Lanzarote

by Michel Houellebecq, Thomas Lundbo (Translator)

Realising that his New Year is probably going to be a disaster, as usual, our narrator, on impulse, walks into a travel agency to book a week in the sun. Sensitive to his limited means and dislike of Muslim countries, the travel agent suggests an island full of 21st century hedonism, set in a bizarre lunar landscape - Lanzarote.

On Lanzarote, one can meet some fascinating human specimens, notably Pam and Barbara - 'non-exclusive' German lesbians - who can give rise to some interesting combinations. Will they succeed in seducing Rudi, the police inspector from Luxembourg, currently living in exile in Brussels? Or will he join the 'Azraelian' sect, as they prepare for humanity to be regenerated by extra-terrestrials? As for our narrator, will he consider his week's holiday on the island a success?

Genres: Fiction, France, Contemporary, Literature, French Literature, Novels, Travel

75 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2000

About the author

Michel Houellebecq (born Michel Thomas), born 26 February 1958 (birth certificate) or 1956 on the French island of Réunion, is a controversial and award-winning French novelist. To admirers he is a writer in the tradition of literary provocation that reaches back to the Marquis de Sade and Baudelaire; to detractors he is a peddler, who writes vulgar sleazy literature to shock. His works though, particularly Atomised, have received high praise from the French literary intelligentsia, with generally positive international critical response, Having written poetry and a biography of the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, he brought out his first novel Extension du domaine de la lutte in 1994. Les particules élémentaires followed in 1998 and Plateforme, in 2001. After a disastrous publicity tour for this book, which led to his being taken to court for inciting racial hatred, he went to Ireland to write. He currently resides in France, where he has been described as "France’s biggest literary export and, some say, greatest living writer". In 2010 he published La Carte et le Territoire (published the same year in English as The Map and the Territory) which won the prestigious Prix Goncourt; and, in 2015, Submission.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical profound and enveloping Houellebecq… as he turns a week's holiday in Lanzarote into an analysis of the evolving modern Western Europe, sexuality, homosexual parenting wishes, sects, paedophilia, urban decay, the trials of modern religion and the Western European aboard, in effect a typical Houellebecq jam :D 7 out of 12, Three Star read.

2012 read

[Leonard Gaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lanzarote (initialement publié dans Elle en 2000, parfois disponible avec un album photos) est une nouvelle moins connue que les romans proprement dits de Michel Houellebecq, mais qui vaut tout de même la peine d’être lue. En résumé et comme souvent chez cet auteur, il s’agit de l’histoire d’un parisien de classe et d’âge moyens, un peu dégouté de la vie et fier de l’être, pas vraiment méchant, et qu’une seule chose parvient à véritablement réjouir : le sexe. Travaillé par une légère mélancolie, ce héros post-moderne prend quelques jours de vacances dans les Canaries, se lie d’amitié avec un policier belge loser et avec un couple de lesbiennes allemandes chaudasses mais sympa. Finalement, au bout d’un récit assez morne, saupoudré de scènes de sexe et de remarques comiques, une péripétie finale fait du protagoniste le témoin d’un évènement dramatique sordide — histoire de finir en beauté.

Avec le recul, Lanzarote fait un peu penser à un galop d’essai juste avant les romans qui vont suivre. On repère le thème du tourisme plus ou moins sexuel, qu’on retrouvera beaucoup plus développé dans Plateforme. On retombera également sur les paysages lunaires de Lanzarote et la secte de Raël dans La possibilité d’une île. Les sentiments islamophobes exprimés çà et là annoncent, d’une certaine façon, Soumission. Enfin, la structure avec coup de théâtre vers la fin deviendra aussi une habitude. Bref, Lanzarote n’est pas une œuvre majeure de Houellebecq, mais peut être lue comme une version miniature de ses autres romans, depuis Les Particules Élémentaires. Autrement dit, c’est une bonne entrée en matière.

