This novel is Ellis's visit back to the world he created in LESS THAN ZERO with the prerogative of disenchanting and de-sentimentalizing the story and its characters. Ellis's success in doing this is a testament to how far his writing has come, how polished and truthful. This novel and LESS THAN ZERO combine to create a real portrait of West coast entitlement and a reminder that money does not always buy clarity, simplicity, and happiness (the opposite of his message in AMERICAN PSYCHO). These characters are not chasing the American Dream; they mock and deny it despite having all of the resources to achieve it. Juxtaposed with Selby's REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, we see a socially polarizing portrait of a new generation chasing the American Dream, but that dream is more or less the same: while power is a trait found only in Ellis's work, the idea of living to forget, and accepting transgressions as an integral and real cornerstone of life, rings clear and true. Wow, what a boring piece of nothingness. This is the fourth BEE book I've read in a row, cause I like to do authors in a big bunch, and American Psycho was interesting enough for me to pursue what I'm beginning to think was not a great decision. Maybe BEE books are better spaced out over a couple of months with a healthy dose of skepticism. I don't mean skepticism about the world like 'ohh BEE writes such insights into the human condition, despite filling his books with misogyny and materialistic crap and name dropping blah blah making a clever comment by immersing you in what he's making a comment about blah blah' but more like BEE's books are no longer fresh and don't really say anything and even if he had a social commentary going in some of his better books, like American Psycho or Lunar Park, he is not saying it in even remotely a new or more engaging way with this book. He isn't even really saying anything at all. It's just boring and nothing and vaguely repulsive and I want to wash my brain with soap. Needless to say, a hiatus from BEE works is in order.
What do You think about Imperial Bedrooms (2010)?
I don't understand why this book has such terrible reviews. It's different, fresh and volatile.
—Rae
Haunting as an audio book. Probably really annoying to read....
—Abigail
