Gavin Mortimer Gavin Mortimer

Macron’s prophet

Serotonin is set to follow the example of Submission and Atomised in record sales. What makes its author such a star?

issue 12 January 2019

France’s literary event of the year took place this week with the publication of Michel Houellebecq’s new novel, Serotonin. Named after the brain chemical that regulates mood, his seventh novel has been described by one French newspaper as ‘prophesying the yellow vest movement’.

The critics have lavished praise and the public are plucking it from the shelves.

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