline but fails.
So please, if there’s anyone who “gets” Houellebecq, could you explain to me the appeal of his work? Thank you!
I’ve only read “Platform,” and I read it when it first came out. It is misogynistic and Islamophobic. It was considered “edgy” when it first came out. It was also very soon after 9/11, and Islamophobia was rampant, that definitely doesn’t justify it, but Islamophobia was conflated with patriotism at the time. I remember thinking the book was over rated and wondering if there was something lost in the translation (I read it in English as I am an American.)
I love Houllebecq, even though I cannot disagree more with his (I assume) political stance. He shows us the dark sides of the modern western society and individualization, and even though I don’t agree politically with him, his critique is solid.
He is also very misunderstood, his characters are not him and their sexism, nihilism, Islamophobia and so on are not necessarily his. I actually find him quite humanistic - love is an essential element for all of his novels.
To mention why I like some of his works:
- Submission is not about the fear of Islam taking over France, it is a critique of our society that has become so devoid of meaning to a point that people would actually prefer an Islamic society.
- Serotonin shows a hopeless unjust society that fails to care for people and hopeless people that fail to chose the few opportunities for happiness they might have had.
- The elementary particles, his best in my opinion, shows how the individualization of society and the insatiable lust in humans lead to unhappy and lonely people. And in effect criticizes the notion that we are better of as free beings without any religion or philosophy other than do what feels good to you.
- The possibility of an Island shows just how far we are willing to go to preserve a hedonist life, and how this effort might actually destroy a real chance of meaning or love. The “island” is another person, but we chase immortality instead.
I enjoy Houellebecq’s books, although I totally understand why a lot of people hate them. What I really like about them is the way he can write pages and pages of stuff that doesn’t really mean much to me at all (especially when concerning French popular culture or politics) but then all those sudden he will hit me with a scene or even a sentence or just a simile that just floors me. Some lines of his I remember clearly and often think to myself despite it being years since I’ve read them - there aren’t many authors I can say that about.
Mostly he’s privileged and boring.
Not like he’s going around trying to make friends.