Rating: 
Summary: strawberry pez
Review: i read this book a million years ago when it came out and just now looked at all these reviews because of all the media hype about the upcoming film. there are a lot of people who just don't seem to understand. the film is getting an nc-17 rating and the book is getting a lot of one star reviews from folks who don't like bateman's obsession with designers and his detachment from other people. ummmm...could it be that that is the point? think about it people, an author CHOOSES what he/she includes (or doesn't) in order to create a specific fictional world. by focusing on certain things and leaving out others - the author is making a statement (often about society). if you don't get it or don't approve - perhaps there is a "chicken soup for people who only understand happy go lucky/touchy feely nonsense" selection out there for you. stick to people magazine and leave the literature to folks who get it. oh yeah - this book is great.
Rating: 
Summary: A Psychological Story of A Trapped Person
Review: There are two thing's to be said about this book. First, it's a wonderfull book, and second, an extremely gruesome story.Despite of the overly sadistic part, this book shows us the insight of a person that become sick because the way of life in his society. We saw a society that is consumptif ( Mr Elliston wonderfully described this with all their dresses and furniture that is mostly expensive), and practically not caring with their surrounding, live only with work, dinner, maybe have some sex...and then nothing. A world of emptiness....the risk of choosing a capitalistic system and overly individual way of life, is the stagnation of morality it self. The story was told in a unique way. There are some chapter that, (funny indeed)only contain reviews about some rock band and pop musician that the character enjoy. I don't know how some reader interpret this. But if anybody notice, these chapter came after every chapter that contain some sadistic scene. It's like a comparison, that despite the character sadistic behaviour, he also enjoy a wonderfull art that can be considered slow or sweet ( Genesis, Whitney Houston, etc), while the character dislike band like U2, that the song have much more 'strong character'....that even at one scene, the character thought he listen Bono send him a message, that he is the devil also, like the character himself. Still, the character dislike U2's song. Mr Elliston here, altouh maybe a bit too extreme, shows here a person that cannot run away of his way of life. And he wrote it wonderfully, althoug at some part it's a bit boring so i agree that the novel can be edited at some part. Not because of it's overly sadistic scene, but because at some part, we found repetition. Still, it's a good and unique novel, and I recomended it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Control Freak
Review: Maybe what's most impressive about this book is the sense of absolute control that Ellis has over his writing. The descriptions give way to violence at exactly the right moments, the 'retrospective reviews' of pop artists are perfectly vapid, and Bateman's sense of loneliness, isolation, want, is perfectly portrayed. A brilliant read - its been a while since a book has drawn me in so much.
Rating:
Summary: A Distubing Masterpiece
Review: This is an outstanding literary work with a deeply distressing subject content. I suprised myself in being able to continue through to the end, although, at some stage, I could no longer bring myself to read SOME chapters (you can work out which ones to skip just by the opening sentence, so no need to be daunted). Think of this as a 90's Lolita ~ you may shock yourself by continuing to read through thoughts, ideas and actions which are truly beyond any acceptance ~ but you will fall deeply into the prose. Yes, you may not be able to read every single word (or chapter) of this great novel, and you may well feel that it should never have been published (I still have mixed feelings myself). However, the style and genius of the author is beyond compelling. And for that reason alone, this would have to rate as one of the best novels published in the past decade.
Rating: 
Summary: Basically disappointing
Review: I decided to read American Psycho against the advice of most people I know who had read it. I had heard the violence in the book described as "stomach-turning," "sickening" and "disturbing" (and of course I knew the flap about the book being dropped by the first publisher, being protested by NOW, etc.etc.). Although the violent passages are quite disturbing, by the end of the book it just seems like Bret Easton Ellis is trying to one-up himself. Like, "wow, that last passage was really gross, let's see how gross I can make this passage!" It became quite tedious by the end. If you don't want to read it and be grossed out, I can sum the book up for you right now: 1. Subject puts on fancy clothes. 2. Subject goes to eat in fancy restaurant. 3. Subject kills someone in a nasty, repulsive way. 4. Repeat steps 1-3 ad nauseum. After reading American Psycho and Ellis' first book, Less Than Zero, I have come to the conclusion that while he has some talent, Ellis can't fully develop a character or tell a story, and is famous almost completely because he shocks people. I frankly have no idea why people were so upset about American Psycho, if you get past the gory murder descriptions, it's really a mediocre book -- it's written competently, but the story and characters were poorly developed. I kept waiting for Ellis to give some explanation for his character's vacuousness that wasn't clumsy, trite or woefully inadequate. Although I'm sure Ellis says the lack of character development was to show how empty and pathetic the characters' lives were, I think it's probably because he is not a skillful or inventive writer. (I do, however, wonder about Ellis' mental stability -- while I was reading the most graphic passages, I kept wondering if the building action was written as Ellis found himself more and more aroused by the violence, because that's definitely what it seemed like.) I was disappointed by this book. I was looking for a taut, edgy thriller and got boring descriptions of disgusting carnage. If you're looking for insights into the mind of a killer, you'd be better off reading a pulp-fiction true-crime novel about Ted Bundy or the Gainsville murders (some of the details of which apparently inspired Ellis while he was writing Psycho). American Psycho is a page turner, but ultimately leaves you bored, nauseous and wishing you'd spent four hours reading something else.
