A review by ghiblireads
Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

I really love the way Bret Easton Ellis writes - this book was very matter of fact and gritty which I really enjoyed. I liked following the lives of rich people in 80s LA and Clay was an interesting narrator. He was detached from his life and I liked reading from his perspective. It was very immersive - the heat, the drugs, the parties, the music and film references all felt very real. For a relatively short book it definitely packed a punch and I loved getting a little snapshot of these characters lives. It was fast paced and easy to read in one sitting. It really reminded me of The Shards which makes sense since they have similar themes. I feel like there were some deep messages that I maybe didn’t pick up on but it did make me think about some things; life, wealth and existentialism mostly. It took a really dark turn towards the end which I didn’t love but overall I enjoyed it. I can understand why it’s so controversial and has so many mixed reviews.