Less than Zero
Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780140088946 (0140088946)
Publish date: June 3rd 1986
Publisher: Penguin
Pages no: 208
Edition language: English
Category:
Young Adult,
Novels,
Literature,
Adult Fiction,
American,
Literary Fiction,
20th Century,
Coming Of Age,
Contemporary,
Modern,
Psychology
I'm not even sure what to say about this one. It's written in first person, which I hate, and definite trigger warnings for drug abuse, rape, and just everything bad from the 80s. The story follows Clay, a rich kid home from college on winter break. Clay is a mess. He is not mentally stable an...
On some level, this feels like an '80s LA Catcher in the Rye, albeit with richer and older kids, and drugs and prostitution. I feel like this may have been Ellis' intent, I also think that the acclaim that greeted it upon its release likely was due, in part to that comparison, however misguided. Hol...
Less Than Zero is an affecting ridealong in a car full of coke-addled rich kids. The ending is properly shocking. I was, as was intended, thoroughly disgusted, as I'm sure you will be too. I didn't like a single character. The book has all the appeal of a trainwreck that causes a chemical spill at y...
3 stars for writing and 1 star for structure.I can appreciate the well rendered voice and harsh vision of 80's hedonism among Hollywood rich kids, but I wouldn't call this a good book. Some of the writing is good; some of the characters (mostly the protagonist) feel real; some of the scenes are evoc...
I think Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero was not only my introduction to him, but it was also, I think, the first book I read where the narration was in present tense. Might seem awkward at first, but it really flowed. Later on, I'd end up trying my hand at writing short stories that way, and I rea...