A review by yeller
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
3.0
I admit, I didn't quite finish this. I mean to, at some point after my semester ends, as I'm only twenty pages from the end. I just don't know that I will, so here's my review. As a literature student, on some level I understand this book. I understand that it is satirical, and in that sense, it is brilliant. Ellis is very skillful in portraying the madness of his main character and narrator. Objectively, he's a fantastic writer. The way he wrote certain stream-of-consciousness passages really allows you to get into Bateman's head, if you consider that a good thing.
But obviously, this book was very hard to get through. I made it most of the way without much problem, as I'm pretty hard to shake or disturb. But it got to the point where every three pages was a very explicit, very violent description of the sexual and physical torture of someone, and I couldn't make it through. It was just too violent. There was a massive controversy surrounding the publishing of this book. Ellis had received a large advance and then his publish refused to publish because of the content. I truly believe that if not for that huge scandal in the publishing industry, this novel would not have sold even half the books it did. I have a very strong stomach, so approach this book with caution. If I was so disturbed I couldn't finish, that's really saying a lot.
But obviously, this book was very hard to get through. I made it most of the way without much problem, as I'm pretty hard to shake or disturb. But it got to the point where every three pages was a very explicit, very violent description of the sexual and physical torture of someone, and I couldn't make it through. It was just too violent. There was a massive controversy surrounding the publishing of this book. Ellis had received a large advance and then his publish refused to publish because of the content. I truly believe that if not for that huge scandal in the publishing industry, this novel would not have sold even half the books it did. I have a very strong stomach, so approach this book with caution. If I was so disturbed I couldn't finish, that's really saying a lot.