Less Than Zero: 33 (Picador Collection, 33)

epic 1st novel from easton -,ellis - bought as a gift for a Danish friend

I think the most astonishing thing about Bret Easton Ellis's first book is how well constructed it is, how it permanently keeps you on edge, and how effectively it conveys an atmosphere of increasing dread out of what starts out to be just an impressive amount of shallowness. American Psycho notwithstanding, Less than Zero might just be his most powerful book, and if you are new to Ellis, then you are in for a real treat. For those in the know, all the familiar Ellis themes are already firmly in place: the emptiness, the alienation, the complete boredom of a spoiled generation - abandoned and eaten by their parents - who only get their kicks in the most perverse and obscene ways. These LA scenesters are utterly dead, or better yet, they are undead, and, like proper vampires, need to sustain themselves on a steady diet of human sacrifice. The deaths, OD's, car-crashes and snuff films are the only things that raise a flicker of genuine interest in them. All the rest (the parties, the drugs, the sex) is just business as usual.What is not business as usual is the way Ellis carefully builds on this, introducing and exposing the reader to all the superficial drug abuse and mindless sex before building up to the real decadence underneath - the only one that seems to elicit a flicker of interest (if not true excitement) from these walking dead. And in Clay, Ellis has one of his best characters: as dead as the rest of them, he expertly guides the reader through this emotionally barren landscape, showing just the tiniest bit of troubled humanity needed to sustain the reader, towards the final scenes, before returning to his emotionally flat-lined natural state. In any novel, this type of pacing would be great, but for a first novel written in his mid-twenties, it is absolutely ace. Read it and be depressed by Ellis's brilliance.

Quite difficult to decide. Very repetitive and in a sense boring but well written, despite including the word tan in most sentences it's quite a good book. Makes me think certainly about the memories we have as we grow up and whether or not we still want that. Ending was very underwhelming, however, it's an enjoyable short read that doesn't take too long and mildly disturbing in places.

...be highly confused as to what the fuss is about. I loved it.This isn't a book with a message, as such (that I could see), it is simply an examination of the modern excesses of hedonistic youth, which doesn't aim to condone or condemn their actions, but simply to view them (through Easten Eillis' trademark wit, of course).If you're looking for a story with meaning, look away. There is none (perhaps the title hints at this?). You simply follow the 18 yr old Clay around Los Angeles one Christmas, as he drifts in and out of parties and friendships and his relationship with a girl named Blair. People have lots of casual sex, do some pretty disturbing things, drink to excess and take lots of drugs. That's it. The entire plot. The novel is written in a casual, first person perspective that feels like a modern documentary (aside from the occasional reference to Betamax or Donkey Kong) about the excesses of the super-rich youth (even though it was written in '85).Of course, fans of Brett Easten Ellis will need no more than this. I liked this book as it isn't confusing at times like some of his other work (Glamorama -- and that film crew -- springs to mind). It is a little similar to American Psycho without the homicidal aspects and OTT humour (the humour here is similar but much more subtle in tone).If you've never read BEE, then this (or The Rules of Attraction) is probably a safer (though slightly less immediate) introduction to his work than American Psycho (and certainly easier to get into than Glamorama or Lunar Park). That said, it is by no measure mainstream. If you've read and enjoyed American Psycho, then you should enjoy this too. I got in from the Library, but will be buying it as I'll definitely read it again.

Less than zero is different to anything I've read before, when I first started reading I wasn't sure if I would be able to cope with the simplicity and lack of description, as at first it simply annoyed me. However once I got used to it I found that I really enjoyed it, Brett Easton Ellis had a way of drawing you in and even when I found myself reading about pretty mundane or uneventful things I still wanted to go on and I got caught up in it. It wasn't at all what i expected, but was still definitely worth the buy.

