Less Than Zero
Ratings98
Average rating3.3
Novel that feels like being blown about by hot California winds. Meandering nihilism with a want to see the worst.
An interesting read. I loved American Psycho and I felt the similarities in style but I didn't find it quite as good, possibly both due to the subject matter and the fact that it was his first novel. Keen to read more of his work.
Hm i don't know how to feel about this. Because tbh it was a BORE to get through. Like the first two thirds? I don't want to experience that ever again. Everything that happened was a constant flow of nothingness - drugs, parties, indifferent dialogue and the protagonist feeling numb in this world.
And it's just not something I would have ever picked up for myself. Like reading it didn't felt good. Not once.
And I get it. That's the point of it, but I just wanted sooome sort of plot line. Which I got in the last third, where it really picked up. It's just wasn't soon enough.
I am for sure happy that I went through with it and kept reading. It's nothing I'd have experienced otherwise.
But would I ever recommend it? Hard to say yes to that, but I somewhat get the appeal and importance of stories like this.
You'll have to decide.
Comparable to Whatever but not as forceful. No action but that's certainly the author's intention (nihilism goes against action). I had the feeling that most of the characters are nameless and contingent (devoid of necessity), resembling automatons with no passion, desire or will.
If the point of this book was to piss you off about the lifestyle of the rich kids of LA in the 80's, then this book deserves five stars. It is the story of a bunch of whinging strung out psychos whose parents are permissive about everything.
I hated every character and wanted them all to end up like Julian. A massive waste of time for me.
Un portrait désespéré de la jeunesse dorée californienne au milieu des années 80. Il ne se passe pas grand chose dans ce roman. Le début est prenant, car original, mais on sombre peu à peu dans l'ennui. Marquant, tout de même.
This is such a strange, existential book. It's all about nothing really, and that is entirely the point. A book set in the 80s and celebrating the rich and apathetic youth of that time. I think it's a topic Bret Easton Ellis does best. The story reads like reality shows do nowadays, a peek into the lives of extremely shallow self-centered people. Not sure if reading this book was a waste of time.
“Less Than Zero” is a relatively interesting portrait of a generation searching for something (Palm Springs?) on such a deep level and so mired by drugs and pop culture that they can't even comprehend their need to search at all. Playing with the edge between critiquing LA youth culture and glorifying it, Ellis paints characters as thinly as their personalities and aspirations, making the read enjoyable only in that laughing-at-the-skinny-girl-behind-her-back-because-she's-probably-anorexic-and-nobody-cares kind of way. I couldn't identify with any of these characters, and I'm not sure I'm supposed to. But it gets complicated when people try to, and find themselves sucked into the simulacrum of how it's “supposed” to feel as a 21st century teenager.
Overall, I'm glad I read to it to get a sense of its cultural significance, but I can't help but think that Wallace just did it so much better with Hal in “Infinite Jest,” a much more interesting and surreal character dealing with the rampant apathy or anhedonia of post-industrial society.