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A review by typewriterworries
Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis
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
2.75
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, Violence, Rape, and Sexual assault