Max, a has-been movie director, has a houseful of people staying with him. There's his lover Elena; Simon, her slutty son; Isabel, Max's daughter; Zoe, Isabel's movie star mom and Max's ex-wife; Delphine, Zoe's mom; Cassie, Delphine's friend, Paul, Zoe's therapist and lover; Stony, Max's agent and Isabel's lover; and Charlie, Max's boyhood friend from back East, ten people all together.
So for ten days these people are together, talking, eating and screwing. Set at the beginning of the Iraq war, Max's girlfriend Elena is distraught about the war. She blames the war for Max's impotence. Most all of Max's guests side with her, except for Charlie who is a Republican and a supporter of the war which causes some conflict with Elena. He feels her doubts about the war are disloyal and calls her on it. Meanwhile the others are having lots of sex and eating vegan meals. Towards the end of the story, they all move from Max's house to a fabulous mansion owned by some rich Russians who want Max to direct a movie about Cossacks. Max isn't really that interested, he wants to make a movie about him and Elena in bed called "My Lovemaking with Elena," which would be kind of like the movie "My Dinner with Andre." The new location is an opportunity for more and different kinds of sex and more talk.
Not much happens in this story, mostly just lots of talk and lots of rather graphic sex. At times, I really couldn't understand why I was reading it. It's not like it has a plot. It's just a bunch of people talking, eating and screwing. Somehow, it roped me in, and despite its length, I kept on reading. I can't say I really liked the characters but somehow I liked reading about them, even their long conversations.
For another review of the book, see the NY Times.
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