Bret Easton Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction (1987) is a dark, chaotic, and unapologetically hedonistic dive into the lives of disaffected college students navigating the pleasures and pitfalls of excess. Known for its brutal portrayal of youth culture, Ellis’s novel is an exploration of the superficiality, emptiness, and confusion that often accompany privilege and excess. Through a fragmented narrative and a series of emotionally detached characters, The Rules of Attraction explores themes of love, lust, identity, and alienation in the affluent world of the 1980s.
Set at a fictional New England college, the novel is told from the perspective of three main characters: Sean, a disillusioned, drug-addicted student; Lauren, a beautiful but emotionally distant woman navigating a complicated love life; and Paul, a romantic at heart, yet lost in his pursuit of pleasure. These characters’ lives intersect in often shallow, destructive ways, each of them struggling to find meaning in a world dominated by consumerism, narcotics, and fleeting relationships. Ellis’s characters, in true fashion, are emotionally stunted, often acting out of desire, fear, and a sense of deep dissatisfaction with their lives.
Ellis’s style in The Rules of Attraction is stark, clinical, and often detached, effectively mirroring the emotional emptiness that characterizes the lives of his characters. The writing is fragmented, with shifting perspectives, internal monologues, and time jumps that can feel disorienting at times. This narrative structure serves to reinforce the themes of disconnection and alienation that run throughout the novel. Ellis does not offer his readers a conventional plot with neat resolutions; instead, he presents a series of moments—often grim and unsettling—that highlight the characters’ inability to truly connect with one another or with any larger sense of purpose. The lack of emotional resolution, particularly in the romantic relationships, highlights the difficulty of finding true intimacy in a world defined by superficiality.
One of the novel’s most striking features is its unflinching depiction of the hedonistic, drug-fueled culture of the 1980s. With its focus on excess—both in terms of pleasure and pain—the novel critiques the emptiness that often lies beneath a life of luxury. Sex, drugs, and materialism dominate the characters’ existence, yet these indulgences fail to fill the void within. The emotional numbness of Ellis’s characters becomes a commentary on the hollowness of modern life, particularly among the privileged youth of the 1980s, who seem unable to find anything meaningful amid their indulgences.
The Rules of Attraction is not a book for every reader. Its abrasive tone, lack of conventional structure, and bleak outlook may alienate those looking for a more hopeful or traditional narrative. However, for readers interested in contemporary literature that challenges social norms, questions materialism, and explores the complexities of modern youth culture, Ellis’s novel is a compelling and thought-provoking read. Fans of Ellis’s other works, such as American Psycho and Less Than Zero, will find much of the same dark humor and critical commentary on the emptiness of excess.
The novel is most suited to readers who appreciate disaffected, complex characters and are not afraid to confront the difficult realities of modern life, including emotional numbness, disillusionment, and self-destruction. It appeals particularly to those with an interest in the cultural dynamics of the 1980s or those looking for a critique of privilege and excess.
In conclusion, The Rules of Attraction is a raw, provocative exploration of youth, privilege, and alienation. While its fragmented narrative and dark tone may be off-putting to some, it offers readers a powerful commentary on the emptiness of modern life and the search for meaning amid a culture obsessed with pleasure and excess. For those willing to engage with its complexity, Ellis’s novel is a bold and unsettling reflection on the world of the disaffected.