Serotonin

About “Serotonin”

Michel Houellebecq's Serotonin is a dark and provocative novel that explores the decline of Europe and Western civilization. The story follows Florent-Claude Labrouste, an aging hedonist and agricultural engineer who is deeply depressed due to personal and professional failures. He is unhappy in his relationship and feels his career is over. To escape the loneliness and consumerism of the city, he returns to Normandy, where he once worked with regional cheeses and experienced happiness. There, he encounters farmers struggling with the effects of globalization and European agricultural policies. As the farmers prepare for an armed insurrection, the novel draws a parallel between the suffering of an individual and the broader societal crisis.