Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

284 reviews

elfsteel's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.75

sometimes i just felt like the authors point could have been made in a book half the length.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Child death, Body horror, Gore, Drug use, Xenophobia, Violence, Animal death, Torture, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Alcohol, Ableism, Gun violence, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, Rape, Homophobia, Racism, and Physical abuse

michaelion's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

1.75

Maybe the real Psychos were the Americans we made along the way...

A book is bad when I have to question what purpose it served humanity. I am a person who fundamentally believes that all art can be made with no reason or goal in mind; art for art's sake; art because the person who made it felt something, felt they had to get it out, felt they had something to share with the world. I read this book because I wanted to watch the movie, yes I'm that kind of person, and I wish I could unread it. What purpose did this book serve to the greater good of humanity? Fuck the greater good, what contribution to humanity does this book give? It has no analysis, no deeper introspection into the era, the mindset of the people. There's no meat on the bone that is this book.

It has its moments and its beauty, for sure. I love the stream of consciousness and unreliable narration, I love the speaking to the audience, the break rom reality and seeing things in the perspective of a movie, sure. Those elements are great. But as a whole? I never question why art is made. There's art I like and art I don't like. It's easy for me to spot art I like, It's easy for me to spot art I don't like, and there are definitely things that lie in a middle grey area, but for all three of those things I almost never question why it was made. It's an inherently fascist idea to say art should have a purpose else it is a waste of time or attention but this is one of the few exceptions I've encountered. The movie better be good after the shit I just read.

And to be clear, I'm not just mad at the content of the book. It was very upsetting sure, but

about a quarter in is when you get to the first kill and it's mentioned nonchalant. So you read almost 100 pages and finally get to the part you came for.

Most of this book is a whole lot of nothing. It works, only because that's the style of this particular type of writing, but once the kills start to ramp up it's like Oh, you wasted my time, and now this is TOO intense. And I'm sure the whiplash was also purposeful, and I'm starting to get a little too nitpicky, but there are things that are more important / could have been more central to the plot that were not given any spotlight.

I tried to find it in my heart to give it a higher rating, I really did, but I can't lie to my future self who will reread this review and go "damn, the book was that bad?" Hi, future self. To answer your question: No. The book was much worse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Grief, Homophobia, Torture, Misogyny, Sexism, Body horror, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Animal death, Addiction, Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Ableism, Death, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Drug use, Blood, Classism, Gore, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Bullying, Confinement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug abuse, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Child abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion

zoehakim's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

what?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Animal death, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Dementia, Drug use, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Stalking, Addiction, Car accident, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Classism, Sexual content, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Torture

Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Body shaming, and Eating disorder

wheresmyblanket's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Child death, Torture, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Animal cruelty, and Car accident

ashsparrow's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

I have really mixed feelings about this book. It’s a good book but I hate gore so obviously not a good choice on my part. It was really well done though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Rape, Misogyny, Hate crime, Gore, Alcohol, Murder, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Violence, Child death, Sexism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Classism, Cursing, Death, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Vomit

punishercoded's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

read the part with bethany on the train and i genuinely was going to throw up 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Death, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

downcircles's review against another edition

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

2.5

So accurately and well written that it becomes very frustrating to read. If you want a look into a twisted violent self absorbed mind you'll get it but it comes at the cost of having to stand listening to that guy through the entire book. I understand why it is deemed so iconic but it is simply so hard to get through despite it not being that long. Did not find it worth the read but if you like whole chapters detailing luxuries to point out the shallow nature of the main character then this is the book for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Torture, Drug use, and Gore

emamno's review against another edition

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

0.25

Bret Easton Ellis is such a talented, descriptive, imaginative author and he chose to create this? Ew.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual content, Racism, Drug use, Ableism, Abortion, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexism, Car accident, Racial slurs, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Child death, Fatphobia, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Violence, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Addiction, Dysphoria, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Antisemitism, and Eating disorder

I almost threw up reading it

pgxpg's review against another edition

dark funny 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Rape, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Torture

Moderate: Cannibalism, Cursing, Alcohol, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Drug use, Hate crime, and Classism

kittiesss'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Body shaming, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Death, Ableism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Violence