Rating: 
Summary: Yuppiedom Unbound
Review: I'm in the "good read" camp. While it reads sometimes as a 1986 Zagat's Guide to New York Dining, the physical assaults on Bateman's victims will put the kabosh on any hunger pains Ellis might have stirred in you. Methinks the objections to the content of the book come from the same people who would never admit to slowing down on the highway to rubberneck at a spectacular car crash. American Psycho is merely an exercise in morbid curiosity, so after I recovered from the self-loathing induced by my unwillingness to put the book down, I began to appreciate the satirical aspects of the story. It's a spot-on take on the materialism, greed, and narcissism of the 80s, a real trip down Memory Lane for those of us who came of age circa 1987. So forgive yourself in advance for liking the book if you do - it doesn't mean you're automatically of the same ilk as Patrick Bateman or condone his nocturnal activities.
Rating: 
Summary: A magnificent work
Review: I find American Psycho to be a masterpiece of writing. I think the violence is necessary to really paint the picture of Bateman, but don't forget that the violence is not the point of the book. The point - in my opinion - is the isolation of Bateman,his life through material things and television and his inadequacy.Whatever one might think of the book, it has made people think and react, which is a good thing. On Amazon alone some 500 people have reviewed the book and this years after it was first published. Ellis has caused debate, which very few books do these days. The book really does matter.
Rating: 
Summary: Ugly, pointless.
Review: Steven Spielberg once said of the beach landing scenes in 'Saving Private Ryan' that soldiers that day had seen sights even gorier than what he chose to portray, but he decided not to show these images, explaining that it would be going beyond the bounds of decency. This is the key thing that has been missed by Ellis and those who praise his book. In the stampede to find a profound analysis, everyone seems to have forgotten that the jaw-dropping vulgarity of this novel is itself a demerit. Not every book that offends people has profundity or literary worth: some books simply offend. And books that are sick simply sicken.
Rating: 
Summary: not yet finished but...
Review: i have to admit that i was prompted to read american pyscho b/c of the hype surrounding the film. my own university is doing an advance screening tonight which i am planning to attend. i started the novel last night and it is so beautifully written. it's lyrical but it also bites. Mr. Ellis, whom i met also met last nite, is really a genuis at the manipulation of words and the use of vernacular. i'm not finished yet but i can say it is a carefully crafted, and well concieved piece of work. it's more of a pyschological thriller than anything. the gruesome passages are vehicles that help you get to the depths of Pat Bateman's spiraling madness.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good, Pretty Gross
Review: Although this novel is largely a character study, Easton Ellis can't seem to make up his mind about how to portray Bateman, and that can hinder your enjoyment of this otherwise excellent book. I am not referring to the obvious two sides of Bateman's personality -- that of "boy next door" versus psychopathic killer -- but a more subtle distinction, one which may sound a little ridiculous at first: Ellis can't seem to decide whether to make Bateman *likeable* or not. Eastman begins the novel with a very unexpected portrayal of Bateman -- he's a bit more likeable than you would have thought. Then, you start to dislike him as much as you do the other characters in the book. Then he does things that seem inconsistent with Ellis's characterization. (Again, I am not talking about the violence here.) I was left feeling that it wasn't so much that Bateman had an inconsistent personality, but that Ellis's ability to portray it was uneven. However, this is usually mitigated by Ellis's superb treatment of other aspects of the novel. The scene in which Bateman confronts a younger family member, for example, is incredibly perfect -- you want it to go on forever. The same is true when he encounters an ex-girlfriend. Ellis gives you exactly what you want, and no more. Where many authors would go overboard with backstory and detail, Ellis pulls back, leaving you with just enough to want more. Ellis's writing is lively, particularly in the first half of the book, but I think it deadens a bit in the last third or so. For those of you who may be worried about the violent scenes, be forewarned: they can be unreadable, unless you have a heart (and stomach) made of stone. I tried to force myself to read every word, but simply couldn't. Speaking generally, the book gets more violent as it progresses: don't read this sentence if you don't want to know when it starts, but violence in the present tense starts a little before page two hundred. Up to that point, you can really enjoy the book and Ellis's portrayal of Bateman with just a few squirms. You'll be squirming a lot more for the rest of the book, but enjoying it almost as much. I haven't really discussed the more explicit sides of social commentary in the book, but I will just say that Ellis is right on the mark. Maybe he's not Tom Wolfe, but parts of it are pretty close. All in all, it's fairly well written, with a few problems in the character study, and -- I won't say why -- some issues near the end. To give you a feeling for what I like and dislike in this genre, let me say: I think Ripley and Lew McCreary's Minus Man are five-star books, Silence of the Lambs is 4 1/2, and Hannibal is about a 1 1/2. This book, on that scale, is a three, maybe three and a half. I'm sure this book has a lot of people indecisive about whether to buy it -- (I was) -- so I hope this review helps one way or the other.
Rating:
Summary: Hyped-Up Satire
Review: I was thrown off course by the first few pages of this book; but after I realized the point of describing everyone's clothing was in fact a plot device, I came away from the book feeling disappointed. I kept waiting for the entire plot to be revealed as a dream dreamed by an inmate in an asylum - or maybe just a Walter Mitty-like daydream. I can't believe anyone took this seriously. I remember the Eighties as a time of self-absorption and greed, and sadly enough, even the grossest violence depicted here sort of loses its shock value after a while. So where were the cops? Didn't anyone miss those girls? Oh yeah, that's right. All those creepy Yuppies looked so much alike and never really knew anyone..... and nobody ever listened to anybody. I'm still disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Very Sad
Review: This book makes as strong a case FOR some form of censorship that I know. Do NOT read this book if you are looking for something uplifting. Bret Eason Ellis aims for less than the lowest common denominator in all of us though "American Psycho". I will no longer buy anything published by Vintage. And we wonder why high school kids are shooting each other! "American Psycho" is murder as fad.
Rating:
Summary: One joke wonder
Review: American Pyscho does have it's moments but mainly it is flat one joke wonder. The author has brand names as well as other social observations down quite nicely. The thing is that is all it is, this book could of been shorter than it was. It feel padded.
Rating:
Summary: What was I thinking?
Review: I ordered this book based on the diversity of reviews listed here. Yeah, I knew the book was violent, but it had to have some redeeming qualities, right? Wrong! Although undeniably funny in spots, the extreme violence made it impossible to finish. Personally, I'm ashamed I ever bought it. The low point came in the chapter titled: "Killing a Child at the Zoo". How does one justify to anyone the fact that they read a book containing such putrid material? Just how many of those who gave this book such great reviews would proudly recount that chapter to their friends or coworkers? Answer: NONE!
Rating:
Summary: The Rich Eat Everyone
Review: One of the fascinating questions that arises from reading this book is, "How am I capable of enjoying such a hideously monstrous work?" The book causes one to question oneself. I causes one to ask the question, "What are the therapeautic limits of black comedy and satire?" Yes folks, monsters of Bateman magnitude do exist and they are a sign of the times. Sit back and enjoy them, and maybe you won't notice that you are a victim.
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