I'm glad you loved this one. This is not a book for everyone, as it wasn't for me, actually. I didn't like any of the characters, and it was a real problem. (As was the fact that I prefer mysteries to modern literary fiction.) But I think I was in the minority.
I think a lot of people don´t like this book mainly because of the characters and whether or not you can relate to anyone of them.
I have to admit that I have been able to relate to Richard quite a bit, his wish to be accepted in that close-knit group of friends and ultimately being one of the "cool kids". Since I´m mostly the least popular person in a group and hardly manage to get accepted into anyone of them, I get where his desire is coming from. So inevitably I got invested in his character, despite him being a bad person as well.
I have to admit that I have been able to relate to Richard quite a bit, his wish to be accepted in that close-knit group of friends and ultimately being one of the "cool kids". Since I´m mostly the least popular person in a group and hardly manage to get accepted into anyone of them, I get where his desire is coming from. So inevitably I got invested in his character, despite him being a bad person as well.