Reviews tagging 'Classism'

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

257 reviews

dark medium-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

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dark reflective sad 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

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

This book is incredibly visceral and well written. You really feel like you’re inside the head of the main character, for better or worse.

It’s the kind of book I am glad I read, wouldn’t unread, but really cannot recommend to many people. 

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challenging dark funny reflective tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark tense medium-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

This book can be hysterical at times, for example his entire skincare routine, him flexing at a lady doing his facial and thinking that it looks casual bc his eyes are closed, and every music-themed chapter.
And then it'll hit you with a chapter so violent and misogynistic and violating that you wish you never picked it up re: every single chapter titled 'Girls'.
Thank you to my friend who loaned me this book as it is a banned book where I live and cannot be bought, borrowed from a library, or shipped into the state due to its contents (which... I kinda get now.. but also STOP BANNING BOOKS!), thanks, and I hate it.

But it was also really good ?????

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark funny tense slow-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

I love this book and (believe it or not) have read it a couple times, but its recommendation comes with major caveats.

Absolutely no reader should go in blind. Know that there are many scenes of explicit violence, sex (consensual and non-consensual), and language. It is not an easy book to read. Also know that it’s a dark comedy and a criticism of yuppie culture, capitalism, and toxic masculinity. It requires a deeper look and shouldn’t be taken at face-value. 

If you can get past that, the postmodern satire is impeccable. Serial murders are interspersed with reviews of Phil Collins’s music, with Patrick Bateman serving as the ultimate unreliable narrator. What adds to this effect, in a meta way, are readers’ reactions to it; anyone who treats the novel as a handbook is completely missing the point.

I’ll also note that I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by Pablo Schreiber. I don’t quite know how he managed to get through reading it aloud.

I suppose the final verdict is this: IYKYK, and you have to know.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark funny tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

i had to put the book down so many times mid sentence because i felt physically sick. but i also chuckled a lot.

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