Rating: 
Summary: Disgusting and Depraved
Review: No, the title of my review is not a value judgement. It is, in fact, an accurate reflection of the contents of Bret Easton Ellis's "American Psycho." It is more disturbing to read than the movie "Henry; Portrait of a Serial Killer" is to watch, perhaps because no film could possibly accurately portray the ugly horror of some of the book's more graphic passages (I haven't seen the movie version of this book, but I can't imagine that it wasn't CONSIDERABLY watered down).The book is written in a rambling first person (emphasis on the "rambling." For example, one paragraph goes on for an excrutiating FIVE pages). We see the action through the eyes of Patrick Bateman, who is a high living Wall Street investment banker (I guess, Bateman never really says what it is exactly that he does). He and his utterly vapid friends spend most of their time in trendy restaurants and clubs having endless discussions about such completely inane topics as tabloid TV shows, proper men's attire and the best brands of bottled water. Meanwhile, in his spare time Batemen kills people, especially women. The scenes of him sexually torturing some of his victims before killing them are particularly hard to take. In between it all you get odd bits like lengthy reviews of Genesis, Whitney Houston and Huey Lewis and the News that read like they were written by an actual music critic. I guess the whole thing was meant to be taken tongue and cheek, but the story lacks any narrative force and at 400 pages reads like a Unabomber manifesto. It is most definately NOT for the squeamish, and though I admire Easton's gifted talent in writing it, I can't imagine what compelled him to do so.
Rating: 
Summary: Black Humor at its Best
Review: For those of you who cringe at the idea of organ mutilation [...], Brett Ellis's American Psycho is not your cup of tea. But for everyone else, buy this book now and read it cover to cover, it is the most hilarious, sardonic, yuppie-mocking novel America has seen, and one of the best cross genre novels to emerge in the last twenty years. Psycho not only belongs in the horror section, but more importantly, satire. Black humor combined with a genius, razor sharp sense of 80s materialism and gore provide the real "guts" of this novel. So throw down your Stephen King and toss your Clive Barker in the trash, American Psycho is a novel we'll be talking about in fifty years. [...]
Rating: 
Summary: Great Idea, Bad Execution (No Pun Intended . . . Really)
Review: Ellis had an excellent idea of how to satirize the Reagan era. Unfortunately, the message got lost in all the blood. This book made the Texas Chainsaw Massacre look like a daytime soap opera. First let it be said that the movie carries the message, i.e. the satire, that Ellis was trying to convey far more masterfully than did the novel. Watch the movie, skip the book, if you just want to enjoy the satire. The message that I believe Ellis was trying to carry across is that the character of Bateman, despite being an evil soulless serial killer, is still the paragon of success using the standards of the Reagan era. He's hitting that entire decades moral and philosophical framework with about four tons of plastique explosive when a simple pound would have done. In other words, Ellis has missed that key attribute of any successful satirist . . . subtlety, or more accurately, what NOT to say, what NOT to describe. One might argue that Jonathan Swift was anything but subtle in his "Modest Proposal" when he suggested eating Irish children. But Swift did not describe slicing the childs throat open. Ellis did. The blood simply refuses to let the reader concentrate on anything else.
However, this book did have not only a good idea, but an excellent way to make this idea work. Once again, the movie does a better job than the novel in showing the satire that Ellis was trying to get across. The movie is bloody, but not near as bloody as the book. Not even a tenth of the blood that the book splattered on the pages. However, despite what people might think, the blood, the gore, is integral to this satire, just as it was integral with Swift's satire. But Ellis simply makes the fault of overkill. (Really, I'm serious, that is not a pun.) It was a promising idea, Ellis simply did not have the skill to carry it out. However, he did have the creativity to think it up so I give him two points for that at least.
