American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis

This was the most violently explicit book I’ve ever read. Now, I’m no prude; I’ve seen a lot, read a lot and done a lot, but this was just way too much for me. Yeah, Yeah, I get it, that was the point, but it was relentless in its graphic descriptors and just kept going more and more over the top.

There was definitely a cadence to this book; haute couture, music, torture, each written with precisely gory detail followed by awkward segues from one subject to the next. Lather, rinse, repeat, ad nauseam. Just to be even more annoying, there were suggestions of an institutionalized mother, past misdeeds, etc. that were never revisited or concluded. Again, probably intentional.

Patrick Bateman, The American Psycho, is a despicable character. He judges people by their clothing, believes he is a connoisseur of all things related to music, and thoroughly enjoys torturing and murdering children, homeless, prostitutes, and colleagues. Each depraved act outdoes the last and then the unimaginable is depicted and becomes forever etched in the readers mind.

The additional characters were mini Patricks minus the murderous rage and not worth mentioning.

I wouldn’t want to meet with Mr. Ellis. While I realize this was a work of fiction, for someone to have thought those thoughts just really creeps me out. Again, I know that was the point, but I aint taking no chances…

My rating for  American Psycho is a 5 out of 10 (only due to its being well written).

DON’T READ THIS BOOK!!!

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Next up , Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace…