The book's main character, François,is emblematic of a people who once were kitted out with a set of beliefs we in the West consider 'natural' and 'indispensible'. But now the people are worn out, dissolute, unpatriotic, cowardly, anti-religious, directionless and coveting decadent lives filled with sex (in his case) and consumerism (in the case of his students he beds).
Into this cultural and political vacuum rides the Islamic political party, the Muslim Brotherhood, and in particular its leader, Mohammed Ben Abbes. Ben Abbes is suave. He is no feral, foul-mouthed, barbequed shashlik-dipped-in-baba-ganuj eating Islamic cleric dreaming of becoming Europe's first Caliph. Far from it. This is one savvy politician serving the interests of Mecca and Medina with all the tools a withering democracy offers him. Serving that is, by merging mosque and (the French) state.
The Muslim Brotherhood slowly remakes France in its own image. Changes are slow at first but soon accelerate. These include:
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- Unemployment falling for men because women are now paid handsomely to quit their jobs, go home and pop out babies;
- Women in public now concealing themselves with shapeless tent-like garments. This is not through any government edit. The public sheep-like cowers and falls into line;
- Falling crime rates, in reply to the new Shari'a compliant criminal code;
- Polygamy (for men) is encouraged;
- Good jobs are reserved for Muslims, including converts; and
- Naturally, Halal food is ubiquitous.
The novel (in French) was released in January around the time Da'esh sympathisers attacked the offices of the hit satirical publication Charlie Weekly (for insulting the Prophet) and a kosher market (because Jews would be 100% of the victims).In those attacks, 16 were killed at the magazine, 4 at the Hyper Cacher market as well as a police officer. Soon after, France's Socialist Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, offered this gem to the media: "France is not Houellebecq. It is not intolerance, hate, and fear."
Spoken like someone who hasn't read the book.
In late October the English language version of the book was released. Three weeks later 130 infidels were slaughtered in Paris. Presidént Hollande's response was to drop munitions over northern Syria. Aping the French in 1940 that had no strategy to remove Adolf Hitler from Paris, Hollande has no strategy to defeat those who long to martyr themselves in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse while fulfilling the religious commandment of wielding jihad. Truth is, Hollande is surrendering to a large and growing minority in France: the 93% of Muslims (according to OpinionWay for Le Figaro) who voted for his socialist party.
What makes Houellebecq's themes eminently plausible, is that he has no axes to grind. He is neither pro nor anti Muslim. He neither likes nor dislikes Marine Le Pen. He is agnostic across politics, religion and culture. Like an honest reporter, he observes, provides facts, supplies context and allows the reader to decide.
The book is very sad, depressing and yet prescient in revealing where a modern society, unmoored from its Christian heritage - and drifting somewhere between apathy and hostility towards Christian ideals - is headed. This is a society caught napping whilst its values, values handed down by the Enlightenment, are extinguished. Extinguished not by outsiders but by the French themselves. Values the French don't believe are worth defending.
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Values, sadly that the French couldn't defend even if they actually wanted to.
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