A review by dsclemmett
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

3.0

Controversial take but anyone who finds a book “triggering” to such an extent that they feel it appropriate to tell folks they shouldn’t read it? 

I’m fucking reading it!

There’s not really a lot I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said.

We know it’s a satirical look into consumerism, toxic masculinity, excess and it’s frustratingly misogynistic! But is it? No protagonist is, how the fuck can a BOOK be misogynistic?

I’m quite curious to know how many straight guys read this and truly understood the assignment or if they just dived into this thing thinking Patrick Bateman is the ultimate poster boy for success. And make no mistake, them guys really exist and they really love Patrick!

I’m also curious to know if the people that were appalled by this book felt differently upon learning that Bret Easton Ellis is gay? Not that I’m implying that gay men can’t be sexist pigs but given that this is satire I have a hard time believing that he’s trying to glamorise this mentality shared between Bateman and his insufferable friends! 

I can’t tell you how many times I got lost in endless conversations that just went nowhere, the constant name dropping, I had no idea who Bateman and his friends were talking about most the time. Ultimately all that matters in their world is status and knowing who’s who but how interesting that nobody seems to know or remember Patrick Bateman’s actual name. Does he even know himself who he is?

It’s exhausting being in Batemans mind, pouring over the endless detailing of everyone’s wardrobe but it’s also ridiculously camp. This book is gay and I will fight any fuck boy who disagrees!

In the end it wasn’t the causal racism, extreme violence, homophobia and sexism that did me in. It was the fashion! Fuck me the clothes in this book?!

The book is good but I’m not entirely sure the pros outweighed the cons I found the endless description of clothing to be quite infuriating, comical and understood at times but in the end- fucking annoying. I also thought the whole chapter dedicated to Whitney Houston’s discography and the painstaking description of audio equipment and Genesis was completely unnecessary!