Rating: 
Summary: Delightfully Wicked
Review: This book I imagine is not for everyone...those who would be unable to get past the brutal violence for one.But to me the thing so striking about this novel is the fact that I would have a hard time saying I didn't like the lead character, Patrick Bateman. I think most people having read the book would agree with me. He's charming, witty, and incredibly funny. For a seriously dark, disturbing book, I sure laughed my head off! I think the humor is something many people overlook. I don't know exactly who I would go about recommending this book to. But if you have seen the movie which does an incredible job of bring Mr. Bateman to life, the book is even better. More grizzly murders and comedic situations. A great combination?
Rating:
Summary: Staggering!
Review: As a female reader, I was amused by the "righteous indignation" this novel stirred. By far one of the best satires I have *ever* read (and as a rare book dealer's daughter, I've read them all). For 7 nights when I went into my room at night with cookies and pepsi, Patrick Bateman came with me and I shuddered, laughed and agonised over his tale. BEE captured the aura of NYC in the 80's as only someone who lived it firsthand could have. Patrick is an amicable killer and I often found myself saying "this woman is pathetic with her pills and pity, go for it Patrick." The balance is perfect. The humour level intensely high (the sushi party pure comedic brilliance), matching equally the gore level. The satire is white-hot flame and dangerously close to genius. My only regret is that as with so much, I didn't take the time to read this gem upon its realease. For anyone with a dark wit and macabre sense of humour, "American Psycho" should be required reading.
Rating:
Summary: All that glitters isn't gold........
Review: I first saw this movie a few weeks ago on cable one night...The thing that struck me, other than the shallow vapidness of most of the characters and the brutal(although in the film, almost comic) violence was that I literally could not decide if Patrick had murdered or just simply imagined murdering any of his so-called victims in the movie. Thus, I figured the book would shed more answers. Now, to be honest...I still cant quite decide if he killed any of his victims, though I do lean towards more a fantasy-vengeance/ pleasure-denying instinct to his 'murders'..However, the reason WHY Patrick did what he did, or least the environment that was conducive to it , is very much explained, to me, in the book. First off, let me say that this book IS VERY satirical in nature...gawd knows there are some shallow people in the world...but I like to think..or at least I pray that there are none quite as shallow as in the book. The environment in the book, the nature and mentality of Patrick's peers in the book is reminiscent of say 7th grade, and that is being generous. There is a lack of depth, of perspective and most notably of maturity that is sorely lacking in these people, who seem freeze dried at age 12, for the most part...except for a rare few characters in the book who seem to have some sense of maturity and perspective. Anyway, its in this environment that we find our hero Patrick...a connosiuer of form and fashion. The first thing you notice about this book is the VERY DETAILED description of things..namely peoples clothes i.e. tailor/designer, fabric, style ....of jewelry, hairstylists, furniture etc. When I first read of patrick's morning grooming regimen I thought to myself, "my god, he primps more than I do as a woman!". But, to me, I think the point of this mind-numbing attention to detail is not only to show you the mentality of the late 80's yuppie..but its effects. I think the detailed and relentness description of material excess in the book mirrors the EXACT effect this has on the characters themselves. It is relentless, it is excessive, it is detailed...And in being so, its almost in a way, a sort of UNIFORM with these people who all shop at the same stores, work out at the same gyms, eat at the same restaurants etc. Now for those of you who went to private school, you know the purpose of the uniform is to mute the individual-to promote sameness , group-think and foster a feeling of sympatico within the group. So its not too far a leap to see why Patrick would lose his sense of self and sanity in this individuality snuffing environment..This is highlighted by the fact that NO ONE can put the correct FACE to ANYONE...They all mistake one another the ENTIRE book...I dont think this tidbit is by accident. Also, there are scenes were all the men can be seen ALL wearing the same clothes, be it double -breasted suits or rimmed glasses, further dulling the ability to tell any of them apart. Also, this may be conjecture on my part...but other than a few choice characters....the personalities are almost indistinguishable in this novel. When the male members of the set convene for conversation, u may as well call each person by a letter instead of a name, and I dont think it would detract or add anyting from the conversation..This is not a critique of the content, but rather that, the inflection, tone and interests of the characters of the book are so INTERCHANGEABLE that were you to ascribe words of one to another , it really wouldnt make that much of a difference either way. I think another key insight into how this environment has led to patrick's demise is in his analysis of Greatest Love of All , the Whitney Houston song. Granted, his slant..that it is a touching song of self-preservation and dignity, IS valid...but I think most would agree that its a song about learning to love yourself and of self acceptance, as she clearly states in the song..yet, Patrick's own choice of words were self-preservation...now , granted, that is reaching, lol..but I dont think its totally off the mark. Clearly, to me, it is this world of forced same-ness that his driven Patrick over the edge..the only way to fill the void was to revel in it....to stay up on the latest trends , gadgets , sensations etc..but even this means only to be more immersed in those limits, of always being still unsatisfied i.e. Patrick's utter failure to get into Dorsia's on his own. Unfortunately, the only option left in Patrick's mind was murder...either real or imagined.
