In the Shards, Ellis the character is in the midst of writing what would become Less Than Zero Imperial Bedrooms is a direct sequel to Less Than Zero where Clay, Blair, Julian, and others have reached middle-age and are dealing with a new set of internal demons. His debut novel acts as a sort of foundation for many of his later novels. The novel echoes the madness of capitalistic fixation, and like the title itself suggests, the “psycho” at the center of the book is a byproduct of an America in dire need of looking inward.

He is also a closeted serial killer with an increasingly horrific urge to dismember and destroy.Įllis has spoken about how Bateman arrived to him based on a sincere dislike of how he was living at the time, feeling disconnected and disaffected amid a world of expense and designer living. He frequents trendy New York City establishments, buys designer… everything, and takes pride in how much he makes in a given year. The misogynistic, void-like Patrick Bateman works on Wall Street at Pierce and Pierce while spending every moment of his day chasing this idea of hyper-consumerist conformity. It makes sense to start with what is likely to be the book he is remembered for most, his “masterpiece.” American Psycho remains a controversial, disturbing psychological thriller in modern-day 2023 as much as it was when it was first published in 1991. If you haven’t taken the dive into his bibliography, Ellis will surprise you: Each book carries his trademark laconic, addictive voice as he delves into an entirely new-though no less dark-genre. Perhaps it is, yet the Bret Easton Ellis portrayed on the page is a lot like the Bret Easton Ellis seen in the media: a brandable persona/character all his own. His third novel, American Psycho, is likely the book people know best-be it for its popular 2000 film adaptation with Christian Bale or the controversy that arose amid its publication (being delisted and banned by his first publisher, negative media attention.the list goes on).Įllis has also written a number of other novels and screenplays, including one essay collection that errs towards being bold and controversial as if on brand. A buzzy New York Times review called it 'one of the most disturbing novels in a long time', and at the mere age of 21, Ellis found himself with a burgeoning author career. He published his first book, Less Than Zero, while he was still in college, leading to a lot of public attention. It's a name that pretty much everyone will recognize, even if they’ve never picked up one of his books: Bret Easton Ellis.

Bret easton ellis zero