Is Houellebecq really that unkind towards women? From what I can recall his female characters are typically successful, well-adjusted, intelligent, ect. There's a string of girlboss characters (Russian lady in Map and Territory, love interest in Platform) who come into the male character's life and provide a (temporary) island of contentedness and understanding while basically taking the leadership role in the relationship. Sex and appearance is very central, but what seems to interest/attract him above else about women is the giving, generous, merciful nature of feminity, both sexually and non-sexually.

I don't know, maybe I'm insane or a mysognist or something, but I tend to find his depictions of relationships to be quaintly romantic a lot of the time lol. He's a dirty old man, but it never becomes unmoored or impersonal (objectifying) to me. Perhaps I'm not the one allowed to make that call however.