Rating: 
Summary: Distressing Satire
Review: Several readers have commented on the gore and depravity of this novel, and it is upon this basis that I simply cannot recommend it. Satirizing the materialism of the 80s yupsters, their sexual habits, and their unceasing search for physical perfection, could have been done without some of the extremely disturbing sequences. Ellis was reputedly depressed and physically ill while writing the harsher set pieces, which is exactly how most readers should expect to feel after reading the novel. While most intelligent readers will definitely pick up on the sociocultural criticisms and sarcastic tone, I simply believe that the exposition of such startling violence leaves a mental impression upon the reader that can - and should - be avoided. Cultural critique need not degrade the reader; Mr. Ellis has a fine talent with the written word, and a sharp eye for detail, but the application of that talent to such depraved subject matter is unfortunate.
Rating:
Summary: A look into a very disturbed mind by a talented writer
Review: This is the first Bret Easton Ellis I have read. First, I recommend reading this book before you watch the movie. There are conclusions to be reached on your own before the Director's interpertation of the story. Possible spoilers here, so read on at your own risk. Patrick Bateman is a successful Wall Street businessman in the materialistic 80's. He is self-absorbed and materialistic himself. He is also completely insane. Mr. Ellis's ability to completely and realistically bring the reader into a mind that is mired in a psychopathic thought process is uncanny and unnerving. Yes, this is a very disturbing book, for more reasons that just the gore everyone seems to focus on. My personal opinion, is that none of the murders actually happened anywhere except in Mr. Batemans mind. There were some telltale indicators of this, in that one of his victims was actually seen in London, maids do not mindlessly wipe up blood and gore without saying something. Body parts rot and smell, so he could not possibly have kept them in an upscale gym's locker. And his ranting, lunatic "Thursday" chapter is very disjointed, and psychologically more apt to have happened only in his mind rather than him running the streets like that in the physical world. Mr. Bateman's obsession with what everyone is weariing is part of his sickness, but this shallow judgement of one's peers was accepted and even glorified in the 80's. Not who you are but what you drive, and all that. But does it make this book any less scary that these horrific scenes were carried out only in his mind? I certainly don't think so. By so completely capturing the psychopathic mind, Mr. Ellis has written a truly terrifying tale. This book makes you say "Whew!" when you finish it. In one way, the trip was dark and you are glad to be out in the light again, but the other part of you that hates to see a really good and well written book end is sorry that it's over. It's gory, it's graphic, it's frightening. It will make you really think about sanity and insanity, what is real and what is not real. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: DISTURBING
Review: What can be said about this book that hasn't been said in the last 800+ reviews of it. Nothing much, so I'll delve more into how this book can be translated into your everyday life ramblings. My summer read this year was going to be an old KING novel, but when I saw this book in the bookstore and having already watched the movie I just had to learn more. I just could not believe the experience of it all. The book starts with introducing to a young, considerably handsome young man who is so richly involved with materialistic things of life that the true meaning of the whole concept just eludes him. From the start, you slowly get to learn how Patrick Bateman lives his life. When you experience his first psychopathic temperament, you soon realize that you're sinking into disarray. With each chapter, you feel the depersonalization of the character into more of a devoid animal, completely not in touch with the world around him. His life is meaningless. His existence is negligeble. And even though, he tries grabbing the attention of others by mumbling his own brutal thoughts, his actions are meager. He's truly a psychopathic killer decorated with a Harvard education, a loft in the Upper West side where Tom Cruise resides and designer clothing. The whole rabid superficial decoration that engulfs him is nothing and the only closeness to his humanity is through acts of killing and mutilation. This is a man that lives in his own hell and reading his everyday chronicles, makes you feel that you're living with him too. Staring at his every horrendous act. You learn to loathe him and his character. You even wish his demise which never comes. People like that do exist. Not just in the 80s, but they are still carried on to this time here and now. Yuppies who drive BMWs and think they have a cool number plate, who shop in Banana Republic on Fifth Avenue for a divorced sex-crazed aunt, who work out to stay buffed for no reason but to satisfy their libido, who wear AX T-shirts and Chopard watches given to them by a wealthy old coot, who inherit their family business because they can't a secure a job of their own due to insecurities, and who only look at others behind a glass mirror thinking that by emulating them through a better way actually makes them a better person. These people live just like Patrick Bateman. A void in their personas and souls. Are they really who they are? Are they real? Is this life, the life they are destined to lead? The answer to that question, though not defined in this book, can easily be assumed by reading it and understanding the concept. Begind the gore, blood and sex, Ellis, brings out a tale of how human life has truly become. How man once flourished intellectually is just sunk down to idiosyncrasities of what people wear, what they drive, what kind of water they drink and where are they getting that tan of theirs. Human life has become cheap, where even homicidal thrills can't even put a luster in your eyes. This is the world we live in. And if we continue along that same path, man, suredly, is dead.
