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Clay

This series plunges into the decadent world of 1980s Los Angeles youth, where sex, drugs, and disaffection intertwine with boundless privilege and moral decay. Follow young protagonists as they navigate opulent parties, the city's seedy underbelly, and personal crises. The narratives explore themes of nihilism, lost innocence, and the search for meaning within a superficial and often hopeless environment, frequently leading to unsettling and intense experiences.

Imperial Bedrooms
Less Than Zero

Recommended Reading Order

  1. 1

    Less Than Zero

    • 208 pages
    • 8 hours of reading
    3.4(629)Add rating

    Clay comes home on break from his East Coast college to a landscape of limitless privilege and absolute moral entropy, where the natives drive Porsches, dine at Spago, and gobble their Quaaludes from Pez dispensers. Where else can Clay go but down? "A teenage slice-of-death novel, no holds barred".--VILLAGE VOICE. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

    Less Than Zero
  2. 2

    Imperial Bedrooms

    • 256 pages
    • 9 hours of reading
    3.2(16956)Add rating

    Twenty-five years after "Less Than Zero," we revisit Clay, the protagonist from Bret Easton Ellis's groundbreaking debut novel that explored the dark side of 80s Los Angeles youth culture. Now, in a world marked by disillusionment and middle age, Clay has become a successful screenwriter. Upon returning to Los Angeles to cast his new film, he finds himself reimmersed in a familiar yet troubling social circle. His former girlfriend, Blair, is married to Trent, whose lavish Beverly Hills parties are filled with fame and fortune, yet he remains a bisexual philanderer. Clay's childhood friend, Julian, is now a recovering addict, while their old dealer, Rip, has undergone drastic changes, appearing even more menacing than before. As Clay navigates this complex landscape, he encounters a beautiful actress eager for a role in his film, which forces him to confront his own demons and the darker aspects of his character. With his life spiraling out of control, Clay grapples with his tendency for betrayal and the haunting remnants of his past. This return to familiar faces reveals the stark realities of aging and the enduring impact of their shared history.

    Imperial Bedrooms