A Masterpiece (American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis)

Member Name: firetotheworks

Product:	American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
Date:	30/05/09 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thoroughly engaging storyline, characters and reader perceptions.

Disadvantages: The only early disadvatage I rethought and realised as an insightful side-story. PM for more details

Worryingly (as you may tell by the books title) this is my favourite book.

To give a small, non-spoiler preface to the events in the book this is a story about Patrick Bateman, the epitome of the 1980s yuppie. He is obsessive compulsive about the various things that he either loves or requires to fit within his self styled idea of perfection. As the title would suggest, there is a lot more to him than that, but this is best left untouched for maximum impact when reading it.

What I will say (again, this is not a spoiler) is that the book as a whole subtly encapsulates what I envisage when remembering the 80s. This is quite an achievement considering the oldest I got to in the 80s was 5 years old. It's so hard to put my finger on why the scene seems so right without referencing tenuous links such as multi-story car parks, neon lights, multi-national corporation branding, trouser braces and money clips. Yet hopefully once you read it (which I highly recommend you do) you will understand what I mean...it just feels right.

The story is fascinating, and one that encourages insight and varied perception.

I have my own ideas about many of the themes throughout the book, and even the stylistics that influence the way in which you read, again encouraging further ideas for the reader. I am almost at pains to not self indulgently divulge them, but I wont for fear of spoiling the readers own views on this.

Suffice to say, I love this book and cant recommend it highly enough.

Summary: Just thoroughly brilliant. I cannot recommend it highly enough.