'Less Than Zero' offers a chilling portrayal of bored and immoral youth - it is disturbing not just in its graphic details but in the extreme apathy of its characters, who so unflinchingly witness and partake in atrocities. The minimalist writing style is fittingly reflective of this boredom and emotional disconnection, and I feel that Ellis successfully articulates a significant message about his generation. There is not much of a plot, more a stream of random occurrences, and this is an important part of what makes the novel what it is. However, for me, the combination of the lack of distinct plot and the lack of emotion in the story left my mind wandering a little and I was surprised to find myself not as engrossed as I thought I should be in a novel which explores such provocative topics.

A young man drifts between lovers and parties during the summer break after first year of college. Everybody has looks, tans, affluence, but the spectres of their society seems to have damaged most of them emotionally. The very omission of direct references to love, compassion, anger, or feelings produces a painfully chilling vibe. Rarely has a sunny, crowded city seemed so lonely and cold. The ending, with its terse showdown between the protagonist and the only relatively soulful person in the story, is surprisingly moving. Although I disliked the novel at first (think it is a pretty normal response) the story is very memorable and will continue to haunt me.

I read this book as a 17 year old guy in high school and it was one of the first books that’d I bought and ready by my own choice. The book, in my opinion, is an amazing depiction of things that aren’t really talked about that much in society in terms of being young, rich, and attractive in the Hollywood area (or LA area, I don’t exactly remember the location). The book combines the telling of an interesting complicated “day-in-the-life” of a young adult who returns back to his childhood home/city from college while reuniting with his ex/old girlfriend and friends. The story can be pretty dark, as it is very depsressive and nihilistic as the main character describes his days, night, and social life in a deep, dark, and concerning manner that really makes you think about how wealthy people, or people in general, deal with certain things in their life. I will say there are a few pretty disturbing moments in this book that made me a little uncomfortable and disturbed, but that is why I like this book so much. Because it shows certain parts of the world that are not talked about as much but happen frequently. And I was so invested in this book I actually could not put it down, and for the first time in my life, I was choosing to read instead of playing PlayStation or watching YouTube. This book is very good and very interesting and I highly recommend it. But I suggest having some level or maturity or at least being over 16 due to the heavy drug, violent, and sexual content. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Especially young men who may be feel confused in life about their role as a person.

Fascinating debut novel from the coolest Bret Easton Ellis.

This book is simply amazing. It gives us a raw and real overview of the world of the rich and famous in 1980s LA.

La sua scrittura scorre come un film, lasciando al lettore l immaginare il dentro dei personaggi anche laddove non c è..uno spaccato duro ma realistico di un mondo che anche senza lo sfarzo di una certa l.a, vive intorno a noi. Che ci piaccia o meno vederlo

Not that I was partaking in the horrors described in this book but as an outsider, a 'poor' kid living in a community that gentrified around me, watching the rich kids with a lack of parental influence but unending credit card limits, and their parent's BMW to drive. I did see the exact emotional disconnect described by Ellis. I think his portrayal is spot on in that sense.I watched teens who had it all start shooting up heroin because it was 'wicked' and the more violent and taboo a subject the more enamoured these teens became. I remember these teens almost beating a guy to death. Their 'reason' was he made out with someone's girlfriend, but every single guy at the party had already slept with her. They just wanted to kill someone.The gross sexual things these guys did and the sheer amount of drug use and the lack of anyone with a moral compass saying, 'hey maybe this isn't a good idea?' permeated their lives. But they were eternally propped up by their parent's money. They all had a university education, no idea how they passed, and thanks to their parent's connections they landed damn good paying jobs, they may or may not give a **** about.In response to the reviewers who said the main character is bland and apathetic. Yes he is apathetic but Clay subtly expresses his dissatisfaction with the situation, yet it is elusive to him. That is how I took this the book. The most alarming realization I feel for him is when he says to himself regarding Blair, "I suddenly didn't want to leave her here." (the gist anyway). He understands the danger for himself and her, yet is still unable to do anything about it.This book may not have a satisfying ending for many people but it is a realistic story. One that is sadly too true in the lives of many children growing up without decent role models. You don't have to be poor to have a bad family situation.