Jill Eisenstadt

This didn't quite do it for me—a near miss—which I think was all for stylistic reasons. The combination of flat affect and post-adolescent angst kept the book at arm's length for me. And the casual racism/homophobia/sexism from characters who are otherwise sympathetic—I know it's a product of its time and place, but it was a bit too deadpan. And there's a dog who dies a mean little death. I think I should have read this when it first came out, since I apparently had the stomach for show more Less than Zero, a book I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole now. show less

This is another of my well-loved books, pages thumbed, occasionally stained, yellowed with age, a spine cracked and misaligned. I wouldn't give it up for the world. I'm afraid to read it again so much later in life for fear that I won't love it as much as I did then.

It was fun to read this again over the start of summer weekend which was also the weekend of my # mumblemumble college reunion. The novel was both a little duller and a little sadder than I remember and now, just as then, the scenes that took place at Alex's college resonated deeply.

It reminded me of the film adaptation of The Ice Storm which also captured the boredom and the everyday despair of adolescence with a keen sense of place.

this was not swell. (sorry! though there are good plays on the word in this book.) while reading, this story felt very bogged down, and it dragged for me. i feel like the author just tried to do too much and it didn't all come together well. there wasn't much that i enjoyed here, though eisenstadt's writing was fine.