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A review by ryantlabee
Psycho by Robert Bloch
4.0
Some stories are like that perfectly aged wine, and Robert Bloch's "Psycho is that bottle of wine. Nearly 65 years have passed since Bloch decided to freak us all out with his twisted tale of Norman Bates and the not-so-cozy Bates Motel, and guess what? It's still as electrifying as ever. Yeah, even if you've watched Alfred Hitchcock's legendary flick a million times, the original pages of "Psycho" have some curveballs that'll have you saying, "Hitch who?"
The genius of Bloch's "Psycho" isn't just in the "gotcha" moments that have become pop culture touchstones. Oh no, it's how he dives headfirst into the murky waters of the human mind. Norman Bates is our tour guide through this psychological funhouse, skillfully blurring the lines between victim and villain.
For the cinephiles who worship at the altar of Hitchcock, Bloch's novel offers a treasure trove of nuances that the silver screen just couldn't capture. While the film is a visual spectacle of suspense, the book delves deeper, weaving a complex tapestry of motive and madness as rich and dark as a noir classic.
Let's not pretend "Psycho" is without its quirks. The portrayal of mental illness has its roots in a bygone era, and there are moments when the pacing feels like it's taking a stroll rather than a heart-pounding sprint. Yet, these are mere specks on the thriller "Psycho," serving more as timestamps of the era Bloch was writing in rather than detracting from the story's edge.
Robert Bloch's "Psycho" is a hallmark of horror literature and is well worth the read even in 2024.
The genius of Bloch's "Psycho" isn't just in the "gotcha" moments that have become pop culture touchstones. Oh no, it's how he dives headfirst into the murky waters of the human mind. Norman Bates is our tour guide through this psychological funhouse, skillfully blurring the lines between victim and villain.
For the cinephiles who worship at the altar of Hitchcock, Bloch's novel offers a treasure trove of nuances that the silver screen just couldn't capture. While the film is a visual spectacle of suspense, the book delves deeper, weaving a complex tapestry of motive and madness as rich and dark as a noir classic.
Let's not pretend "Psycho" is without its quirks. The portrayal of mental illness has its roots in a bygone era, and there are moments when the pacing feels like it's taking a stroll rather than a heart-pounding sprint. Yet, these are mere specks on the thriller "Psycho," serving more as timestamps of the era Bloch was writing in rather than detracting from the story's edge.
Robert Bloch's "Psycho" is a hallmark of horror literature and is well worth the read even in 2024.