[Meike · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is appropriate reading material during a global pandemic? Michel Houellebecq, of course! In his gloomy novella "Lanzarote", he demonstrates that the joys of tourism are overrated anyway, so why not pick up this text while you can't leave your house anway. His unnamed, 40-ish protagonist travels to the title-giving island to spend his holidays there, he partakes in some stale touristy actvities (capitalism! fake fun!), hangs out with a depressed policeman from Brussels who has been dumped by his Moroccan wife (crime! the European capital! loss of traditional values! spiritual emptiness! Islam!), encounters members of a cult obsessed with human optimization (alienation! dehumanisation!) and has sex with two queer women from Germany (sex! transgression! sex! sex! sex!) - so clearly, we are dealing with a classic Houellebecq. All of this is set in front of Lanzarote's volcanic landscape (you get the implication, boiling under the surface etc.).

Published in 2000, the themes of the text foreshadow Houellebecq's later novels, namely Platform about sex tourism and Islamic terror (2001), his science fiction novel The Possibility of an Island about lonely neo-humans in a futuristic world (2005), and Submission about an Islamist France (2015). So for Houellebecq aficionadas like me, this is an interesting read, but for newbies I'd recommend to pick up one of his novels instead. Still my favorite: The Map and the Territory.

[Metodi Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Прочетох я в самолета от Виена за София - изборът ми на четиво се оказа перфектен. Пътуването мина неусетно, в компанията добра на мосю Уелбек.

Новелата "Лансароте" се явява основа на няколко от следващите му романи и ми бе достатъчно интересна, независимо че вече съм ги чел.

Четвъртата звезда е за две от есетата му, поместени в този сборник - "Отчетен доклад за командировка: стреляй право в целта" и "Да излезем от XX век".

[L.S. Popovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick remarks about this little book.
Fascinating but brief and inconclusive. Could’ve used more development. Typical of Houellebecq's up front political, religious, and gender role commentary. An exploration of man’s intrinsic nature. Offhand, off-color jokes, it comes off as a bizarre form of tourist literature. At the same time a morphological notebook discussing human existence within a vivid, panoramic environment. The casual cretinism is semi-humorous. Pointing out the absurdities associated with travel is always good for a laugh. Per usual, the author maintains an accusatory tone throughout. He is familiar with the concept of culture shock, and his pessimistic views are too often prophetic. I enjoyed the historical tidbits. The main character exhibits various forms of paranoia and speculates on the origin of life.
The novella was spoiled by the abrupt ending, after shifting midway into a depiction of fanaticism regarding a radical sect of Islamic persuasion.

[Steven Godin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wish I could push the central character into a volcano.

[Patrick McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lanzarote is a short (only 87 pages) novella by Michel Houllebeq, which incidentally is a small volcanic Spanish island off the coast of Africa. I was really impressed by his previous novel, Platform, so I picked this up along with another by him, Atomised UK (The Elementary Particles US). This novella has several of the elements from Platform, a vacation setting, sex, humor, and a rant against Muslims. His prose is very easy to digest and as I mentioned often quite funny (here he is discussing the holiday habits of different nationalities):

There is no such mystery to the Germans (who will go anywhere there's sun), still less to the Italians (who will go anywhere there's a cute ass); as for the French, let's not even go there. Alone among Europeans in the middle- and higher income brackets, the English are notable by their absence from mainstream holiday destinations. Nevertheless, meticulous and systematic research, supported by considerable data makes it possible to map their movements during summer pasturing. They gather in small groups and head for unlikely islands absent from Continental holiday brochures- Malta, Madeira, or, indeed Lanzarote. One there, they duplicate the principal elements of their home environment right there. When asked to explain their choice of destination, they give answers which are evasive and tautological: I came because I came here last year. It is apparent that the Englishman is not motivated by a keen appetite for discovery. Indeed, one may observe that he is not interested in architecture, landscapes, in anything whatsoever. In the early evening, after a short trip to the beach, he is to be found drinking bizarre cocktails. The presence of English at a resort, therefore, is no guide to the intrinsic interest of the destination, its splendor or its possible tourist potential. The Englishman goes to a particular tourist destination purely because he certain that the will meet other Englishmen there. In this, he is diametrically opposed to the Frenchman, so enamored of himself that the mere sight of a compatriot abroad is anathema to him. For this reason, Lanzarote is a destination to be recommended to the French.


It was a very pleasurable short read. I think Houellebecq has moved onto my short list of favorite contemporary writers with Haruki Murakami, Milan Kundera, and Cormac McCarthy.

[Hollis Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea how this even made it into print. This book was so boring it was a real struggle to get to the end. It's a short novel about an idiot who goes to a hotel and sleeps with a few people. Dull, tasteless and deeply unfunny.

