- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd; First English Edition edition (5 Sep 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 043400989X
- ISBN-13: 978-0434009893
- Product Dimensions: 18.8 x 13.7 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 827,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Anita Brookner in the Observer ‘Books of the Year’ (2001)
‘A brilliant novel... English novels rather fell by the wayside in comparison’
Review
Houellebecq's Atomised is a hard act to follow. A ludicrously ambitious novel about the failings of contemporary society which compelled and shocked at the same time, the book received ample coverage, high sales for a work of literary fiction and won the lucrative Impac award. Platform shares much in common with its predecessor but, if anything, the work is more uncompromising. Michel, an administrator in a Paris art gallery, takes a holiday in Thailand following his father's murder. What follows is a travelogue with a difference, casting a cold eye on the narrator as well as his fellow package holiday tourists, and taking in Emmanuel Kant, economic theory, Agatha Christie, sexual politics and even a socially-conscious pornographic film entitled Senior Citizens on the Rampage.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was looking forward to this after reading his first two, especially "The Elementary Particles" (translated as "Atomized" in the UK). However, this just does not quite measure up to the earlier novels. It gets off to a very good start, as the author character goes on a sex-oriented vacation in Thailand, and there is plenty of the black humor and wit in evidence earlier. Then it gets somewhat bogged down as the protagonist gets the idea to turn this into a business. From then on, it's much less fun, although there are some great riffs on various favorite Houllebecq targets.
One thing needs to be mentioned---this book seems to be lacking even a cursory proof-reading. Inexcusable in fiction, there are errors galore that significantly mar the book. I have looked at the French version, and I think that the blame for this somewhat disappointing novel must be equally assigned to the publisher, editors, if any,and translator, and not entirely to the author. If you're a fan, however, it's worth a read.
One thing needs to be mentioned---this book seems to be lacking even a cursory proof-reading. Inexcusable in fiction, there are errors galore that significantly mar the book. I have looked at the French version, and I think that the blame for this somewhat disappointing novel must be equally assigned to the publisher, editors, if any,and translator, and not entirely to the author. If you're a fan, however, it's worth a read.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Platform' is an existentialist love story. And if that is a contradiction in terms, so what? In fiction, you can contradict as many terms as you like.
I must admit that I did find the novel good company. The narrator, Michel, a civil servant, takes an outsider's interest in business practices and customer psychology - areas which sound very dry but which, in the author's hands, make for interesting conversation. In between times, Houellebecq spices things up with sex - some of it quite erotic (as is intended) and some of it quite gratuitous.
There is also a fair amount of literary criticism along the way, with digressions into the works of Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle and even John Grisham (for whom Michel clearly has little time). There are also mentions for Enid Blyton's 'Famous Five' and Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'.
The only aspect of the novel which disappointed me was the ending. I did not like the fact that Michel totally gives up on life. I wanted to give him a shake - to tell him that stuff happens and that you have to get over it. But, in mitigation, this is a character who has received a very severe shock, and who was perhaps more in love than he realised. And one whose grip on life was, at best, only half-hearted. But it still means that the novel ends on a bit of a downer.
'Platform' could also have done with more humour - although Michel is perhaps not the most naturally ebullient, or wittiest, of characters. But then, it would also be fair to say that humour is not a noted ingredient of French existentialist novels.
Neverthless, I stayed with 'Platform' quite happily to the end....and, overall, I did enjoy it.
I must admit that I did find the novel good company. The narrator, Michel, a civil servant, takes an outsider's interest in business practices and customer psychology - areas which sound very dry but which, in the author's hands, make for interesting conversation. In between times, Houellebecq spices things up with sex - some of it quite erotic (as is intended) and some of it quite gratuitous.
There is also a fair amount of literary criticism along the way, with digressions into the works of Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle and even John Grisham (for whom Michel clearly has little time). There are also mentions for Enid Blyton's 'Famous Five' and Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'.
The only aspect of the novel which disappointed me was the ending. I did not like the fact that Michel totally gives up on life. I wanted to give him a shake - to tell him that stuff happens and that you have to get over it. But, in mitigation, this is a character who has received a very severe shock, and who was perhaps more in love than he realised. And one whose grip on life was, at best, only half-hearted. But it still means that the novel ends on a bit of a downer.
'Platform' could also have done with more humour - although Michel is perhaps not the most naturally ebullient, or wittiest, of characters. But then, it would also be fair to say that humour is not a noted ingredient of French existentialist novels.
Neverthless, I stayed with 'Platform' quite happily to the end....and, overall, I did enjoy it.
14 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I became interested in Platform because of reviews in the German and English press. The reviews highlighted the book's mixture of taboo issues, such as prostitution and criticism of Islam. I had never read any of the author's previous works and therefore was not quite sure what to expect.
When reading Platform I quickly became drawn into the storyline of a single man's search for meaning and closeness in a somewhat neurotic world. The author describes in detail his encounters with prostitutes, who seemingly were not exploited and who practised their job like a craft. He talks about a hypocritical middle-class moral when talking about his fellow travellers on his first trip. He criticises Islam and especially its fundamentalist symptoms. This criticism saw him to face a court hearing in which he was cleared of defamation of Islam in October 2002.
It is true, followers of Islam are the people who enjoy the most freedom that we can think of: Many use the freedom of movement and speech in Western countries in anyway they like, including planning and carrying out mass murderer whilst in their home countries they have installed systems, that in some instances have nothing to do with the religion the claim to follow, but are based only on hatred. The hatred of many Muslims of the West, whilst utilising the freedom of the West, is well described in the final chapters of Platform. Like a clairvoyant, the author describes a massacre by Muslims on Western tourists in Thailand, which became real with the massacre in Bali in October this year.
Sometimes though I was wondering if the author was merely indulging some pubescent sex fantasies, because he frequently left out the dimension of emotional closeness, which at times was replaced by thrills for new sexual heights. But then, his story never turned vulgar or pornographic. I agree that one of the problems of the Western world is the unwillingness, or inability, to enjoy pleasing someone sexually.
I thoroughly recommend the book not just because it touches on taboos that popular culture is trying to uphold.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
relax, houllebeck is not a monster
Platform, by Michel Houllebeck is excellently written. Lets get that out front straight from the get go. Read more
Published on 25 Dec 2002 by richard
Die-hard fans may enjoy, but dissapointing
Atomised was an 'ideas' book, wrenched along by indefatigable sexual and intellectual energy. Platform though, is a dull, dry and unpleasant read. Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2002 by Adrian Lever
Fictional pact breached
Fiction works along these lines: the author's creditability is his calling card delivered with confidence that readers of his fiction can believe in the story they are reading. Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2002 by "cgmoore27"
Platform is brilliant
Michel Houellebecq's book, Platform, is simply brilliant. It is his best book so far. The story begins by describing the main character, Michel, a civil servant who works for the... Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2002 by pmahanna@omb.eop.gov
Soon to be a Major Motion Picture
... A good yarn? On the whole, yes. An interesting polemic? Perhaps. But is it literature? I'm not so sure. Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2002 by And You May Find Yourself
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