Rating:
Summary: Words for the Weary
Review: This is not a review as much as an effort to help out someone thinking of reading this book. Now, if you glance at the 400 or so reviews below, you will note that there are many one (or zero) ratings, coupled with many fours and fives. Most of those low ratings are born out of *dislike* for this book, as opposed to an objective judgment of quality. I assure you that this book is extremely well crafted; and if you are unable to separate subject from the way in which that subject is presented (which, after all, is all that writing is), then you should probably only pick up this book if you are especially interested in rich twentysomethings living in New York, and admittedly horrific brutality. (which I happen to be, but nevermind) As to the appeal: the comparison to Dostoyevsky is not fatuous, and the fact that most of my friends, myself included - mr. slow reader, finished the book in a few days speaks to what another review pointed out, which is the incredible immersion that Ellis allows. Not necessarily into the subconscious of Bateman, but into the *world* of Bateman. The point of the book is not empathy, which I think is where most of the naysayers below have gone awry; instead, I believe it is to create a seamless cohesion of all show, and no tell, so that such a state of reality is achieved that he could have been writing about chickens and we would be as rapt. Of course the subject being what it is (vapid rich kids, senselessness, violence, as you will) is where Ellis allows himself to make his points. So, if you are the type of reader who enjoys establishing a relationship between yourself and the author, this is the wrong book for you. Ellis provides absolutely no help in moving through this work except for the masterfully executed narrative style. Otherwise, simply a revolutionary classic. Should be on any bookshelf that even thinks about contemporary fiction. Oh, one more thing. Don't read this if you believe all books should adhere to the one sheet book reports you did in 7th grade, and if you have derived your sense of good literature from the movies. You really won't get the right things out of it.
Rating:
Summary: This book will go down as THE standard for 80's excesses
Review: I read this book the first time in 1991 when I was 17 years old. Through some course of irony, I ended up in roughly the same field as the protagonist Pat Bateman. In my second reading (in preparation for seeing it on the big screen- finally) I realized how some of his inner dialogue has stuck with me. There have been more than a few times when I have utterred the phrase, "Oh, the things I could do to you with a coat hanger and a box of salt..." in a bar after some useless coked up loser won't leave me alone. People who complain about the self-absorbtion and the incessant droppings of brand names, just don't get it. Ellis is satirizing how to a distinct class of people the brand name of your filofax matters. That is the comedy. Other people complained over the brutality of Bateman's murderers. Ellis with his somewhat twisted, but creative mind was making a statement in not what the charachter was doing, but the charchters detachment from the acts. Yet another commentary on society, revealing our de-sensitization to violence. All in all the second time around made me think about it alot more critically and made me think of it as more of an important book, than a cool one.
Rating:
Summary: Understanding American Culture through American Psycho
Review: After living overseas for a number of years, I came back to the US and was immediately pushed into a culture which had moved along without me and my family. However, I've been using novels, film, and music to reintroduce myself to much of what I've missed. I'd heard about the novel, American Psycho; however, I did not believe it was a fictional piece I'd want to read. Nevertheless, I read it last week. And oh boy, was I wrong. Actually, it is a seething glimpse of what many of our shallower, city-slick, monied young people do as a way of life. I'm not talking about the killing, of course. However, I am talking about the way in which this insane young man views society, his life, and the culture around him. He lives for what he will eat for lunch, dinner or for the Power Breakfasts he plans with his cohorts. His life revolves around drugs, alcohol, and what new chic clothing he and his friends are wearing. He is enthralled in a life of hedonism and plesure for the sake of himself alone. In fact, Bateman, the "hero", becomes so detached from himself that he doesn't even seem to see himself in any of his behaviors; he is like a zombie, alone and uninvolved in life. He is a slave only to his joys, his whims, his sick pleasures. Nevertheless, he is an example of what we in the US are becoming: dispassionate about the poor, merely concerned with our own comfort no matter at what cost, and out for the thrills with no use for consequence. It was an eye opener for me. I believe there is much truth in this novel. That is extremely sad; perhaps it can be a warning to us all.
Rating:
Summary: Great satire, but people are missing the point!
Review: This novel is a great satire of the yuppie 80's lifestyle. I think that what Ellis is saying is that these people are so wrapped up in themselves that they don't realize what is going on around them. Throughout the book people are described by what they are wearing. To the narrator these are not people just articles of clothing. To further prove this point characters are constantly mistaking people for someone else. For people who came looking for a slasher novel, turn away and never look back. While this book is the most violent disturbing thing I have ever read, even the violence and gore serve a point. What I feel that Ellis is saying is that even someone who has everything can still be a violent person. It also shows that with all the violence going on around these characters people don't notice, or just don't care. The killer, Patrick Bateman, even confesses to people, and they either ignore him, or play it off as a joke. This is definately a great read, but only if you know what to expect.
Rating:
Summary: um, damn!
Review: honestly, american psycho is pretty demented and i feel kinda bad that i enjoyed it so much. i got hooked and finished the book in about 2 days, the whole time hanging on bateman's every move.the author creates a very captivating character, who is an incredulous cross between the aristocratic social elitist and the blood sucking carnival freakboy. the book starts a little slow, but if you pay attention to the details you can almost watch bateman's sanity slipping away from him. i found this book both completely engrossing and intensely shocking. this book makes stephen king's hokey work look like r.l. stein. so bring a spare pair of shorts and get a copy for your girlfriend.
|