[sologdin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Barely a novella, featuring a familiar houellebecqian narrator.

Such a narrator features casual misogyny ("I knew southern Morocco well, probably a lot better than this stupid bitch"), islamophobia ("Arab countries might well be worth the effort after all, if we could just liberate them from their absurd religion"), and bizarre racialism ("I'd heard that white men still had great prestige in West Africa"). This narrator also makes coarse presentation about sex, such as "Dykes, probably; but, personally, I enjoy seeing two women masturbate and lick each other's pussies; since I have no lesbian friends, it's a pleasure I am usually denied."

The narrator's pessimism is as obnoxious as the author's, insofar as "we no longer have anything in common but humiliation and fear. I realise that this tendency is common to all European countries."

But the perspective has value, laying down bizarre proclamations such as "the cactus symbolises perfectly—not to put too fine a point on it—the abjectness of plant life" and "The transaction between tourist and tour operator [...] tends to transcend the framework of everyday commercial relations—unless such a transaction, dealing as it does with travel, that most dreamlike of commodities, can be said to reveal the true nature—mysterious, profoundly human, almost mystical—of all commercial transactions."

The political pessimism is consistent with other contributions: "seemed we were swiftly moving towards the concept of a world federation dominated by the United States, with English as its common language. Of course, the prospect of being governed by fucking idiots was somewhat disagreeable; but it wouldn't be the first time after all. From all the evidence they had left of themselves, the Romans had clearly been a nation of idiots." Whatever?

Recommended for those who look out over a barren desert to see what the world will look like when it dies.

[Erasmia Kritikou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Δεν ξερω γιατί εχει τοσο χαμηλή σχετικά βαθμολογία αυτο το βιβλίο, αλλά επισης δεν μπορώ να ειμαι ποτέ αντικειμενική και ψυχραιμη με τον Ουελμπέκ, μοναδική μου αγαπη. Αυτη την αηδιαστική ιδιοφυία του σεξισμου, της μισαλλοδοξιας, του μηδενισμού του υπερμετρου σωβινισμού, το ρατσιστικό αυτό καθίκι.
Τον αγαπώ.

Στη νουβέλα Λανθαρότε καταπιάνεται και παλι με ολα τ αγαπημένα του θέματα/φαντασιώσεις/ονειρώξεις και τ' αφηγειται αφιλτράριστα, οπως ακριβως τα κατεβάζει το διεστραμμένο του μυαλό, χωρις κανεναν ηθικό ή ανθρωπιστικό φραγμό.
Δεν τον νοιαζει τίποτα. Ουτε η αποκαθηλωση ουτε η αηδια που μπορει να προκαλεσει στους πολιτικά ορθους πολίτες του κόσμου.
Κι αν εχω τις εντελως αντιθετες αποψεις απο αυτόν- οπως και θα επρεπε ολοι μας- και παλι τον λατρευω.

Και παρ ολο που το ξεκινησα σε κακή φαση κουρασης και αυπνίας, το διαβασα ΟΛΟ σε λιγη ωρα -
και τις εκατο σελιδες αφορισμου και κυνισμού, με επιανα μαλιστα να χασκογελαω ενοχα σε καθε μισαλλόδοξο κακό - αλλά τοσο γοητευτικά εξυπνο θεεμου - αστειακι του.

Δεν μπορω να καταλαβω πώς κάποιος που διαβαζει Ουελμπέκ μπορεί να βαλει σ αυτο το βιβλίο κακή βαθμολογία. Λογικά θα επεσε σε χερια ασχετων βαθμολογητών. Η νουβελα αυτη ειναι Ουελμπεκ 101, ειναι Ουελμπεκ in a nutshell, ειναι ολα οσα πρεσβευει και ουδεποτε εκρυψε. Με το θάρρος της απαράδεκτής του γνώμης.
Η έκδοση συνοδευεται απο ενα αλμπουμ με μέτριες φωτογραφίες - περιηγήσεων στα ηφαιστειακά τοπία του Λανθαρότε -του ιδίου του συγγραφέα ως μηδενιστή τουρίστα, οπου του φαινονται ολα επίσης μετρια και καθόλου ενθουσιαστικά κατά την αφήγησή του, και το βρισκω την τελεια συνοδεία γι αυτο το ειρωνικό/ μηδενιστικό έργο. Νιωθω σα να παρακολουθησα μια φαρσα, μια παρωδια ή μια πολύ μαυρη κωμωδια που τύφλα να χουν οι Μοντυ Πάιθονς.

