Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

123 reviews

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

gringolet's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

4.5

A book which really reflects the flaws of certain rating categories. The main character is the opposite of lovable, that's the point. Great book for people who hate capitalism and are okay with reading about a rat eating a woman from inside out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Torture, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Animal death, Antisemitism, Death, Homophobia, Cursing, Gun violence, Stalking, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Ableism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cannibalism, Classism, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Infidelity, Rape, Racism, Hate crime, Gore, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Cancer, and Body shaming

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

tildagustafsson's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Child death, Rape, Racism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Torture, Racial slurs, Death, Murder, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Ableism and Alcohol

angie10110's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

would i re read this book? Honestly I have no idea 

This was one the craziest books I have read so far, some chapters I felt like I was just reading words with no meaning. This book was good but I also felt like some chapters were written for the sake of being disturbing, the way the author describes things was very well written and gave me a lot to visualize. The beginning portion of this book started off very strong including the middle portion, the ending felt like I was in a dream like nothing was actually happening yet so much has already happened. I wanted to put the book down at certain scenes but i couldn't help myself. I have seen the movie and the movie is tame compared to this book, i don't think i would recommend the book to people who have watched the movie for its popularity and if they aren't avid readers. My favorite chapter in this whole book is when Patrick and jean are at the café and talking to each other about people and why jean likes him and his whole "there is an idea of a Patrick Bateman" monologue because it goes into more depth about this man and what he really thinks about himself and about what he is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Cursing, Torture, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child death, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Gaslighting, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, and Murder

sas_lk's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.5

i don't know what to feel, i don't know, i don't know. at a loss rn. XD

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Transphobia, Xenophobia, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Infidelity

noor_sidhu's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

I would give this book a higher rating. But the sheer disgust and bewilderment this left me in makes me hesitate. It was a really good read though, and dear lord I won’t forget it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Classism, Car accident, Bullying, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Gun violence, Body horror, Alcohol, Rape, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Vomit, Xenophobia, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Cursing, Child death, Cannibalism, Antisemitism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Torture, Blood, and Gore

mirandawood's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I don’t WANT to rate this 5 stars because I hated it, but giving it any less would just be unfair. THIS is horror. That queasy unsettling feeling that keeps you up at night, that’s what this book gave me. I had a hard time sleeping because of the graphic scenes in this. I’ve dipped my toes into “extreme horror” and was still able to sleep like a baby. But this book? No no no no no. This book is just terrible, but in the best way. This was actually scary. I could never imagine anything like this. 

It’s completely disgusting and it’s haunting that on the outside, Bateman is just an average businessman. He’s educated, great at his job, very fit body, and oh so rich. But when you look closer there’s just something off. Something you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know it’s there. Is it the obsession with working out and having his body in the best possible shape at all times? The obsession designer clothes and how to properly put together an outfit? Or how about the constant looking down on others less fortunate, or of different races, or animals. Because you can do whatever you want as long as your Patrick Bateman. 

Never again will I pick this up, but it will always have a place on my shelf. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Gun violence, and Murder

readyourbookshelf's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Abortion and Domestic abuse

trentl14's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

Serious trigger warnings for just about everything. Sexual assault, murder, violence, gore, mental manipulation. This is not a book for the feint of heart

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Drug use, Cannibalism, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual violence, and Violence