Slow at first but it gets better, very good prose,funny and dark jokes. Depressing story of a person beyond repair, full of regret. I felt that the book is a warning for people that follow modern capitalism and it's values of objectification. Some scenes i felt were overly gross and mysogynistic, but overall a read that is worth it.
Scritto da: Michelle Kim
A raw, unflinching portrait of midlife and modernity — Houellebecq at his best
I’ve read several of Michel Houellebecq’s novels, and Serotonin is the one that has stayed with me the longest. It isn’t just another bleak European antihero story, it’s a deeply affecting look at what happens when personal regret collides with societal collapse. The narrator, Florent-Claude, walks away from his career and relationship and returns to rural Normandy, but instead of finding comfort, he runs head-first into memories of lost love, the struggles of farmers being squeezed by global markets, and his own fading sense of purpose. What makes this novel stand out from so many others on Amazon is the balance between intimacy and scope. Houellebecq manages to make a single man’s depression feel like a microcosm of an entire country’s disillusionment. The writing (in Shaun Whiteside’s translation) is clear, biting, and often darkly funny; one moment you’re wincing, the next you’re laughing at the absurdity of it all. Unlike many “edgy” literary novels, Serotonin also has a strong sense of place. The scenes in the French countryside, the farmers’ protests, and the contrast between urban and rural life are vivid and grounding as you’re not just reading about despair, you’re seeing its causes and effects in real communities. Yes, the subject matter is heavy, but this book isn’t hopeless. In its own way it’s compassionate, showing how even a deeply flawed, often unlikable man can still yearn for connection and meaning. I closed the last page feeling unsettled but also oddly moved because it's the mark of a novel that’s doing something more than just telling a story. If you’re curious about Houellebecq but unsure where to start, or you’ve been disappointed by shapeless “literary” books in the past, Serotonin is worth the plunge. It’s challenging but readable, provocative but humane and in a literary landscape full of forgettable titles, this one actually stays with you.
Scritto da: OG
Superb reading
Houellebecq at his best: humorous and sharp insights, unconventional thoughts, thrilling plot and tons of self-irony. Bravo!
Scritto da: Anuradha
one of the funniest, bleakest and profound books I've read.
fantastic read. depressed old men rarely disappoint in literature
Scritto da: Glen Brumby
Another must read from the master of indifference
Houellebecq is so very readable. A couple of weak spots in this one but overall it’s another must read.
