Very good but falls just short of great

A very bleak and harshly real story of a misanthropic world of soulless excess that is very well narrated at times but can occasionally be flat and easy to lost track of who is who at times. I think the different chapters could have been labelled and sectioned better but overall this was worth a listen but isn't one I am craving to go back to like I have with so many other great books I have on here. Maybe this is the ultimate one night stand of audio books - great for a listen but not something worth returning to. It is a very good story but I can't help but feel as empty as some of the characters in after finishing this as if something is missing. A very solid 4 star effort but not quite up to getting a perfect 5 for me.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Excellent!

Holy fuck, I’d heard a lot about this book and it was even better than expected.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

what happens when you have no limits

probably this .... a really mellow way to tell some horrific things about life, the poor main character has potential but can he get out of this situation and do better?

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Disappear Here

I first noticed Less Than Zero in the late 90’s. It was a mesmerising cover, hard to find now, it was blue abstract with a young man on it with black sunglasses and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. I was hooked from that moment. I knew nothing about it. But I bought it, and it changed my life.

I’ve read the book dozens of times and the same with the audio book. I think the book is about how Hollywood is the place of dreams and where dreams come true. Not in this version of Hollywood. Not if you hang with these characters. Well maybe Rip lol.

It’s haunting, has a sense of Joan Didion’s influence. The characters are extremely well written. If I could write a first novel like this, I would want it to be like this.

80’s excesses at its best.

5*

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

This booked aged well

I first read this in the early 90s. I didn't remember much other than I liked it but I preferred the rules of attraction at the time. it still reads very modern and contemporary despite ubiquitous 80s references. I still love the 'minimalist' writing style that is seemingly detached and emotionless, yet provokes emotional response in the reader. The alienation and despair is all present. There is no plot, intentionally. The characters are aimless and lost. Very clever writing. I don't give it 5 stars because there are some gross parts that I don't enjoy reading, however fitting and probably necessary they are. Narration is perfect. I guess I will need to reread the Rules now too.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Chilling

In the world of literature, some books possess the rare ability to unravel the intricate threads of human existence, exposing the dark underbelly of society with an unflinching gaze. This book stands as a haunting testament to this raw portrayal of modern desolation.

Moshfegh's eloquent foreword serves as the perfect introduction to the disorienting and unsettling journey that awaits within these pages. With prose that is both piercing and reflective, she sets the stage for a narrative that dives headfirst into the lives of disenchanted youth and the disillusionment that envelopes their world.

Ellis's masterful storytelling brings to life a cast of characters who are seemingly lost in a haze of privilege, decadence, and emptiness. The pages are drenched in an atmosphere of existential despair, where opulent parties and material excess serve as mere distractions from the existential void that gnaws at the core of their existence. Ellis's prose possesses a chilling lucidity that strikes like a dagger to the soul. The narrative's rhythmic cadence belies the heart-wrenching themes it unravels. Through Clay's eyes, we witness the emptiness that festers beneath extravagant parties and superficial relationships—a void that cannot be filled by materialism.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Incredible

Great book. The writing and pacing is so enticingly mundane making it impossible to look away. The narration is great and complements the writing well.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Boring!

The first book by this author that I’ve not loved. Utterly dull. I almost gave up on it

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Boring douchebags not doing anything

I was thoroughly bored by this book. Maybe that was the point. Would not recommend

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful