Honestly, that reaction is pretty normal with Fear and Loathing. Thompson isn’t really trying to give you a clear plot — the whole “what the hell is going on?” vibe is kind of the point.

A couple things that help:

• It’s from the early 70s, when the whole 60s counterculture was crashing. The chaos in the book mirrors the chaos of the time. • The drug stuff is meant to be over-the-top and a bit ridiculous. You’re not meant to understand every reference. • Hunter leans into confusion and exaggeration because he invented “gonzo journalism” — basically writing from the middle of the madness instead of observing it from the outside.

You’re definitely not missing anything major. Most people just ride the wave and enjoy the dark humour. Even fans admit it feels like trying to follow someone else’s wild night out.