Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
medium-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After many years of being such an avid fan of Hitchcock and his works. I decided to dig deeper into the material. Psycho absolutely lives up to its hype. I adored this short story, only 120ish pages, i finished in 2 nights, couldn't put it down. There are some slight changes from the movie, it was welcomed as this only grew the legacy of Norman Bates and his despicable mother to something larger than life. Excellent pacing, masterful storytelling. My only criticism is how quickly things wrapped up in the 3rd act. I'd loved to have known a little more of the method behind the madness, so to speak. Loved it. Read it now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment
The movie is such an icon that I was genuinely interested in the material that inspired it. What I didn't expect was for the book to so thoroughly trump the film in quality. It was a quick enjoyable read, but I was genuinely impressed by how suspenseful it managed to be even though I knew exactly what was going to happen at every turn. Best part. A lot of it is from Norman's point of view, and Bloch's strength seems to be in portraying what his characters are thinking without losing the reader's interest. He's got a great grasp of just how long to keep the inner monologue going before things get boring. Loved it.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I did not think I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did because of my fierce love for the Hitchcock movie adaptation. I went into this book with eyes wide open. I already know the story. I would be anticipating certain plot twists, right? How can it deliver on any shocking reveals if the reader is already in on them?
Well, Robert Bloch is an excellent storyteller, that's how. This book delivers even *if* you think you know. It's basically what you don't know from watching the movie that helps the book land its punches.
First of all, Bloch's Norman Bates is not Hitchcock's Norman Bates. There are some very distinct differences and it helped me erase iconic imagery from the movie as I read.
The book is FAR MORE violent than the movie. Quite a bit more graphic details.
Right off the bat, Bates is reading a book called, "The Realm of the Incas" detailing a ritualistic, tribal warrior dance involving a drumbeat being played on a human corpse.
Boom.
Just like that; first few pages.
If you're into True Crime at all, you will know how this psychological horror novel touches on some subjects that must have really made an impression on the reading audience for 1959. First of all, I was struck by the similarities between Bates and Ed Gein. The real-life details are pretty gruesome but true crime junkies will know that the fictional character of Norman Bates and real life American murderer, Ed Gein share in some specific attributes. I think it's rumored that Bloch drew inspiration from Gein's case. This is all before the term "Serial Killer" was coined by the FBI in the 70s.
So that's one fascinating aspect.
Another is how much storytelling and character development Bloch managed to orchestrate in well under 200 pages. It's a masterclass in less is more.
Even though there were reveals in this story that I already knew, I feel like everything readers *think* they know will slip away under the spell of Bloch's magnetic writing. Everything that happens will feel new again. Trust, Mother.
This is a must for horror fans.
Well, Robert Bloch is an excellent storyteller, that's how. This book delivers even *if* you think you know. It's basically what you don't know from watching the movie that helps the book land its punches.
First of all, Bloch's Norman Bates is not Hitchcock's Norman Bates. There are some very distinct differences and it helped me erase iconic imagery from the movie as I read.
The book is FAR MORE violent than the movie. Quite a bit more graphic details.
Right off the bat, Bates is reading a book called, "The Realm of the Incas" detailing a ritualistic, tribal warrior dance involving a drumbeat being played on a human corpse.
Boom.
Just like that; first few pages.
If you're into True Crime at all, you will know how this psychological horror novel touches on some subjects that must have really made an impression on the reading audience for 1959. First of all, I was struck by the similarities between Bates and Ed Gein. The real-life details are pretty gruesome but true crime junkies will know that the fictional character of Norman Bates and real life American murderer, Ed Gein share in some specific attributes. I think it's rumored that Bloch drew inspiration from Gein's case. This is all before the term "Serial Killer" was coined by the FBI in the 70s.
So that's one fascinating aspect.
Another is how much storytelling and character development Bloch managed to orchestrate in well under 200 pages. It's a masterclass in less is more.
Even though there were reveals in this story that I already knew, I feel like everything readers *think* they know will slip away under the spell of Bloch's magnetic writing. Everything that happens will feel new again. Trust, Mother.
This is a must for horror fans.
medium-paced