The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis

The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a lot of fun to read, even though I'd already seen the movie multiple times (I never bothered seeing if it was based off a book, until I bought it on DVD, and was recommended the book by a friend. Otherwise I would've read the book first, of course). It was harder to keep track of all the characters, especially since the story is told from more points of view than the movie was. I thought it was really interesting that the characters were never really physically described, so it makes it easy for the reader to put him or herself into the different characters' shoes and feel what they were feeling, and experience what was happening to them.

This is a fairly accurate portrayal of the death of romanticism and love in the drug-infused 1980's. Kind of sad, in a realistic not-everyone-gets-a-happy-ending kinda way. Because let's be honest: does everyone find their one soulmate in life? No, not too frequently. Just look at that divorce rate. Anyway, I consider myself a romantic, and like to think that eventually I'll have that perfect life; wife, 2 kids, white picket fence, and a golden retriever. All the characters in this book want the exact same thing. They want to find their other half, and be happy. They want love and romance, but don't seem to find the right person. And don't seem to motivated to make the love and romance thing actually work out, they just want everything to work out on its own. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Shit happens. Deal with it.

While I like my happily-ever-after stories, I like the realism of this book. Things happen, good and bad, and you just have to deal with it. Nobody wins by the concluding pages of 'The Rules of Attraction', and that, in a cynical kind of way, makes it all the more realistic. Fun book to read, and I am really happy I was recommended this. Definitely recommend for pretty much all my friends, romantics or not.



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