Helpful Score: 3
The writing was breath-taking, but by the end of the novel I didn't really care. Part of me feels like that was Ellis' point, but that doesn't change the fact that at the end of the book I found myself thinking, "So why did I read that?". The theme is simiar to American Psycho, but I think American Psycho is by far the better novel (if you can stand the gore.) I remain largely unaffected by the characters and ending, but certain phrases stick in my mind.
Helpful Score: 2
No question Mr. Ellis can write well, but this book caused me to question my long-held belief that a well-told tale is worth the telling. I don't think this tale was worth the telling, however well told. Yes, youth can be alienated and disaffected. Yes, it's hard to be young and rudderless. Yes, drugs are bad. Yes, violence can attract the jaded, especially the prematurely jaded. Perhaps it's a measure of my age, but I want a book to teach me something new, or at least offer a viewpoint I've never heard before, but this offered nothing but depression, debauchery, despair. No thanks. I want the hours back that I had spent reading it.
Helpful Score: 2
Less than Zero is well written and I liked parts of it.Its about a bunch of people that aren't really quite living. They're Very vapid, sad zombies just going from party to party with no real friendships or relationships in general with anyone. The inability to empathize or care is driven home closer to the end of the book with events that are a little disturbing and surprising.
I thought it was interesting to read about characters like this. Its still an interesting book even though I couldn't relate to the characters or even imagine people like them.
Oh and its absolutely nothing like the movie.
I thought it was interesting to read about characters like this. Its still an interesting book even though I couldn't relate to the characters or even imagine people like them.
Oh and its absolutely nothing like the movie.
Helpful Score: 2
An average book...I started reading expected to read stories of how rich California kids really lived but ended the book thinking "Wow, they do some strange stuff but there's so substance to the things they do." I felt like there was no purpose to the book, just a storyline of parties, drugs, and sex.
