Clay - The 18-year-old protagonist and narrator. A college student at Camden College in New Hampshire who returns to Los Angeles for winter break and is disillusioned by the vapid, hedonistic lives of his old friends and social circle.

Blair - Clay's ex-girlfriend who attends USC. Clay is unsure of his feelings for her as neither has been faithful.

Julian - Clay's friend from high school who has become a heroin addict and male prostitute. Julian borrows money from Clay and is abused by his pimp Finn.

Trent - A male model and UCLA student who is part of Clay's social circle. He rapes a 12-year-old drugged girl by the end of the novel.

Rip - Clay's amoral drug dealer who kidnaps, drugs, and ties up a 12-year-old girl to use as a sex slave.

Muriel - A friend in Clay's circle who is a heroin addict and suffers from anorexia.

Developed by Perplexity AI

Key topics and themes include:
Drug abuse and addiction
Eating disorders, particularly anorexia
Prostitution and sex work
Graphic violence and child abuse
Materialism, excess, and self-absorption
Apathy
Disconnection
The inability to care

Developed by Perplexity AI

Ellis's minimalist and detached writing style was both praised and criticized. Some appreciated its stark, straightforward prose and the way it mirrored the emotional numbness of the characters, while others found it too simplistic and unengaging.

Some critics hailed Ellis as a new voice in American literature, comparing his work to that of Joan Didion and Ernest Hemingway, while others dismissed it as superficial and sensationalistic.

The explicit content, including depictions of drug use, sex, and violence, sparked controversy. Some readers and critics were disturbed by the novel's portrayal of these issues, viewing it as an indictment of a morally bankrupt society.

Overall, "Less Than Zero" made a significant impact on the literary world and popular culture, establishing Bret Easton Ellis as a prominent and provocative author.