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With breakdowns, car accidents, death and even a contemplation of a random murder, the picture of late twentieth century life (the book was first published in 1994) painted by Houellebecq is certainly a bleak one, full of despair at the supposed mind numbing banality of existence. Lonely, depressed with undertones of racism and misogyny the protagonists in ''Whatever'' provoke little in the way of empathy, let alone sympathy. What makes ''Whatever'' so readable then? If you're going to take the whole 'what's the point' line then you might as well go the whole scabrous way and Houellebcq certainly doesn't hold back.
Taking pot shots at rampant individualism, psychoanalysis, the decline of Christianity (a priest friend having an affair and losing his faith) and plenty of other bugbears, the author really gives it to his targets with both barrels. ''Whatever'' is sometimes frightening (and not in a [[:Category:Stephen King|Stephen King]] way), often very disturbing but always provocative. The danger of such provocation is that it can sometimes lapse into teenage posturing. Houellebecq largely avoids that though. Coming in at only only 155 pages, [[''Whatever]] '' is a quick, punchy read. Given the subject matter it won't appeal to everyone but those who do try it will find a punchy if caustic read.
Perhaps the best way to sum up ''Whatever'' is to quote from the main character himself, speaking about the time he broke up with an old girlfriend, ''You get the feeling that you can roll around on the ground, slash your veins with a razor blade or masturbate in the Metro and nobody will pay any attention, nobody will lift a finger. As if you were protected from the world by a transparent film, inviolable and perfect.''
