Strange Book (American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis)

Member Name: CK_1

Product:	American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
Date:	20/11/00 (220 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well-written, incisive

Disadvantages: Too violent

American Psycho is not an easy book to read -it is highly offensive, and much of the action is quite disturbing. It's easy to criticise the book for these faults - I really never have read a book as sickening as this

However - the book is good, it tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a late-eighties young, upwardly mobile New York businessman. As the title would suggest - he's also a psychopath.

The book is a satire on the consumerism that was prevalent at this time. The most noticable thing about the style of writing is that Bateman will always comment on what a secondary character is wearing - and his opinions on it. He is also obsessed with Zagat's - the definitive NY restraunt guide -and where it is 'hip' to eat.

The book doesn't really have a plot - the closest it comes to a storyline is Bateman's murder of a colleague at work - who has an important account - and the resulting investigation.

The most disturbing thing about the book, is the ending - Bateman's stream of conciousness gets increaingly more tangled, as he starts to lose his mind. The last chapter, however, has Bateman going on holiday with his girlfriend - seemingly normal, and free. What is never clear about the book is whether Bateman has committed these atrocities, or whether he has just fantisised it.

Summary: