“The world is a marketplace; it always has been.”
The novel follows Michel Renault, a disillusioned French civil servant in his forties, who drifts through life with little passion or purpose. After his father’s murder, he takes a package vacation to Thailand, where he meets Valérie, a travel agency employee. They begin a relationship, bonding over their shared cynicism about modern society.
Upon returning to France, Michel and Valérie grow closer, and she introduces him to her boss, Jean-Yves. Together, they devise a business plan to capitalize on sex tourism, creating a travel company called “Aphrodite” that caters to wealthy Westerners seeking erotic experiences in developing countries. The venture is highly successful, but their hedonistic enterprise is met with moral and political backlash.
As their business thrives, Michel and Valérie’s relationship deepens, offering him a rare sense of happiness. However, their success is violently disrupted when Islamic extremists attack one of their resorts, killing Valérie and many others. Michel is left shattered, retreating into isolation and despair, questioning the meaning of life in a world driven by commerce and desire.
Key Ideas
- Critique of late-stage capitalism and consumer culture.
- Exploration of sexual tourism and exploitation.
- Existential despair in a secular, materialistic world.
- Clash between Western hedonism and religious fundamentalism.
- The commodification of human relationships.
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in provocative, controversial literature.
- Those who enjoy philosophical novels about modern alienation.
- Fans of Houellebecq’s dark, satirical style.
- People who critique capitalism and globalization.