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Summary: What Monstrosities May Come...
Review: American Psycho- definitely one of the best books i've ever read. this book is much better and much more descriptive than the movie (american Psycho). After reading this book i realised that some of the escapades in it are taken from the real life stories of Serial Killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Infact, Patrick Bateman is a combination of these two_ Bundy was rich, educated and he used to dismember women; Dahmer was a homosexual, who used to store the parts of his victims in his apartment. If you want to read the stories of these two killers in a toned-down version, this is the boiok for you. moreover, it is an interesting psychological thriller that describes the workings of our uptown society through the bent and twisted mind of a rich man. i will leave the rest to you.
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Summary: Why cant a reader put it down?
Review: American Psycho is certainly not for all tastes. And it is the first novel I have ever read that made me feel sick. It is disturbing, yet makes some very valid comments about life in the eighties. I do think its social importance will increase as time goes by and I hope that one day it will be remembered as more than "that really gory book" . Its cold commintary reminded my of F. Scott. Fitzgerald's best. Although it didn't move me emotionally, it disturbed me to an extent I've never been before. Yet, its most horrifying moments are those when the reader admits that they cannot put it down- despite the violence- they must know what happens, and the humour: we begin to feel guilty for some unknown reason. We shouldn't be laughing, but we are. I wonder if in ten years time, Ellis will come out of the 80's and make a social comment on the times in which we live now. That certainly would be disturbing. Although not completely satisfying, it really gets its message across. I've never felt so uncomfortable and that's quite an acheivement.
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Summary: Patrick could be anywhere
Review: I have worked on Wall Street myself, so I can imagine Patrick's job quite well.
The descriptions of the seens in which Patrick kills women are so well described that I could clearly imagine them in my mind.
His double standard and bad temper were also easy to picture by good descriptions.
The end was a little disapointed , because basically nothing happens.
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Summary: The moral vacuum of.. Patrick Bateman? the 1980s?
Review: American Psycho is a collection of episodes in the life of Patrick Bateman. Like a television series, the reader tunes in periodically to follow the latest developments in Bateman's existence. Patrick Bateman is heir to a family fortune and the product of America's most prestigious schools with a work address on that most prestigious of American thoroughfares: Wall Street. He is also an axe-murderer, torturer, and cannibal. After publicized criticism of the novel and production of a Hollywood movie, Bateman's story seems already fairly well known in popular culture: young and wealthy wall street trader is also a lunatic killer who enjoys torturing his victims, frequently he inflicts his violence on women during sexual escapades. Bateman is morally blank, the values that he exhibits are a reflection of the Ellis's description of 1980s Manhattan. Like a mirror, Bateman has no depth, he only reflects what he perceives. His obsession with clothes, hairstyles, bodybuilding, gourmet dining, drink, and drugs is the personality he has assembled for himself from what he sees around him. With a value system that reaches only skin deep, Bateman can feel a semblance of humanity only through murder and torture. In the absence of violence, his perception of life is like a television on low volume, he can make out what is happening if he concentrates, but otherwise it is a slightly confounding steady auditory and visual din. Ellis's conversational prose is easy to follow and puts the reader in the seat next to Bateman as he stumbles through his existence. It is necessary to mention that violence is described in grisley and perverse detail, and some episodes may be too much for some readers. I enjoyed this book, and despite the criticism I have read, I thought that Ellis's writing style carried me through in parts where I might otherwise have been distracted. In addition, there are some genuinely funny, but usually also twisted, moments in the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Gaaaaaaaaaaah!
Review: I think the reviewer who said "liked the book, but now I have brain damage" said it best. The book is hard to put down, whether you find yourself transfixed by Ellis's prolific "product placements," (which I admit I did---so many brand names!) or the incredibly gory violence (which also transfixed me, especially when trying to fall asleep at night). That being said, I'm still not sure whether I'd call it a good book or not. A good *read*, yes, but that doesn't necessarily make the book itself good. If you want something to hold your attention, this book will do it.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad plot, bad prose, just all around bad
Review: I hate the fact that I've had to read this book twice for various classes, yet other truely talented contemporary authors are ignored. Ellis write bad, boring prose, and tells a dull yet gory story. If you want an author who can paint a biting social commentary which can make you simultaneously wince and laugh, read Chuck Palahniuk.
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Summary: Greed, Wealth, Youth, Obsession
Review: Easton Ellis' writing has a signature style. It is undeniable and permeates all of his writing. If you don't like it, you simply don't like it. If you do, you will become immersed in his world and run the risk of falling into obsession along with his characters. This is the cornerstone of his brilliance.
Many people have criticized this book for it's brutality... fair enough. What is troubling to me, is the criticism that is pointed at his use of detail and obsessive descriptive passages. If this is your view, you have missed the point. On the surface, "Psycho" is the story of a killer who has lived too privileged a life to understand his societal wrongdoings. Granted, this is the main theme... but there is much more under the surface and the book deserves a deeper analysis. The real point of this book is to turn the camera's eye onto us the readers. The long (4-5 pages at times) monologues on brand names and details draw us into Patrick's world. They serve as a reminder that obsession, annoyance and frustration with those that we feel above is a disease that our society is almost desensitized to. Yes, killing is an extreme example of being a product of the current state of American society, but the message remains. I, for one, enjoyed the obsessive rants of Mr. Bateman because I realized what the author was telling me: If you want to just skip over these pages and get to the point, you understand Patrick's mentality more than you wish to believe. Easton Ellis' stories are not meant to be universal. We are not meant to relate directly to his characters. He shows us one possibility of the mind set that our superficial culture can lead to. Take heed and take a long hard look at yourself. You may not wish to slaughter a homeless person but how many of us have "just wished they'd go away". A book that should be mandatory for all children of Reaganomics and beyond.
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Summary: American Psycho -- Baaaaad Fiction!
Review: This is one of the worst books I've ever read! The use of adverbs is beyond belief, and to use it with dialogue attribution, ugh! And, the descriptions of people's clothing: man, I can get a catalog, I don't need that information. The dialogue is stilted and poorly crafted. I read the book precisely to understand what it is I would never do as a writer.
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Summary: maniac
Review: The book is different & unique.Bret is a writer with
"sexperience".
Rating:
Summary: A look at materialism
Review: American Psycho is without a doubt the best book of 90's. Bret Easton Ellis writes in a way unrivaled by any other author of his generation. His penchance for detail is so crystal clear it makes you feel like your you're in the story yourself. Pat Bateman is an amazing creation by Ellis because of the fact that he is the defenition of a yuppie. Only concerned with his looks and possessions he preaches at several points in the novel about less materialism and better treatment of the homeless whom he secretly and sometimes openly despises. However my only problem with the book is it's blandness towards what is real and what is fiction. Does Pat Bateman really kill all those people? Or is he just making it up in his mind? There are several points in the book where it could go either way. But be as it may this book is a very carefully scripted book with great dialouge that manages to shock you yet make you laugh, to scare you but make you feel comfortable. Dare I call Mr.Ellis the Quentin Tarantino of authors?
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