Rating:
Summary: still best book on 80s and 90s New York
Review: all Easton Ellis's other books are terrible, which is what makes this one so remarkable. i'm amazed people find it boring (you're not meant to read all the lists if you don't want to!) and i'm amazed people find it cold and empty - i think that all those lists, like the unreadable 'musical interludes' on Genesis, Whitney Houston, etc are completely hilarious, while somewhere behind all this lurks warmth and compassion. i think it's impossible not to feel for Bateman by the end of this - if there was ever a book where you wanted to blame the main character but against your will end up blaming his surroundings and friends and upbringing it's this one. anyway, i think it's very possible the whole thing is just in bateman's head anyway, none of it real. new york is still like this and probably always will be - at least one part of it's society is. this book is also laugh-out-loud funny - i urge you to buy it, but be prepared to skip bits if designer clothes and torture aren't your thing...
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad...
Review: A lot of the reviews of this book seem to emphasize the grisly violence of this book. I just wanted to add my teo-cents, for all the "gore-hounds" out there: this book is nothing...It might shock Martha Stewart or Suzie Secretary but for fans of "Traces of Death" and "Cannibal Corpse" this is very unspectacular and not really that gory at all.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book!!!
Review: I can't say enough good things about this book. This book just took a hold of me and I couldn't put it down. I've read some of Stephen King's books, but this one has to be the most violent and controversial book I have ever read! It is filled mostly with blood and sex. This story is about Harvard graduate Patrick Bateman, who works on Wall Street by day, but during the night he can not contain his blood lust! The setting is in the 1980's. The first sign that something is wrong with Patrick Bateman is his obsession with his looks and wardrobe. He judges the people in his life by what they wear and where they go to diner. The second sign he is not completely there is his ramblings about nothing. This book strikes a cord with society, even in today's society. It places importance on materialism and fitting in. In some of the scenes in this book can be related to things that have occurred in your life. For example, there is always someone in the office who gets your name wrong, all the time! He was just fed up with the pressures of society and fitting in. Be prepared for this book to take hold of you. This book is not for the faint-hearted. It is full of blood, sex and violence towards women. Some of the scenes in this book are a little unnerving to read. So proceed with caution!!!
Rating:
Summary: PHSYCHOLOGICAL HYSTERIA MIXED WITH GRAPHIC HORROR, I ADOR IT
Review: One of the most clever, witty, satire, horrific novels i have ever read. I LOVE THIS BOOK. "I couldn't put it down" as they would say, but I almost never put it down. It went with me everywhere I went not only to keep reading it, but to brag about its dark humor and graphic detailed violence and sensuality. Bret Easton Ellis has an amazing gift that makes you feel for and against Patrick Bateman (the main character). I have yet to read a better novel. And although this is definetly my favorite novel, my favorite author is Chuck Palahniuck, he has talent similar to Ellis, but just with a darker and wittier aspect. There are those boring novelists that just don't recognize true literature with an open mind...Dramatic writings with such a simple plot all about morallity and ethics, but American Psycho is completely the opposer, and definetly a contender. Lose yourself and open the depths of the human psychia, and prepare for revolutionary literature that will make you horrified, laugh to pieces, and be filled with a demented infestation that will long be fixated upon...ENJOY!
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