Exceptional storytelling and narrative. Houellebecq dissects the post-baby-boom generation ruthlessly in a novel about a future genius and his brother, who are essentially two sides of the same person. Often brilliantly funny, sometimes affectionate, occasionally grim, always crass. Houellebecq has been criticised for chauvinist attitudes in his books but I felt this one worked as a valuable artifact of feminism (and a criticism of the coarser elements of male identity), as well as being a brilliantly spun yarn.