Why is it so many of the '1001 books' are stream of consciousness, guilt ridden angst? This is well written ( and translated) and 'about' a depressive, introspective, social isolate, male geek, who finds it hard and/or impossible to relate to other people. He agonises a lot, drinks a lot, thinks about sex, gets depressed, gets treated and gets a bit better.
Elegantly written. ( )

Déçue ( )

From my public library: So its not really mine, but I just gravitate towards this writer's sense of impropriety, so French, yet so naked of culture at the same time. ( )

This is Houellebecq's first novel, short, concise, and covers all his usual themes: sex, philosophy and general disgust at being human.

Houellebecq is probably a great writer (or at least an important one), but he isn't a great storyteller - 'Possibilities of An Island' proved that. His limited story telling ability doesn't really matter here though - it's short, basically a series of episodes marking the narrators mental deterioration.

If you only want to read one of his novels I'd probably go for Atomised or Platform instead. ( )

Swedish review: http://dagensbok.com/index.asp?id=195... ( )