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endlessnight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Mental illness, Racism, Animal death, Rape, Drug abuse, and Animal cruelty
menderash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Racism, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Car accident, Drug use, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Sexual violence, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Fatphobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
roseaboveyou's review against another edition
- 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
It’s a lot of people’s favorite book and I get why. I have the strongest positive opinions on the writing style. The satire is hilarious (my favorite running gag is the bizarre food and fusion restaurants). But. This book needs every content warning under the sun. No reader should go into this book blind, and it’s widely known for the extremely graphic content, which is sexual, violent, and gory. There’s a type of person who finishes this book, and if you aren’t that person, do not force your way to the end. You’re going to have a terrible time.
I read this book fifteen years ago or something when I was an edgy teenager, and at first I was shocked at remembering mostly the Wall Street Guy stuff and not a lot about The Other Stuff, but I realized it must have been a hell of a lot easier to have a text and skim the super gross stuff. That’s just not possible with the audiobook. There’s also random stuff dropped throughout, so even if you skip sections, you’re still not really going to be able to avoid it. It’s often very abrupt, and hearing the words out loud makes me feel voyeuristic about stuff I don’t want to be voyeuristic about.
I’m not squeamish; I read plenty of things that are gross and gory and violent, and I watch plenty of movies and television in the same category. And I’d even argue that the amount of detail supports the consistency and structure of the text, and that it’s supposed to be there. But jfc.
It’s a love it or hate it situation, and to be clear, I love it. There’s obviously a lot of content in the book that isn’t, well, that. Some of which makes me literally laugh out loud. But yeah. Don’t listen to it. It’s excruciating. Honestly, you miss some of the best details about the book, but the movie is fine, and I don’t feel nearly as gross when I finish it.
Graphic: Fatphobia, Violence, Child death, Rape, Sexual content, Animal death, Sexual violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Cursing, Gore, Murder, Racial slurs, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Classism, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence
sokhiengtim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual violence, Murder, Blood, Mental illness, Death, Gore, and Sexual content
evelyncore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Sexism, Stalking, Violence, Antisemitism, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Body horror, Blood, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Cursing, Classism, Hate crime, Body shaming, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Cannibalism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism and Addiction
Minor: Abortion
moosereads1'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
That being said, there were several things I took issue with in this book. For starters, the countless pages full of misogyny, racism, and homophobia drove me nuts. Yes, it helps convey how awful Bateman is (though you'd think the serial killer part would convey that enough), but it felt so excessive.
Speaking of excess, this probably could have lost at least 100 pages if all the repetitive name brands were removed. Every page it felt like was Armani this, Ralph Lauren that. This was seen in the descriptions of restaurants and food as well - going to this restaurant and getting reservations at that restaurant and getting this food and that food every single time... if anything, props to Easton for coming up with dishes like salmon meatloaf and jalapeno pudding. I know it was designed this way to show just how materialistic rich people are, especially with the comments that more expensive = inherently better, but it made a large portion of the book mind-numbingly boring. I really struggled to get through the first half of the book because it was so slow and I was so bored. It didn't help that some of the gore bordered on gratuitous, serving very little purpose after a certain point.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. A satirical horror story that commented on the narcissism and materialism of the rich? It should have been a fantastic read, but it just wasn't. Pages upon pages of monotonous descriptions of clothing brands and bizarre foods to bore the reader followed by the whiplash of outright pornographic scenes and graphic gore did not make for an enjoyable story, and this is coming from someone who has absolutely no issue with disturbing/gory books and movies. It just wasn't it for me.
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual violence, Racism, Torture, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Classism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Animal death, Blood, Gore, Violence, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexism, Murder, and Sexual harassment
nadiajohnsonbooks'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
Let's start with what I liked:
I loved the writing style: manic, rambling, and full of non sequiturs that give the genuine feel of intrusive thoughts. I liked the random chapters of music critique and the view into yuppie Manhattan in the late 80s.
The juxtaposition of mundanity and grotesque violence was jarring and really dialed up the horror in a satisfying way.
Elements of the satire (the absolute interchangeability of the Wall Street bros, the new Salvadorian bistro that everyone is excited about but no one ever seems to go to) worked for me.
But a few things didn't sit right with me even upon reflection.
Pat Bateman and all his compatriots are misogynists, racists, and general scumbags. Okay. But the overwhelming use of racial slurs and sexual violence as a plot device felt less like satire or character development and more like a fifteen year old edgelord trying to get his mom's attention.
I suspect my rating of this book will change a few times the more I consider it, but there's no question that it will stick with me.
Graphic: Murder, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Fatphobia, Sexism, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Infidelity, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Gore, Child death, Cannibalism, Cursing, Torture, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Rape
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gun violence
Minor: Abortion
michaelion'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
1.75
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
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.
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
zazzyb's review against another edition
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Classism, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Body horror
zoehakim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Rape, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Eating disorder