_ambermac's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
notoriousesr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Bret is 17 years old, closeted, and deeply horny for every boy that crosses his path. Then, the enigmatic Robert Mallory joins the senior class at his prep school, and Bret’s life goes off the rails as he becomes more and more obsessed with Robert and his supposed connection to a serial killer, the Trawler. In this work of pseudo-autofiction, Bret Easton Ellis weaves a narrative of obsession and paranoia against the backdrop of early 80s Los Angeles.
I have way too much to say about this book. On the one hand I literally could not put it down. I always wanted to be reading it. On the other hand, I think that Bret Easton Ellis is just enough of a smug asshole that his fashioning of himself into an unreliable narrator still rings with an air of superiority, which lends a falseness to aspects of the narrative. Comparing this to another self-aware narrator (Eileen in Eileen), Ellis is just a little too afraid of making himself look foolish to completely sell me on the character of Bret. Also, the female characters fall a little flat for me, but I can see that being and intentional reflection of Ellis’ own teenaged misogyny. That all being said, this book was still a deeply compelling thriller, and I think a pretty effective critique of rich prep kid culture and true crime paranoia. I’m giving it 3.5 Gucci backpacks out of 5.
I have way too much to say about this book. On the one hand I literally could not put it down. I always wanted to be reading it. On the other hand, I think that Bret Easton Ellis is just enough of a smug asshole that his fashioning of himself into an unreliable narrator still rings with an air of superiority, which lends a falseness to aspects of the narrative. Comparing this to another self-aware narrator (Eileen in Eileen), Ellis is just a little too afraid of making himself look foolish to completely sell me on the character of Bret. Also, the female characters fall a little flat for me, but I can see that being and intentional reflection of Ellis’ own teenaged misogyny. That all being said, this book was still a deeply compelling thriller, and I think a pretty effective critique of rich prep kid culture and true crime paranoia. I’m giving it 3.5 Gucci backpacks out of 5.
lemontides's review against another edition
2.0
simply put, it did not give what it was supposed to give. i liked the writing and the beginning was interesting but ultimately it fell flat and with the narrator repeating the same inner monologue for almost 700 pages it got tiring very quickly. it could've been great but it wasn't which is worse than just being bad
tonimeter's review against another edition
5.0
Bret Easton Ellis slowly draws you into the apparently harmless world of Buckley's high school seniors living in Los Angeles in 1981. Reading "The Shards" gives the feeling of an upward spiral; with each page and chapter the things, events, and relationships between the characters are becoming more strange, absurd and dangerous.
The whole feeling of this book is giving the reader the very vivid sense of paranoia and extreme anxiety, making it at some point hard to read especially when considering the topics like sexuality, violence and substance abuse. These topics may be triggers for some readers, in which I also found myself to some extent.
When it comes to the characters themselves, I'd say that none of them, including Bret, are likeable or give anything positive to the book. This was, in my opinion, the writer's intention, since everything we read are Bret's subjective feelings and thoughts about what is happening around him. For me this worked very well, because it makes you think about what is actually true, real or the opposite of reality in here.
Conclusion: "The Shards" is an exciting psychological thriller definitely worth reading, and it shows the great writing talent and effort by Bret Easton Ellis. To me it had a lot of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" vibes which I really liked.
The whole feeling of this book is giving the reader the very vivid sense of paranoia and extreme anxiety, making it at some point hard to read especially when considering the topics like sexuality, violence and substance abuse. These topics may be triggers for some readers, in which I also found myself to some extent.
When it comes to the characters themselves, I'd say that none of them, including Bret, are likeable or give anything positive to the book. This was, in my opinion, the writer's intention, since everything we read are Bret's subjective feelings and thoughts about what is happening around him. For me this worked very well, because it makes you think about what is actually true, real or the opposite of reality in here.
Conclusion: "The Shards" is an exciting psychological thriller definitely worth reading, and it shows the great writing talent and effort by Bret Easton Ellis. To me it had a lot of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" vibes which I really liked.
tscott907's review
5.0
Stunningly scary, enticing, and atmospheric. Each character has their own conflicts but all of them dovetail together into a perfectly thrilling conclusion. Veers expertly between campus novel (can I even call it that? Whatever, I am) and psychological thriller. I have conflicting feelings about Ellis as a person but there’s no doubt he’s an incredibly talented writer, so I’ll give him, like, the tiniest of passes for how good this book is.
wirawin_aria's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
heartstrings's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
The best way I can review this beast is to cut it up into two parts. The first part is Bret Easton Ellis fanfiction in where Ellis writes a fictionalized version of his prep school senior year where he’s exceptionally good in bed, is very popular, and all the girls want him. That story is fairly mediocre tbh.
The second part is a slowly looming queer horror - an intense and engaging portrait of a young man trapped in a gilded cage and suffocated by the closet his sexuality has forced him into in early 1980’s America. It’s this haunting side of the tale full of mutilated corpses, gaslighting intruders, coercive predators, and clueless hets that really sets this book apart. The unraveling of Ellis’ character is inevitable, but what feels even more poignant is the way in which said character becomes unhinged - less because people are dying around him and more so because with every day that goes by he’s lost to the numbness of drugs and malaise he’s created for himself to stamp out the despair he feels at not being able to be his authentic self.
The second part is a slowly looming queer horror - an intense and engaging portrait of a young man trapped in a gilded cage and suffocated by the closet his sexuality has forced him into in early 1980’s America. It’s this haunting side of the tale full of mutilated corpses, gaslighting intruders, coercive predators, and clueless hets that really sets this book apart. The unraveling of Ellis’ character is inevitable, but what feels even more poignant is the way in which said character becomes unhinged - less because people are dying around him and more so because with every day that goes by he’s lost to the numbness of drugs and malaise he’s created for himself to stamp out the despair he feels at not being able to be his authentic self.
angela419's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
highestiqinfresno's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ellie_klemm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75