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2lax_cooper's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Still extremely applicable to today, especially I think in relation to true crime and the lack of emotion people have towards the gruesome nature, thinking it just entertainment. It is also unfortunate that I can identify the characters with people I knew in high school.
kris_hayward's review against another edition
2.0
People are attributing too much nuance to the problematic dude that just wants to write about fucked up shit. Stop idolizing shitty people
kipperstein's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this in my mid to late thirties hit very different then when I first read it in my early twenties. When I first read this 15+ years ago it felt "real" and "raw" and gave me a sense of comfort and understanding that I was not alone in feeling lost in a world that seemed too big for me. I hadn't read it since and certainly the details were fuzzy, I barely remembered the details, only a feeling. I'm not sure if it's just ageing or finally finding a place in this big world, but reading this again I found it extremely difficult to connect with any of the characters notably the main character Clay. He finds himself in increasingly darker situations, including drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, trafficking of underage girls and boys, snuff movies, prostitution and more. Maybe that's the point though, no one should be comfortable with what happens in this book. I know the world is very different in 2022 than it was in 1985 when the novel was released, but it's extremely hard to imagine someone going through all of these horrible situations with so many other people with little to no regard for the victims in these situations. That to me was the hardest part, the book describes horrible and traumatizing events to many unnamed characters with seemingly zero regard for them. Clay states eventually he doesn't care about anything because he doesn't want to have to feel anything. I'm just not sure that's good enough anymore.
prikken's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
blueberryfaerieygo's review against another edition
1.75
i realized too late i was not homophobic enough for this book
slightymanic's review against another edition
dark
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
trin's review against another edition
2.0
Another empty novel about emptiness, oh joy! I read this because friends were always like, “You’ve never read Bret Easton Ellis? Whaaaaat?” But now I have and we never have to talk about it again. Yay.
ginapetruzz's review against another edition
5 stars if the category is making you feel awful inside. I understand that this book might not be for everyone — maybe I am still close enough to my teenage years to be drawn to that haunting feeling of nothingness or maybe I just am fascinated by disgustingly rich people. Regardless I walk away from this a certified Bret Easton Ellis fan
shakeyjakey1706's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In all fairness I couldn’t put it down but also I hated every minute of it 🫶