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| Imperial Bedroom |
Returning to Los Angeles from New York, Clay, now a successful screenwriter, is casting his new movie. Soon he is running with his old circle of friends through L.A.’s seedy side. His ex-girlfriend, Blair, is married to Trent, a bisexual philanderer and influential manager. Then there's Julian, a recovering addict, and Rip, a former dealer. Then when Clay meets a gorgeous young actress who will stop at nothing to be in his movie, his own dark past begins to shine through, and he has no choice but to dive into the recesses of his character and come to terms with his proclivity for betrayal.
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Title : Imperial Bedroom
Author : Bret Easton Ellis
Preceded by : Less Than Zero
Year : June 09, 2010
Pages : 193
Ten years ago, I started my journey to read all the classical and iconic novels all the time and found Less Than Zero as one of my favorite books at that time. Less than Zero is so fresh and new, it is like Catcher in the Rye, but with more gore, brutal and mature all at once.
What amazed me most was the train of thought of Clay. The random things crossed in someone who under drug influences. Yes, it is so fresh, mixed with disgust and amazement. But more amazed.
Then when I went to a bookstore and found the Imperial Bedrooms in the "sale" rack, I don't have to check Goodreads for its rating. It is Bret Easton Ellis (BEE) and sequel of Less than Zero.
The protagonist is the same, Clay, now in the mid-'40s. He lives in L.A, in the middle of Holywood glams. His circle is the same as well, the ex-girlfriend Blair, Trent, Rip, and Julian.
The setting is telling the narration itself. Clay still living a luxurious life even he merely a screenwriter. During his conversation with Trent, Trent accused it is his parent's money.
Clay is just back to L.A, after leaving New York for several months. He is brokenhearted after an artist left her. His life in L.A is back in the same circle, Xanax, liquor, and sex. He met a beautiful girl, Rain during her audition in one of Clay's movies. Then after that, the old same story starts again.
Like American Psycho or Less than Zero, under the liquor influence, Clay's narration is cannot be believed. Clay in his 40's is as same as Clay in his teenage. Narcissistic, self-centered, manipulative, and obsessed. Now he has power, he tried to control human's life. Meanwhile, his friends stay the same also.
So, you know the struggle to making sense of the story without being judgemental. The Novel itself so short, mixed between gore and suspense. Is it predictable? No, it is not but since it is too short, the story and depth of character are not developed enough. I am struggling with Clay's repeated questions when talking with his friends. Like.. hello, he is a smart person, acclaimed screenwriter, why he talked like a he is not one of them (read: like a slow-witted person)?
What made me struggle the most is the realization reading Less Than Zero chapter II, only the change is the occupancy and their 'age'. Their behavior said otherwise.
It's tiring, but it is BEE. There must be something good from the book. The story is flowing nicely. that's!
Well, can you read Imperial Bedroom without reading Less Than Zero? You can, but then you will questioning, why BEE is an acclaimed writer? So, better you read Less Than Zero first.
That's it, i think this is the shortest review I ever wrote.
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