Ουελμπέκ call me. Αν και δε ξερω την γνωμη σου για τους Ελληνες, και, ειλικρινά, τρεμω και να τη μαθω.

Μια απολυτη ιδιοφυία. Ισως και να το ξαναγραψα αυτο, δεν ξερω.

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my actual favorite Houellebecq book, and I think most people missed it - because I think it came out only in the UK (in English of course). Nevertheless this is a very short book which i think is my favorite of his because of the length is perfect for the hatred expressed in Houellebecq's view of the world. He's funny, biting, and I like his take on tourism.

[John Hatley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Houellebecq can be difficult to understand, even if his explicit sex scenes are anything but difficult to understand. He leaves nothing unsaid. The loneliness of his two main male characters almost goes entirely unnoticed. His intentions with this novella are a mystery to me. Perhaps that's precisely what he wants to do, provoke the reader to draw his/her own conclusions.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vorte kissak!!! Liefs. Ik schrijf dit in Lanzarote, maar, stel je verwachtingen bij, Houellebecq schrijft 80% over seks en depressiviteit, 20% over de Lanzarotese bezienswaardigheden.

[iva° · Rating 3 out of 5]

zbirka različitih tipova tekstova (pripovijetka "lanzarote", jedna "instalacija", dva razgovora/intervjua i više kratkih, esejističkih tekstova. na stranu "lanzarote" koji je klasična pripovijetka (i po meni najuspjeliji houellebecqov tekst unutar ove knjige), prilično filozofski obojena razmišljanja. mislim da je houellebecq puno uspješniji u "velikim" romanima tipa "serotonin" ili "mogućnost otoka" u kojima dopušta svojim protagonistima da se maksimalno rašire i u kojima svoje ideje razvija do kraja, bez prostornog i misaonog ograničenja. a njegova životna uvjerenja i kronični pesimizam i cinizam ionako su vidljivi kroz njegove likove - niti ih ne treba dodatno esejistički objašnjavati.

"životinjska i ljudska društva uspostavljaju različite sustave hijerarhijskog razlikovanja koji se mogu temeljiti na rođenju (aristokratski sustav), bogatstvu, ljepoti, fizičkoj snazi, inteligenciji, nadarenosti... sva ta mjerila čine mi se podjednako vrijedna prijezira. odbijam ih. jedina nadmoć koju priznajem jest dobrota. trenutno se krećemo u dvodimenzionalnom sustavu: erotska privlačnost i novac. sve ostalo, sreća i nesreća ljudi proizlazi iz toga."

"samo nas pojam dužnosti može istinski održati na životu. konkretno, želite li si priskrbiti neku praktičnu dužnost, morate raditi tako da sreća drugog bića ovisi o vašem postojanju." (odgovor na pitanje kako odgoditi samoubojstvo)

[Núria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Al terminar "Lanzarote", la comparación con "Plataforma" es casi inevitable. En cierto modo es como si en "Lanzarote" ya se esbozara "Platafomra", y de forma más comprimida y razonable (porque ¿qué sentido tiene escribir en 300 páginas algo que en 90 está solucionado?). Al lado de lo típicos temas en Houellebecq como, por ejemplo, "narrador-cínico-y-desengañado-encuentra-en-una-serie-de-encuentros-sexuales-la-forma-de-superar-momentaneamente-su-angustia-de-vivir", encontramos también los que se alargarían hasta la náusea en "Plataforma": el hecho de que cuando compramos un viaje estamos esperando comprar felicidad, el hecho de descargar la frustración personal en forma de racismo irado, todo sazonado como siempre con el habitual amargo cinismo y un tono apocalíptico. Del mismo modo, el apunte al tema de una secta ya lo desarrollará más adelante en "La posibilidad de una isla".

