Having again re-read one of my favourite books, I can relate to the rather conflicting opinions on Bret Easton Ellis first novel. There is no in-between with this debut - you either love it or hate it.

People who hate it, say it is boring and the style of writing is too blasé. People who love it, see the bigger message behind the seemingly boring and mind-numbing existences of the main characters and can actually appreciate BEE's particular kind of prose.

"Oh Shit Rip, what don't you have?" - "I don't have anything to loose."

Clay comes home after his first semester at a snug little liberal arts college in Vermont, back to L.A., back to a life he had only recently abandoned. As soon as he hits town he gets in touch with all of his old friends and acquaintances, slipping back into the easy-going, hedonistic and careless lifestyle of 1980 Californian youth. This lifestyle includes lots of drugs, sex, nihilism and psychotherapy. Clay spends four restless and aimless weeks in the city he grew up in, where people answer the question of "What do you do?" ususally with "Hanging around!".
"Where are we going?" I asked
"I don't know", he said. "Just driving"
"But this road doesn't go anywhere, " I told him.
"That doesn't matter."
"Then what does?" I asked after a little while
"Just that we're on it, dude, " he said.

Clay gets drawn into this lifestyle and it feels like a bad dream, he can only escape by going back to college, which he eventually does.