American Psycho

Rating:
Summary: intensity level 190%, sheer genius !
Review: Patrick Bateman is without a shadow of doubt THE embodiment of Homo Futuris, Brett E Ellis has again outdone himself and presented us with the real life image of a world spinning madly out of control and the creatures that inhabit it's concrete jungles... all and everyone of them ! If you thought Less than Zero meant something, be prepared to have your world ROCKED and shaken on it's foundations by this throathgrabbing - high impulse read that will leave you panting and craving for more ! READ IT !

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!! MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!!!!!
Review: I would defy any intelligent quasi eccentric,competitive, egotistical, paranoid, hyper, passionate,humourous urban dwelling big city professional to not be able to relate to Bateman's mind and thoughts. He exists in everyone on of us fitting the above description. The only difference being we don't execute our vile fantasies hidden in the subconcious into actions......and if you did understand the book...neither did Bateman. If anyone has any similar books for me, I WOULD LOVE TO READ EM... Sam Ahmed ([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Perfect or Pervert ???????????
Review: This novel is the best book i ever read but its also the book that made me think less. Why it is for me nonsense. BUT VERY GOOD NONSENSE

Rating:
Summary: Don't dismiss the musical references
Review: A great book, but dismissal of the music references, as in other reviews here, seems odd to me. I found Bateman's love of Huey Lewis, Genesis etc, almost as shocking as his violence - an excellent illustration of total ignorance of popular culture and an important element of his psychosis.

Rating:
Summary: Disgusting
Review: Living within a society which is characterized by a strong set of rules of behaviour every individual has to follow, "American Psycho" becomes even more disturbing. All the stress Japanese individuals have to endure throughout their lives must create quite a number of "Japanese Cycos"; recent killings and attacks by teenagers show that not everybody can cope with this society (recommendation: Murakami Haruki`s novel "Underground"). Who is the Pat Bateman among all the Businessmen riding with you on the train home from work or sitting right next to you in your favorite bar? Although reading the book almost causes physical sickness, I have to agree with one of the other reviews which says that everything described is a product of Bateman`s phantasy. This makes the novel even more realistic as the world is full of cycos who never dismember anybody except in their phantasy. Essentially the novel is about a totally dumb, unsympathetic character who has too much money to spend and deserves our pity. But I myself would not offer him any help because I distaste this folk.

Rating:
Summary: You all miss the point...
Review: The violent acts portrayed in this novel take place entirely in Patrick Batemans mind.

Rating:
Summary: Don't judge a book by it's cover etc...
Review: This book is not about a serial killer. Ok so it is, but you have to be pretty shallow not to realize that the main themese are materialism, alienation and ennui. The serial killer is a metaphor for everyday America. This book surely ranks among the greats in existentialist literature. Oh yeah, and I'm sure Bret Ellis absolutely relished raising the hairs on the establishment's neck. The guy's taking the piss and what's more he's doing it with a genius' touch.

Rating:
Summary: Dissapointed
Review: I loved Less Than Zero and love so called "Grunge" novels. So after all th hype I read the book and was sorely dissapointed, books can be evil and violent, and I enjoy them as long as they have beautiful prose the most violent book I ever read was Blood Meridian but the prose made it the most beautiful novel I had ever read. Walk past this in the bookstore one but borrow it off a friend it makes great conversation and confrontation

Rating:
Summary: Donald Trump Meets Hannibal Lechter
Review: This is one of those books that you either love or you hate. It is both a horror novel as well as a pathologic critique on the relative shallowness of those who got rich quick during the Reagan Administration. The protagonist is one Patrick Bateman a 26 year old Wall Street success story. Bateman identifies with the Donald Trump persona while even more so identifying with (and acting upon) his darker "Hannibal Lechter-type" self. The sadistic violence is creative as it is nauseating. But perhaps even more sickening (in a literary sense) is Ellis' style. I found myself wading through almost first half of the novel. The book's climax is somewhere just past three quarters after which it slumps to an unresolved ending. His incessant description of the numerous characters clothes although quickly capturing the shallowness of their personalities - also becomes tiresome. I found myself skimming similar sections later in the novel. When the book is good - it is quite entertaining - but when it bogs down (as it often does) - it makes for difficult reading. I bought the book because I was curious about the author as well as the story. After reading it, I'm still curious about both!

Rating:
Summary: A gruesome, gory and gripping piece of American Reality
Review: "American Psycho" wonderfully challenges us (America) to look at ourselves in a truthful and new way. Americans are deluged with violence on T.V., in the newspapers, and in our schools. Though evil thoughts are as human as sexual desires, many of us tuck them neatly away for fear we act on them. Ellis shows us where capitalism and ostentatiousness become nearly as sickening as Bateman's other love. Reagan and Trump are the heroes of a class that stepped on the poor while making their way to opulent and indulgent lifestyles. We revile Bateman and his acquaintences long before Pat describes his bloodlust. Don't be afraid of the killing; be afraid of how many of us truly despise the less fortunate and love what we own. We need to read this book; it is a "Modest Proposal" and social satire for our age.