En el fondo, parece que Houellebecq escribe siempre la misma novela. Ahora bien, si nos ha de "regalar" una novela larguísima y redundante, y en la mayor parte de la cúal el narrador encima es feliz, como fue "Plataforma", es mejor que nos "regale" un relato breve como "Lanzarote", que me ha parecido mucho más divertido e incluso autoirónico: quizás esta apreciación se debe al hecho que ya he leído mucho Houellebecq y me conozco los "trucos", que tiene como cualquier escritor, y cuando los veo venir ya me imagino que todos estos tópicos sólo los puede decir con autoironía.

Por ejemplo, el libro toca temas tan espinosos como las sectas y la pedofília (cosa que le permite una vez más, mostrar la hipocresia de la sociedad actual): se abre un proceso judicial contra una "secta de pedófilos" que no se averguenzan de su postura e incluso la defienden. Entonces, el narrador recoge lo que un periodista dice sobre el líder de la secta: "Es increíble. Está jugando a la provocación para hacerse publicidad...." Pues, como hace Houellebecq en sus libros, pero evidentemente luego nos muestra la estupidez de los periodistas, porque son ellos los que hacen publicidad difundiendo estas provocaciones, lo que tendrían de hacer es ignorarlo, claro está. Es lo de siempre. Evidentemente. Pero al menos el nihilismo, el cinismo y la angustia de vivir de siempre están condensados en un relato de sólo 90 páginas.

[Pelle "sometimes here" Parrafin]

Langsomt åpner jeg øynene. Det er så vidt jeg tør, men jeg tvinger meg selv, må se, må vite - der er han. Bildet på skjermen. Han ser ikke på meg, ser på noe langt der borte - kan det være en brennende moské? Kan det være en lesbisk dame med store pupper og et lengtende blikk, klar for uvasket Hollebeuq-penis? Plutselig våkner det noe i meg. Er jeg hjernevasket av feminismen som har tatt bolig i meg som en parasitt, ene og alene med det brutale mål å gjøre med mer tilgjengelig, mindre kritisk - for islamistenes mål om total undertrykkelse? Skjelvingen går gjennom meg, først ubehagelig, grusom - så, med blikket stivt festet på den skrukketroll-lignende skikkelsen foran meg - glir den over i noe annet, noe nytt. Hans slitne, sviskete ansikt svir seg inn på netthinnen min, jeget utslettes idet hans maskuline og filosofisk sterke aura fylle meg, hele meg, presser ut feminist-islamist-parasitten som altfor lenge har fått løpe løpsk i meg. I denne mest fundamentale av kamper er jeg lite annet enn en tilskuer, og jeg skuer - jeg skuer min redningsmann, gjenskapt i den nye Guds bilde - datamaskinen foran meg begynner å dure kraftig, like kraftig som den seksuelle oppvåkningen jeg kjenner idet jeg endelig gir meg hen til hans maskuline urkraft. Brått hører jeg et høyt smell, maskinen foran meg har opphørt å eksistere og blitt erstattet med en grå, tung sky av partikler. Jeg siger inn i den, lar den fylle alle sansene mine, lar meg selv puste for første gang - jeg hører i meg en dyp stemme, en mann taler til meg på det mest sensuelle, det mest opplyste av alle verdens tungemål - "les seins sont bons, le sexe n'est pas vrai, oui oui mademoiselle?"
Jeg hvisker, nesten uhørlig, men samtidig klarere enn noen gang "Oui oui, michel. Oui Oui." .

[Caroline Fosse · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could unread this, and I think whoever recommended me this book belongs in federal prison

[cowboy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mann som er kåt på bifile kvinner, og noe sekt greier. Orker ikke. Houellebecq er ikke my kinda guy

[Samir Rawas Sarayji · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very characteristic of Houellebecq... ramblings of the wrongs in the world, anti-Islam, sex, and middle-aged men... entertaining for sure, but more of the same. This one focused in the end on a cult engaged in pedophilia and incest, granted I didn't see it coming, but it didn't really add anything when the earlier story of the protagonist who might help a lesbian couple conceive seemed the focus (and frankly more interesting part). The story tries to come across as a slice of life, but the technique employed - that of a novella - does not work to that end, which demands some form of resolution that never occurs.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly bizarre. Totally compelling.

[Lukáš Palán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hulibrk dostává svému jménu a i v této knize se hulí brka o sto šest. Jako vždy, hlavní hrdina knihy je člověk, který je ještě větší ubožák než jsem já, ale má daleko zábavnější sexuální setkání třetího druhu než já. Začíná mě to docela urážet a rozesmuťnovat. Já se můžu smutně dívat na prodavačky, pošťačky a učitelky od rána do večera, ale žádná si zničehonic nevsune můj penis do úst! Tady něco nehraje.

