June 15, 2023
In reading my earlier review for Sally Rooney’s Normal People, I was struck by the similarity between how I described her writing approach, and how I aimed to discuss this book. The rapid succession of unreliable and contradicting viewpoints, the use of alternately florid and blunt language, the unspecified jumps in time that keep the story feeling simultaneously fast and slow, and the sense of contempt for privileged elites all are common themes and stylistic choices between the two novels. Where these thoughts diverge, however, is how I am left feeling by the work. Where Rooney’s book seemed to believe “that one day, someday, things will get better” (Schneider), Bret Easton Ellis makes it extraordinarily clear how little he believes in the future, or at least the future of people like these. The connection and sympathy I felt with the characters of Normal People are nearly absent in Rules of Attraction. The sum of these differences makes for a much darker, more unsettling read.
Ellis (of American Psycho fame) establishes almost immediately a shock-forward, no-holds-barred approach to writing. Consider this a trigger warning if you find yourself picking up this book: it is both physically and emotionally violent, and does not shy away from graphic descriptions of upsetting material. The writing is typically matter-of-fact (fact being used here very loosely), full of short sentences with even shorter sentiments that propel the story forward while giving the impression that the characters themselves seem stuck in place. This short, to-the-point style is juxtaposed with interludes of often delusional stream of consciousness rambling, long passages hyperfixate on a person or an idea in an obsessive and disturbing way.
The characters range in quality from pitiful to monstrous. At their very best, they are shallow, jealous, self-absorbed, and desperate for the approval of others. At their worst, they are abusive, manipulative, compassionless, and dangerous. The backdrop of a small New England university provides a stage for a host of apathetic, directionless young people, all tied to their own privilege and full of self-loathing. The narcissism that lives at the core of each of the characters creates an environment in which no two people are ever on the same page at the same time. In point of fact, none of them ever seem to even notice that they aren’t on the same page. The thoughts of others simply don’t merit much real consideration.
The themes that Ellis discusses are rooted in the experiences of young, wealthy coastals. The use of drugs and sex to escape the absolute lack of passion in their own lives, the casual discussion of money and debt, the performative contempt that a privileged 22 year-old might have for his father’s estate, the deeply unhealthy relationships that they develop with their parents, siblings, friends, lovers, etc. Also present is a position of extreme fluidity with regard to sexuality. There is a queerness inherent to nearly every character, as though, at least in the context of college in your early 20s, it simply is not important who you sleep with, so long as you’re sleeping with somebody.
This book is a fast read, with short, engaging chapters and not a lot of fluff. The static nature of the character development is in direct contrast with the pacing of the narrative, which feels almost as if its running away. Ellis packs on the dramatic tension, leaving you waiting to see what the emotional climax could possibly be, only to…not have one? I spent most of the book trying to figure out the reason it exists, the reason it was written, and at the end, the best I could come up with is that the reason is, simply, no reason. Rules of Attraction is a study in still-life, an exploration of the lives of people who never really change, never grow, and, no matter how hard they try, can never escape the world they have to go on living in.
7.5/10
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