In an evocative debut, A.D. Long sheds light on the devastating consequences of ostracizing those who yearn for love and connection the most.

Evann has no excuse to be living among the city’s destitute. Raised in a middle-class family, he’s never wanted for anything—except his mother’s love. Desperate to escape her rejection, criticism, and the self-deprecating voices in his head, he finds solace in the medicine cabinet, uniting with a lover who rights his wrongs but knows nothing of give and has an insatiable appetite for take.

With nowhere else to turn, Evann sinks deeper into his addiction, numbing his pain with substances that only serve to destroy him—leaving his family to grapple with their own secrets, their antiquated views on addiction, and the devastating effects of picking sides.

Set against the backdrop of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, amid a deadly drug crisis, Less Than underlines the importance of unconditional love and the tragic consequences for those who lack it.