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A review by flatstrahmly
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
This is definitely a very divisive book. A lot of people love it, some people hate it. I for one think Bret Ellis Easton is a genius. From the way it is written, to the themes it covers and the subjective nature that opens up discussions. I had a lot of thoughts whilst reading so here we go..
Patrick Bateman is a Wall Street broker, unhappy with his career (alluded to by his girlfriend Evelyn) but he won't quit as he wants to fit in with his social circle and uphold his image. There is nothing behind his mask of sanity and faux charm. Throughout the book, the narration drones on in a mundane tone and this does not switch from whether he’s discussing his materialistic possessions or whether he’s detailing a brutal assault or murder or cheating on his fiancee. It is all one note.
Patrick likes music. Well, he listens to it. He reads about it. He regurgitates reviews from newspapers and critics, all to fit in and seem like he is something other than a shell of a human. You can see his unreliable narration slipping in when he speaks about Whitney Houston, and he says that a song is about how ‘we cannot emphasize with others, only with ourselves’. — stop projecting, Patrick.
He is consistently ignored throughout the book and when presented with his admissions of evil, they act as though he said something that wasn’t at all out of the ordinary. I think this alludes to the fact that if you have enough money and status, you can get away with anything even if you don’t hide your true views and you are outwardly spoken. There are plenty of people in our society who have done terrible things, yet gotten away with it due to money or connections.
(There’s a quote at some point throughout the book where Timothy Price states ‘Once they hear how much I make, my behavior couldn’t matter less.’ and I think that sums it up.)
People constantly mistake their colleagues and those among their social circles for other people, as they’re too vapid and wrapped up in their own lives to take a minute to genuinely pay attention, get to know people, and recall them. Everyone fits in and dresses the same - their social standing requires them to. No indiviuality. No distinction.
It is alluded to during a meal with his ex-girlfriend from Harvard that Bateman is maybe some form of “nepo-baby”. This ties into social issues the book presents, the privilege and advantage that can come with having connections, status and money.
Throughout the book, he consumes a lot of drugs, pops a lot of pills (some used for insomniacs - thanks Google), and drinks a lot. It is possible that sleep deprivation, along with the cocktail of drugs and alcohol could make his delusional state worse and cause hallucinations. He states many small things throughout the book that any sane person can tell are all in his head, like bones in chocolate bars, etc.
Also, during the scene with the escorts (I don’t know if this was on purpose), a lot of what Patrick describes is porn-ideals. Which is what we’d EXPECT from him with the videotapes he watches. Either he’s doing his little unreliable narrator job or it’s just another reason to believe he is delusional.
I love unreliable narrators and Patrick Bateman is no acception. You cannot believe a word he says, the recounting of events he gives.
As far as adaptions go, the movie is amazing though it is a LOT more diluted than the content in the book, which is far more disturbing. It is not REALLY a horror though. At its core it is almost a running commentary and if you dig a little deeper, you will find the excellence beneath.
If you can get through his yapping about Huey Lewis and The News.
It is really up to the interpretation of the reader to not only determine if Bateman is infact a serial killer, or just a very mentally unwell man suffering from delusions, but to take certain things from the book - whether you think it’s commentating on the state of America, social issues or capitalism.
I could write a lot more regarding this novel after sitting on it for a little while but this review is already long enough and a bit rambly, I don’t intend this to be perfect - my first ever review on Goodreads, woohoo!
Patrick Bateman is a Wall Street broker, unhappy with his career (alluded to by his girlfriend Evelyn) but he won't quit as he wants to fit in with his social circle and uphold his image. There is nothing behind his mask of sanity and faux charm. Throughout the book, the narration drones on in a mundane tone and this does not switch from whether he’s discussing his materialistic possessions or whether he’s detailing a brutal assault or murder or cheating on his fiancee. It is all one note.
Patrick likes music. Well, he listens to it. He reads about it. He regurgitates reviews from newspapers and critics, all to fit in and seem like he is something other than a shell of a human. You can see his unreliable narration slipping in when he speaks about Whitney Houston, and he says that a song is about how ‘we cannot emphasize with others, only with ourselves’. — stop projecting, Patrick.
He is consistently ignored throughout the book and when presented with his admissions of evil, they act as though he said something that wasn’t at all out of the ordinary. I think this alludes to the fact that if you have enough money and status, you can get away with anything even if you don’t hide your true views and you are outwardly spoken. There are plenty of people in our society who have done terrible things, yet gotten away with it due to money or connections.
(There’s a quote at some point throughout the book where Timothy Price states ‘Once they hear how much I make, my behavior couldn’t matter less.’ and I think that sums it up.)
People constantly mistake their colleagues and those among their social circles for other people, as they’re too vapid and wrapped up in their own lives to take a minute to genuinely pay attention, get to know people, and recall them. Everyone fits in and dresses the same - their social standing requires them to. No indiviuality. No distinction.
It is alluded to during a meal with his ex-girlfriend from Harvard that Bateman is maybe some form of “nepo-baby”. This ties into social issues the book presents, the privilege and advantage that can come with having connections, status and money.
Throughout the book, he consumes a lot of drugs, pops a lot of pills (some used for insomniacs - thanks Google), and drinks a lot. It is possible that sleep deprivation, along with the cocktail of drugs and alcohol could make his delusional state worse and cause hallucinations. He states many small things throughout the book that any sane person can tell are all in his head, like bones in chocolate bars, etc.
Also, during the scene with the escorts (I don’t know if this was on purpose), a lot of what Patrick describes is porn-ideals. Which is what we’d EXPECT from him with the videotapes he watches. Either he’s doing his little unreliable narrator job or it’s just another reason to believe he is delusional.
I love unreliable narrators and Patrick Bateman is no acception. You cannot believe a word he says, the recounting of events he gives.
As far as adaptions go, the movie is amazing though it is a LOT more diluted than the content in the book, which is far more disturbing. It is not REALLY a horror though. At its core it is almost a running commentary and if you dig a little deeper, you will find the excellence beneath.
If you can get through his yapping about Huey Lewis and The News.
It is really up to the interpretation of the reader to not only determine if Bateman is infact a serial killer, or just a very mentally unwell man suffering from delusions, but to take certain things from the book - whether you think it’s commentating on the state of America, social issues or capitalism.
I could write a lot more regarding this novel after sitting on it for a little while but this review is already long enough and a bit rambly, I don’t intend this to be perfect - my first ever review on Goodreads, woohoo!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Racism, Gore, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Drug use
Minor: Ableism