By: Bret Easton Ellis Publisher: Vintage Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Vintage Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 240 Publication Date: August 01, 1995 Release Date: August 01, 1995
Product Description: This powerful and poignant novel of L.A., from the author of Less Than Zero and American Psycho, depicts a generation's overwhelming dissatisfaction with the way things are, and its insistence on remaining as detached and isolated as possible.
The Informers was Nothing I gave up on this book after 130 out of 225 pages. The book was recommended on NPR as good vacation reading. The characters did nothing, said nothing, and did not interact. All they did was take Valium and Librium because they were so bored. The author did not convince me that their nihilistic lives were interesting enough to waste any more of my vacation time on their boring lives.
Going through his hoops The Informers is a novel composing of fragmentary stories mixing up characters who are distinguished only by their conformity. They are all rich, all tan, all psychically rootless and morally deracinated, and all dysfunctional. They go through life as beneficiaries of capitalism, with no apparent purpose other than to enjoy pleasure in capsule form, take drugs, drink and discuss and 'enjoy' their material wealth. Ellis has done this theme before in his early 20s novels. Reading it is rather like the sensation when you are hungover or exhausted - you are successfully numbed into a world which is not entirely unpleasant, but you can't do anything constructive.
American Psycho, which preceeded this work, was a masterpiece - justly one of the top novels anywhere of the past 20 years. But this novel lacks the arrowing Celine style satirical bite and bats forward cliches of the mindless super rich in capsule form.
A lesser Ellis novel As a huge fan of Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho," "The Informers" struck me as underwhelming. Viewed as a series of short stories, the book moves fast, intrigues, and works reasonably well. As a novel, however, Ellis has trouble weaving his characters from one story to the next (i.e. the narrator of one story might be a minor character in another, or only mentioned in passing). And, although it's part of his point in portraying the early-'80s L.A.-set milieu, all of the characters seem so shallow that they don't really grow identities; they all basically blend in with one another.
I am, however, very much looking forward to the upcoming film adaptation. This is one case where the various stories might work better in cinematic terms, interlacing the characters in an Altmanesque fashion.
Never a dull moment... Bret Easton Ellis has always been a personal favorite of mine, ever since the days of reading `Less than Zero' and `Rules of Attraction' and realizing that this guy is a literary genius. Reading `The Informers' though gives me an even more solid belief in the power within this mans pen-strokes, for with a collection this strong penned so young (he wrote all of these short stories while still in college before publishing his debut at the age of 20) there is no doubt in my mind that Ellis is a living legend. Delving into strong subject matter pertaining to his usual drugs, sex and violence but adding layers of human emotion, family deterioration reminiscent of Andre Dubus and even adding some of the supernatural to his style Ellis turns over a new leaf here and gives his readers something fresh.
The stories in general deal with some sickly twisted subject matter, from vampires and aliens to coked out abusive rock stars, but Bret always manages to keep each story a relatable experience not only to the reader but to each and every story. As some have mentioned, it can read like a novel told by many different perspectives and that's probably the best way to look at it overall.
My personal favorite passages have to do with the forced human interaction, like a teen struggling to refill his prescription or a few kinds aimlessly discussing death at a diner. Each word, each sequence of events adds an air to the story, to the overall experience and makes the chapter or story that much more real and influential. Bret is still able to capture his demeanor of meaninglessness, as in everything is null and void of consequence and utterly pointless, without losing his ability to raise genuine concern with his readers. That's the one trait I've always appreciated about Ellis' work. He can paint a picture bursting with characters so flawed and so empty and yet the reader is always drawn in so deep.
While this is not his finest set of work, nor is it his most well liked or campaigned it's a nice reminder of where this fine writer came from and it's a true testament to what real talent can produce. When you sit back and realize that this was some of the first writings Ellis ever penned you begin to understand his genius. Sure, he may not be everyone's cup of tea but any fan of Ellis and his body of work will do themselves a huge favor in reading this collection.
Outstanding, yet least read book by BEE Each chapter, or should I say story, of this book is very well written. Each character has a different voice, and all stories are interested. I have trouble trying to understand why this book is not more popular amongst readers and BEE fans alike.
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