To hear our spoiler filled thoughts on this book, click here to listen to our podcast episode
After watching the film adaptation of American Psycho, I was excited when our group chose (or did it choose us) to read the book. It’s definitely not the easiest book to read, or listen to. I listened to the audio book and I would highly recommend it, the narrator did a fantastic job.
American Psycho is told in more of a stream of consciousness way that can at times feel very high energy all the time. This is a result of our main character, Patrick Bateman usually being high on drugs or having an experience that may or may not actually be happening. Bateman embodies the decadence and excess that was the 80’s. Of course I don’t have first hand experience of what the Wall Street types were up to, but this doesn’t seem too far off. Obsessed with appearance and materialism, the overly descriptions of what everyone is wearing and what designer the clothes were from can get exhausting. There were times that it was hard to read because it became so repetitive. After finishing the book those descriptions made more sense and the constant reminders of what matters to Bateman were there for a reason.
Bateman isn’t a good person. He reflects on his life and at times what led him to the mindset he’s currently in, and that mindset can be very disturbing. There are some extremely violent acts and sexual activities that are described in detail, so if that is something that bothers you I would suggest skipping this one. Bateman sees everyone as beneath him and expendable, even people who live in the same world as he does. People aren’t people to him, people are obstacles in his way or impediments that are preventing him from getting what he wants at any given moment.
The book constantly keeps you guessing on whether what Bateman experiences is real or his imagination. I won’t reveal my own thoughts on that here, but we do discuss that in our spoiler episode posted above. The last few pages of the book tie a bow on the entire story, making you consider not only this story but what our own priorities are and how we can forget what is happening around us, down the block or around the world. Overall I loved this book, but I only loved it after turning that last page. The book was difficult to get through at times, but when you finish it all makes sense.
