Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

22 reviews

schlong01's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

American Psycho is thriller about a possibly gay but definitely nihilistic man covering up his identity by copying those of everyone around him. This theme is always present as he gets confused a lot with other people and just goes with it.  He adopts their views on politics, the state of the world, their interests etc. Except when he doesn't and violently breaks out of this cycle with awful acts of sexual frustrated murder. His character slowly deteriorates over the course of the novel disalusioning himself with his made up personality.

It's a wonderful critique of businessman and capitalism in general with very many details woven into it. But those details often become dreadful as a whole chapter can be just Patrick's opinion on a newly released album or the things he bought yesterday. Although the author is a genius at writing in great detail, this often becomes his downfall, as he does not seem to know when to use said detailism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Blood, Alcohol, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Bullying, Addiction, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Xenophobia, Cursing, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Child death, Antisemitism, Animal cruelty, Rape, Physical abuse, Islamophobia, Gore, Death, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Animal death

lish_e's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Homophobia, Vomit, Alcoholism, Sexism, Cannibalism, Addiction, Racism, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Murder, Drug abuse, Gore, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal death, Pedophilia, Classism, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion

ashlynregan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very hard book to read, but beautifully written. I can’t tell if Ellis is a genius or a psychopath, and I think he meant it to be that way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Gun violence, Drug use, Gore, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death, Excrement, Racism, Rape, Violence, Classism, Cursing, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Blood, Body shaming, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Antisemitism, Sexual violence, and Infidelity

autumnwhite's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Misogyny, Mental illness, Body horror, Death, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Homophobia, Hate crime, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Gun violence

icepulsar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very dark, brutal. Informative about psychopathy. Critiques people in power who close ranks.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism, Transphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Alcohol, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Homophobia, Addiction, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

marinapaso11's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Animal death, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Abortion

ten_telegrams's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Classism, Racism, Violence, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Addiction, Bullying, and Panic attacks/disorders

annilikesbooks's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It's a wild read. The first hundred pages are a bit dull but after that it's a crazy ride. Like some pages were so graphic I had to skip them but it's so gripping that you had to finish the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Body horror, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Gun violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Addiction, Violence, Torture, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Mental illness, Gore, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Animal death, Alcohol, Death, Child death, Car accident, and Antisemitism

catell's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

It only got interesting half way though. Skipped a few chapters at the start and the music chapters. 
Listened on audiobook on x2 speed to get through quicker than reading as it’s SO BORING to read
Enjoyed the murder scenes but if it weren’t for them I would never have finished the book 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Sexual violence, Gore, Classism, Torture, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Racism, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Abortion, Murder, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Hate crime, Body horror, Gun violence, Death, Cursing, Cannibalism, Blood, Alcohol, and Addiction

knmed's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Well I finished it. This is the definition of torture porn so be aware of that if you want to pick it up. It has very descriptive intense violence, sex, and sexual assault. It is also filled with bigotry towards all different kids of people, especially LGBTQ+ and POC.  This book has two sides of it. The first being endless lists of how to look good, luxury goods, and where everyone is going to go out to. The second is the detailed descriptions of violence and sex. Imagine being in the mind of Tom Buchanan in a cocaine fueled 80s New York, but he’s also a serial killer. At first I liked the satire of the super rich that was juxtaposed with a sick inner mind and a serial killer. But to be honest this book is a little over detailed and a little long. It started to feel like the author enjoyed writing the extreme violence and sex scenes to an extent that made me uncomfortable. I looked into the authors commentary on the book and it didn’t make me feel any better about him. It was worth reading once for me, but isn’t something I think I’ll return to. For me, I’m glad I listened to the audiobook. I don’t think I would have made it through reading through the mundane parts of Bateman’s mind. On the other side it may have made the violence worse though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Hate crime, Gore, Death, Death of parent, Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug use, Addiction, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Racism, Rape, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death and Body shaming