Rating: 
Summary: A black, satiric comedy carried out to its extremes
Review: American Psycho To the fellow, enlightened - individualistic soul and eternal Seeker of Truth: 'It's deeply perveted, evil and cruel and bestial beyond all reasonable limits. - Nauseatingly in its thorough descriptions of the enormities, necessarily detailed and emphasized; is bound to give delicate souls both bizarre and horrifying ideas -
it will chock you with its extreme essence and provoke your critical sense towards society and fellow humans; and rightously so: Bret Easton Ellis is right on with his behavioural analasis, points out the decadence, indifferency that so permeats our hypocritical flabby humanistic world.' - I find the book extraordinarily well written, absolutely fascinating, intelligent in its descriptions of the 'yuppie' society - not to mention frightening. Probably the most controversial and weighty book published since Salman Rushdies 'Satanic Verses': Easton Ellis has been able, with a 'sharp satirical pen', to analyse, describe and interpret the morally depraved society in which men like Patrick Bateman is found; instead of diminishing the reader with a lecturing story, he has buried himself in the sick mind of a sociopath who's living out his own perveted american dream: He has eveything; a good look, lots of money, beautiful women and a wardrobe full of expensive trade-marks, but he cannot find any joy in his life to compensate the loss of his soul. -Thus a black comedy carried out to its extremes. My advise: Buy the book, read it carefully (for not one line stands out with no relevance to the overall message) and then meditate upon its essence and the world within you live; It's guaranteed to have impact upon your scheme of things! NB: are you finding yourself in sympathy with the 'devil' Bateman through reading the book, it's not without its reasons;
He may well be a de-tracted pitiful existence, but is it not our society with its devaluating media-fixation that produces horrid aberration from the 'compassionate-balanced' fellow citizen? Enjoy! Other brilliant works by B.E.Ellis: 'Glamorama', 'The informers'
Rating:
Summary: Unsatisfying
Review: A boring and superficial novel which doesn't give the reader a clue about this very elementary question: WHY? Read J.G. Ballard's "Super Cannes" for the answer.
Rating:
Summary: Do you not get it?
Review: Aside from the initial shock, my predominant aftermath from reading this book was how intricate it really was. Like it or not, through the incessant detail from 80's pop singers to materialism of the people Pat Batemen surrounds himself with, the author shows the one thing that separates his character is his impeccible attention to detail. Every introduction of character in the book is immediately followed by a description to the "T" of what they're wearing. There are chapters entirely devoted to dissecting the careers and acheivements of musicians who for the most part gave the 80's the identity we now look upon ad nauseum. If you're uncomfortable with the grevious detail that each murder is described, don't read the book, read the title. An interesting point about this book is that as the character's psychosis develops, the quality and aesthetic of the writing style deteriorates to the point that it's almost believable that the character exists. Alas, I read the book, and saw the movie in that order, I hope nobody ever does so, it really dampens the magnitude of the book. Buy this book, it'll go down one day as a classic.
Rating:
Summary: The reason why some said it's a boring book....
Review: I think the reason some readers gave 1 star for getting bored is precisely the reason why this book achieved what it wanted to achieve. The emptiness and nonsense chasing status, 'hardbodies', and uponemanship is, to us readers, boring. Be warned that the sex and violence are VERY GRAPHIC. It disturbed me days after reading the passages. As much as this book being unique, I still wish that I never had read those passages. The ugliness puts an inprint in my mind and I am trying to undo the damage.
Rating: 
Summary: too blatantly obvious
Review: if i could give this book 0 stars, i would, but unfortunately, amazon.com only offers at least 1 star. this book was horrible. ellis clouds a truly interesting plot by displaying a bunch of gimmicks to supposedly shock the reader. there is no development of plot whatsoever! it just chronicles the life of a rich, vain murderer all the way to the incomplete ending. mr. ellis must stop writing. there is no hint of an accomplished author here. i've read Less Than Zero and Rules of Attraction and i've realized that all of his books have the same theme. Come on! this book was a completely utter bore. there are people who think his books are profound, but i am an avid reader who can tell what is great an what isnt. there is an entire chapter on Whitney Houston!!! no development, no interest, no plot, no nothing. zero stars!
Rating:
Summary: Excuse me, I have to return some video tapes......
Review: If you pick up American Psycho, be prepared. If you hate tons of blood, guts, and disturbing images, or find useless description annoying, pass on this one. I enjoyed the novel very much until the last 100 pages or so. Ellis goes for complete shock with the deaths of some people, and it's stomach wrenching. But American Psycho has a good ending and manages to keep the reading interested in Bateman's doings. All in all, it's one of the best written, if not most disturbing novels I've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: from a literary standpoint
Review: i wouldn't say i'm easily impressed but i can't believe this book has received such mild reviews when it is so remarkably original. if the book is reminiscent of certain works of Dostoyevsky, it is better constructed and more elaborate. Ellis abandons his ego, narrating in first person the story of an egomaniac serial killer. this character development of Patrick Bateman is what is startling - his cruel detachment, disjointed thoughts, and relation to the difficult yuppie social structure of 1980s. most people who read American Psycho can't see past the gore. the lack of appreciation of what Ellis has accomplished is aggravating.
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