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dark
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Blood, Gaslighting
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
This is the follow up to Bret Easton Ellis' debut novel Less Than Zero. Here Clay returns to LA. He's grown up and is now a screen writer and film producer. He's also a bit of a prick!
Someone is following him. A young actor has been found brutally murdered. Someone is breaking into his apartment when he's not there. While worrying about all of this, Clay drinks loads and goes to casting where he abuses his position to sleep with young actresses and actors. He falls in love of sorts. But he's a nasty piece of work. Love is about ownership, abuse and control.
This felt like it was written in a hurry. It seems unfocused, and is quite nasty at times. There's not a lot to recommend here to be honest.
Someone is following him. A young actor has been found brutally murdered. Someone is breaking into his apartment when he's not there. While worrying about all of this, Clay drinks loads and goes to casting where he abuses his position to sleep with young actresses and actors. He falls in love of sorts. But he's a nasty piece of work. Love is about ownership, abuse and control.
This felt like it was written in a hurry. It seems unfocused, and is quite nasty at times. There's not a lot to recommend here to be honest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence
dark
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Bret Easton Ellis is a sick and depraved person, he knows this, its made apparent by the fact that Less Than Zero relates a lot to his teenage years in LA, It seems he sometimes projects himself through Clay, the main character of Less Than Zero and this here book. Clay is one of the most cruel characters I've ever read, he has no redeeming qualities and despite being aware of his wrongdoings he continues to be a self absorbed prick, he doesn't develop, in fact, he "declines". I'm trying to put into words my fascination with Ellis and his books, even though I don't fully enjoy them or think they're all that special, there's just something so bleak and depressing in them, its kind of impressive.
As far as the book goes its actually alright, I really liked the more meta commentary at the start and the "decline" of the awful characters from Less Than Zero. The story was tense even though I really didn't care for Clay, in fact the story became interesting because of the results of his apathy and self-absorbance.
All in all I'm left empty. Fuck you Ellis.
As far as the book goes its actually alright, I really liked the more meta commentary at the start and the "decline" of the awful characters from Less Than Zero. The story was tense even though I really didn't care for Clay, in fact the story became interesting because of the results of his apathy and self-absorbance.
All in all I'm left empty. Fuck you Ellis.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse
dark
tense
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
Very refreshing to read other reviews and see that there were readers, who like me, liked Less Than Zero and were disappointed with the sequel.
I read a review earlier that said Clay has gone from a "paralyzed observer to a more active character and has grown to be a narcissist" which couldn't be more true. I wasn't expecting redemption, heroism or even empathy from the characters in the sequel because the first book does a great job of showing you that they aren't good people and you shouldn't expect them to be.
However, with the sequel, it seems like Clay's character has taken such a drastic violent change that's simply just harder to digest; as most of the book is.
Violence isn't something Bret Easton Ellis has shied away from, I know this; I recently watched Smiley Face Killers, a screenplay written by him, and by the third act, I couldn't help but think, "This is definitely a Bret Easton Ellis work" because violence seems like a benchmark of some of his more notable work.
I think what makes this book a let down for me isn't the violence, the crudeness or the crass nature of most of the content but that it shockingly didn't grip me the way the first book did. I was intrigued by the sense of mystery woven into each act but as the story unfolded, and as Clay's patience wore thin, I found the book more of a chore to finish.
I wanted to finish it because I remember reading the first book and found myself bored but by the second half I was sucked in. I kept waiting for that moment with Imperial Bedrooms, but sadly it just didn't come.
I read a review earlier that said Clay has gone from a "paralyzed observer to a more active character and has grown to be a narcissist" which couldn't be more true. I wasn't expecting redemption, heroism or even empathy from the characters in the sequel because the first book does a great job of showing you that they aren't good people and you shouldn't expect them to be.
However, with the sequel, it seems like Clay's character has taken such a drastic violent change that's simply just harder to digest; as most of the book is.
Violence isn't something Bret Easton Ellis has shied away from, I know this; I recently watched Smiley Face Killers, a screenplay written by him, and by the third act, I couldn't help but think, "This is definitely a Bret Easton Ellis work" because violence seems like a benchmark of some of his more notable work.
I think what makes this book a let down for me isn't the violence, the crudeness or the crass nature of most of the content but that it shockingly didn't grip me the way the first book did. I was intrigued by the sense of mystery woven into each act but as the story unfolded, and as Clay's patience wore thin, I found the book more of a chore to finish.
I wanted to finish it because I remember reading the first book and found myself bored but by the second half I was sucked in. I kept waiting for that moment with Imperial Bedrooms, but sadly it just didn't come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence