Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

8 reviews

longlegegg's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Rape, Gore, Drug use, Kidnapping, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Torture, Violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Grief, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Car accident, and Eating disorder

Minor: Homophobia, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Abortion, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Racism, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

kazli's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

5.0

i feel guilty for liking this book so much but it was so good. the way it's written helps convey the feeling of loneliness and being emotionally detached. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Body horror, Homophobia, Infidelity, Death, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Drug use, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

nyyhkylintu's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Eating disorder

issyd23's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

2.0

Just a more boring version of American Psycho with slightly less rape, violence and torture 2❄️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Misogyny, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Abortion, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Murder, Drug use, Classism, Child abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Racism, Pedophilia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Cursing, Body shaming, Alcohol, Biphobia, Sexual assault, Sexism, Violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

delaviz's review

dark inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A must read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Gore, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic friendship, Violence, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

katerina_l's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Biphobia, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

ladybergart's review

dark emotional funny 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Rape, Abortion, Drug use, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Eating disorder

kelly_twardziak's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I first read Ellis's Rules of Attraction earlier this year and absolutely loved it, so I picked up Less Than Zero when I saw it at a used book store. Maybe its because I went to a small New England liberal arts school and have never been to California, let alone LA, but I couldn't get into this book as much as I did RoA. There were moments of levity and I continue to enjoy Ellis's sparse, in-the-moment style of writing, but overall this book was incredibly depressing and left me longing for Clay to be a more active protagonist. I understand the point of his character is his passivity and his complicity in everything around him, but it made for a frustrating and saddening read. 

Not a bad book, I understand why it popped off in the 80s, just very depressing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Eating disorder