V tomhle krátkém příběhu jde jako vždy o sex, Islám a sekty, takže je to taková svižná rozehra mezi Platformou a Možností ostrova. Kdybych to byl věděl, nemusel jsem ty dvě knížky číst. Ale já to nevěděl. Stejně jako to, že si mouchy sedají na lidi, protože lidi se potí a mouchy chtějí lízat sůl. To jsem se dozvěděl dnes.

Blížím se absolutnímu osvícení, takže již brzy přestanu přijímat přihlášky na anální sex. To jen, abyste potom nelitovaly, holky!

Dávám čtyři internacionálné hviezdiecky.

[Lee Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more a short story formatted to seem like a novella, with a few full-color photos of volcanic rock formations. It's a travelogue that morphs into semi-hot threesome scenes that then transforms into what seem like non-fictional notes for the religious sect from "The Possibility of an Island". Reads entirely unlike fiction, but a google search for "Azraelian" made me feel like a duped fool. Worth an hour of reading if you've read "The Possibility of an Island".

[Amabilis · Rating 3 out of 5]

"it’s perfectly possible to live without expecting anything of life; in fact, it’s the most common way.
In general, people stay at home, they’re happy that their phone never rings; and when it does, they let the answering machine pick up. No news is good news. In general, that’s what people are like; I am too."

[Carolyn Cahalane · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, disturbing but great

[Oto Bakradze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another soulless story from Michel Houellebecq

[Joseflagerkvist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kul ju! Provocerande, ochsom det stod i efterordet, tråkigt att det djupt meningslösa tidiga 2000-talet idag känns lite avundsvärt…

[Boshra Rahmaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

مقادیری اروتیسم داشت که انگار تو کتاب‌های میشل اوئلبک طبیعیه. من هدف داستان رو نفهمیدم و خب اولین اثری بود که از اوئلبک میخوندم.
مردی که برای تعطیلات به یک جزیره (لانزروت) سفر میکنه و اونجا با دو تا دختر آلمانی کوئیر و یک مرد بلژیکی آشنا میشه. مرد بلژیکی که آخرسر میفهمیم پلیس بوده، افسرده‌ست. پلیسه هم آخرش از یه فرقه‌ پدوفیلی سر درمیاره. آخر کتابم یه صحنه فوران آتشفشان به تصویر کشیده بود.
🙄😬
اینارو نوشتم یادم نره این آش شلم شوربا رو که بعدا نقداشو بخونم.

[Keith [on semi hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

A peculiar little novella, it's almost like Houellebecq took time out after writing (his first) two major pieces, deciding Lanzarote would be the place to go; it's got the usual trademarks, it works as a subject-matter for its size, it's a nice change of pace and a nicety for burning through a quick Houllebecq piece in advance of a bigger appetite.

One for the die-hards; or, post-Whatever & pre-The Elementary Particles.

[Despa Chito · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relato corto, quizás demasiado, que apuntala temas y visiones que el autor desarrollará en Plataforma. Se queda escaso, te lo acabas y quieres más.

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 80 odd small pages long, this would be lucky to qualify as a novella. In some ways this reads like a heavily watered down version of the excellent “Atomised”. This gets off to such a strong and promising start, fizzing with Houellebecq’s dark excellence, but then something bizarre happens around the second half?...It’s almost like the author had died and so they had to get someone in at the last minute to finish off the rest of it. It just descends into a lazy, half- hearted ending, as holes start to appear and you feel your heart sink as you see the pages run out, leaving you wondering what happened?...

Yes this is clearly flawed and doesn’t seem finished and it probably wouldn’t have got published if it hadn’t been written by an established author, but it does have all of his usual themes of sex, religion and general angst. It’s a shame because Houellebecq is a great writer and this short story/novella does not do him justice at all. I would still say that I enjoyed most of this and it is a worthwhile read, but it does read like it has been rushed and unfinished.

On a brighter note, I did love this quote, “It’s not even a country, more an assortment of dummy companies scattered over parkland, nothing but PO boxes for companies with a taste for tax evasion.” This remains the funniest description I have read of Luxembourg.