Originally posted by Conchis
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I've just finished it!
Very unusual for me to read a book (admittedly, not a long one - 250 pages) in less than a day, but there was something about the author's style and the way he told his story that kept me turning the pages, even though Submission is far from being a conventional political 'thriller'.
Some background: the year is 2022 and France is about to hold Presidential elections. The favourite is Marine Le Pen, the UMP are way behind and the only hope of preventing the National Front from gaining power would seem to be an alliance between the Socialists and a new, faith-based party the Muslim Brotherhood, led by a charismatic young leader who has utilised the internet and social media to gain a foothold among the young. When the election is postponed because of riots (making the narrator fearful that France is about to descend into civil war), a pact between the Socialists snd the Muslim brotherhood ensures an overwhelming victory for the Muslims, who ride to power one an 'anti-materialist' platform that proposes making 'the family' central to French life again and places renewed emphasis on 'spirituality' in Education. The upshot is that universities become Islamacised (ie, co-education is dropped, women are not allowed to teach and non-Muslims are removed from teaching positions, albeit with enhanced pensions). Saudi money flows into France to revitalise the economy.
The narrator, a disillusioned middle-aged lecturer with an unsuccessful and depressing sex life, is dismissed from his post but is later re-recruited by his university whose new head makes a compelling case for all staff members to undergo Muslim conversion. One of the attractions is the idea of polygamy, which French manhood seems to take to like the proverbial duck to water - the idea of having 'three wives' ('We believe that's what someone of your economic status could support', trills the boss) appeals: a middle-aged one for intellectual companionship, a slightly younger one for household duties and a teenage one for bedroom duties. The new Musilm President, a Federalist who has his sights set on being eventual President of Europe, meanwhile goes about making overtures to entice countries like Morocco, Turkey (yep) and Egypty into the EU. The narrator is astounded at how skilfully the Muslim President has 'sold' Islam to the west and effectively put an end to French secularism.
Important point: this outline might give the impression that the book is Islamophobic, a charge that has frequently been levelled at the author. That was not the impression I got when reading it. The narrator evinces a lot of admiration for the Muslim President, who is 'the only adult in the room', though his 'double agenda' is hiding in plain sight. His point being that a France weary of the tensions of recent years and the endless jockeying between centre-right and centre-left parties, might welcome the simple certainties of Islam as an alternative to the chaos of so-called democracy.
I found the book utterly compelling, if hardly likeable. It IS somewhat spoiled by several revoting descriptions of sexual encounters (no-one has ever written about sex well, anyway) and the complete absence of the women's viewpoint is notable (we're left to imagine how all those female academics feel about being restricted to secretarial roles or housewifely duties). Still, the idea is quite persuasive and certainly thought-provoking. On that basis alone, I'd recommend it.
Very unusual for me to read a book (admittedly, not a long one - 250 pages) in less than a day, but there was something about the author's style and the way he told his story that kept me turning the pages, even though Submission is far from being a conventional political 'thriller'.
Some background: the year is 2022 and France is about to hold Presidential elections. The favourite is Marine Le Pen, the UMP are way behind and the only hope of preventing the National Front from gaining power would seem to be an alliance between the Socialists and a new, faith-based party the Muslim Brotherhood, led by a charismatic young leader who has utilised the internet and social media to gain a foothold among the young. When the election is postponed because of riots (making the narrator fearful that France is about to descend into civil war), a pact between the Socialists snd the Muslim brotherhood ensures an overwhelming victory for the Muslims, who ride to power one an 'anti-materialist' platform that proposes making 'the family' central to French life again and places renewed emphasis on 'spirituality' in Education. The upshot is that universities become Islamacised (ie, co-education is dropped, women are not allowed to teach and non-Muslims are removed from teaching positions, albeit with enhanced pensions). Saudi money flows into France to revitalise the economy.
The narrator, a disillusioned middle-aged lecturer with an unsuccessful and depressing sex life, is dismissed from his post but is later re-recruited by his university whose new head makes a compelling case for all staff members to undergo Muslim conversion. One of the attractions is the idea of polygamy, which French manhood seems to take to like the proverbial duck to water - the idea of having 'three wives' ('We believe that's what someone of your economic status could support', trills the boss) appeals: a middle-aged one for intellectual companionship, a slightly younger one for household duties and a teenage one for bedroom duties. The new Musilm President, a Federalist who has his sights set on being eventual President of Europe, meanwhile goes about making overtures to entice countries like Morocco, Turkey (yep) and Egypty into the EU. The narrator is astounded at how skilfully the Muslim President has 'sold' Islam to the west and effectively put an end to French secularism.
Important point: this outline might give the impression that the book is Islamophobic, a charge that has frequently been levelled at the author. That was not the impression I got when reading it. The narrator evinces a lot of admiration for the Muslim President, who is 'the only adult in the room', though his 'double agenda' is hiding in plain sight. His point being that a France weary of the tensions of recent years and the endless jockeying between centre-right and centre-left parties, might welcome the simple certainties of Islam as an alternative to the chaos of so-called democracy.
I found the book utterly compelling, if hardly likeable. It IS somewhat spoiled by several revoting descriptions of sexual encounters (no-one has ever written about sex well, anyway) and the complete absence of the women's viewpoint is notable (we're left to imagine how all those female academics feel about being restricted to secretarial roles or housewifely duties). Still, the idea is quite persuasive and certainly thought-provoking. On that basis alone, I'd recommend it.
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