A review by miiisch
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
5.0
5/5
I've been over this in my head again and again while reading this book, not really sure what rating to give it. I was originally not going to give the book any rating at all, but then decided against it. I might change my mind again later.
To start off, I want to tell every person thinking about reading this book: it's rough. It's brutal and graphic and violent and revolting. There are certain scenes I had to put the book down, take a break and then continue reading because I was so disgusted by the things happening in the story. There is a trigger warning in order for... everything? Racism, sexism, rape, violence, murder, cannibalism, etc. It starts off a little weird and ends up being a gruesome ride inside of a psychopathic serial killer's head. So I would advise to think twice about reading this novel if you're prone to get queasy and are sensitive about these topics.
Now my review: It took me a while to get through this book. Even though I found it very humourous and enjoyable in the beginning it was a bit exhausting with the constant name dropping and flexing of the main character. The chapters didn't flow like I'm used to by other novels and they seemed incohesive at certain times. But the further I got, the more I thought I got a grasp of Patrick Bateman. Of course, whenever a new chapter started, that feeling changed and I was taught better, as I couldn't get a grasp for Bateman's character for the whole book. Even though there is no clear thread or chronological story this novel presents itself as a fascinating character study of Patrick Bateman. The upper-class lifestyle of a Wallstreet businessman is juxtaposed with violent sexual fantasies and gruesome murders.
Bret Easton Ellis managed to create an interesting but revolting book about society and its fixation on the superficial but still managed to create light and even funny moments. I caught myself laughing out loud a few times. This book is rightly as controversially debated as it is but, in the end, the novel provoked and triggered more emotions than any book I've read until now has ever done. Ellis dared to spark disgust (and a lot of it) which not many authors dare to do and which I found very audacious and oddly refreshing at certain points. Because of the many emotions, I felt while reading this, I feel I need to give this book 5 stars. Also I'm always very intrigued by unreliable narrators such as in this book, where Bateman himself is telling his story.
I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to anyone since I really cannot judge even with close friends if they are ready for some of the fucked up scenes described in this book (usser du Emi, ich ha s Gfühl du chasch handle? aso ich hoffs?). I would advise anyone reading this to take it with a grain of salt and to stop whenever you feel that it is too much.
I've been over this in my head again and again while reading this book, not really sure what rating to give it. I was originally not going to give the book any rating at all, but then decided against it. I might change my mind again later.
To start off, I want to tell every person thinking about reading this book: it's rough. It's brutal and graphic and violent and revolting. There are certain scenes I had to put the book down, take a break and then continue reading because I was so disgusted by the things happening in the story. There is a trigger warning in order for... everything? Racism, sexism, rape, violence, murder, cannibalism, etc. It starts off a little weird and ends up being a gruesome ride inside of a psychopathic serial killer's head. So I would advise to think twice about reading this novel if you're prone to get queasy and are sensitive about these topics.
Now my review: It took me a while to get through this book. Even though I found it very humourous and enjoyable in the beginning it was a bit exhausting with the constant name dropping and flexing of the main character. The chapters didn't flow like I'm used to by other novels and they seemed incohesive at certain times. But the further I got, the more I thought I got a grasp of Patrick Bateman. Of course, whenever a new chapter started, that feeling changed and I was taught better, as I couldn't get a grasp for Bateman's character for the whole book. Even though there is no clear thread or chronological story this novel presents itself as a fascinating character study of Patrick Bateman. The upper-class lifestyle of a Wallstreet businessman is juxtaposed with violent sexual fantasies and gruesome murders.
Bret Easton Ellis managed to create an interesting but revolting book about society and its fixation on the superficial but still managed to create light and even funny moments. I caught myself laughing out loud a few times. This book is rightly as controversially debated as it is but, in the end, the novel provoked and triggered more emotions than any book I've read until now has ever done. Ellis dared to spark disgust (and a lot of it) which not many authors dare to do and which I found very audacious and oddly refreshing at certain points. Because of the many emotions, I felt while reading this, I feel I need to give this book 5 stars. Also I'm always very intrigued by unreliable narrators such as in this book, where Bateman himself is telling his story.
I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to anyone since I really cannot judge even with close friends if they are ready for some of the fucked up scenes described in this book (usser du Emi, ich ha s Gfühl du chasch handle? aso ich hoffs?). I would advise anyone reading this to take it with a grain of salt and to stop whenever you feel that it is too much.