Fantastic novel. A personal favourite. The music chapters are very telling and basically foreshadows the book and gives a commentary on Bateman himself. Very deep and every read gives a different perspective. Bateman seems more human in some reads than others, it’s a book that asks the reader to pick a stance. It’s interesting how the murders become more gruesome and less fulfilling for Bateman, he’s chasing the thrill which in the end it destroys him. The book starts as it begins, the ‘this is not an exit’ was perhaps the best fitting ending ever, nothing changes. If he killed, he killed. If he didn’t, he didn’t. The only reality in my opinion is the first hundred or so pages and the taxi chapter onwards
F Hurley wow thank you so much for your comment! You said several things that I never realized. I was always stumped by the music chapters. It never occurred to me that they were foreshadowing. I never even noticed that the beginning and end were the same. It all really does come full circle. And you’re right. The more he kills and the more brutal he gets, he is less and less satisfied. I really appreciate your comment because I NEVER thought of these things before, so thanks ☺️
Reading with Kayla I’ve read the book about 50 times. Actually just finished it again tonight. Bateman in my mind isn’t actually one person. He’s a collective. We never get a physical description on him despite his vanity. This could be due to the fact he had disassociated from himself and the clothes and restaurants are more interesting or that he’s a bit of everyone in his circle. His initials are PB (personal best) I think that Bateman represents the void in all of these characters we encounter...That’s one of my theories anyway. In regards to the murders, I’m with you. I think if Bateman is in fact a character and not a representation of capitalism that he did kill people. Mistaken identity, as you pointed out is a major theme in this novel, his own lawyer thought he was Davies at one point then two sentences later he was someone else. No one is a reliable narrator in this book due to their own narcissistic tendencies. After killing some of the girls he says that he paints a ‘picture and it looks like this’ the next chapter, immediately after this sentence is lunch with Bethenny I think. That’s a massive tell that he didn’t kill Bethenny. It’s something he fantasised about because the rejection was so crushing.
Reading with Kayla It also starts with April Fools, is all what we read next just a big joke? ‘Abandon all hope ye who enters here’ The rest of what we are witness to is basically hell, but like hell we will never be sure of its reality unless we discover ourselves in the situation of dying in sin or meeting Bateman. The book has so many overtones to it. It’s the ultimate whodunnit and social commentary. I’ve heard so many people moan about the tedious nature of the book and then misinterpret the monotony as a juxtaposition to the gore, to make it more impactful. No, like you said it’s basically all patrick is. It’s the OCD, it’s the hollowness of character and I think most people miss this and I’ve even heard people say that it should be ‘condensed’ no, it needs to be a long drawn out affair to really show you how Bateman feels. His life isn’t the yuppie paradise people envisage. It’s a gruelling, nightmarish, unreliable hell. It needs to end with ‘this is not an exit’ to really prove that this will continue and like a ghost, we’ve entered and now exited Bateman’s life. It’s like we were his imaginary friend
F Hurley wow yes, I couldn’t have said it better myself. I had a feeling that rereading it would be so beneficial. I have to do that now. All of your theories are so fascinating! It makes me want to look at the book in a whole new angle. I mean, there is so much that I missed. I can totally see how Bateman could be a collective of people. He represents so much more. It makes me believe both theories. That he was a real killer but that he also stood for all that was wrong with those kinds of people during that period in time. I have a lot to think about. And I completely agree about how necessary it is that the book is as long as it is. When I was reading it, I always got the feeling that every single sentence was vital and meant something. It has to be that way. I loved it a lot.
Hey great review of the book! I learned about the book after watching the movie and went out to read the novel. You hit the ball on every detail on the novel with the style, his thought process and how he thinks! I agree it much more graphic than the movie! There is no way many of the scenes could be put on the big screen. Funny I thought you were gonna say it took a long time cause you couldn’t handle the level of Violence in the book. Haha I stopped reading it after the Rat scene, and I’m pretty hardened viewer/reader having seen all the Saw movies and read In Cold Blood, about a real life murder. Yet I decided to give it a second chance after a few months, and its a really great read, and tells us a lot about our society and the people in it! I feel the movie also gave more the impression of it being in Bateman’s head, such as the Chainsaw hallway scene where no one comes to help, and the Police car explosion. Where as the book is more open ended and ambiguous as to what happened. Again great review!
Thanks so much! Yeah, the rat scene was definitely the toughest part for me to read. I'm pretty sure I felt physically sick during it. I really appreciate your comment so thank you :) Also, I read In Cold Blood too and I loved that one. It's so sad that it is a true story. Very disturbing.
Riley Brown thanks so much! Oooooh yes I will definitely read that one. The movie was awesome and I didn’t even know it was a book! Thanks for the suggestion and the comment ☺️
Id be inclined to say patrick is not schizophrenic, so much as hes experiencing drug induced psychotic episodes. Just based on the cocktail of drugs hes on, that seems the more likely scenario.
@@readingwithkayla941 A point about Naked Lunch: don't try to re-read the sections for more than a paragraph or two; the book is very non-linear series of loosely-related vignettes. Don't look for a plot. It has to be thought as a bizarre steam of consciousness emitting from a drug-induced mad man's mind. LOL.
@@TheSteinmetzen oh ok, that’s interesting. I’m curious what it would be like to be in the mind of someone on drugs. I’m definitely going to give this one a read soon.
I find it sort of droll and uncanny that in the book 'American Psycho' , that Bateman brings in two women,, prostitutes, and abuses then with maybe a knife and a coat hanger, the In a subsequent scene insouciantly talks about having to talk to a lawyer with something to the affect of "a bogus rape charge" . As if didn't understand the depth of his harm to the two ladies. I wonder how many readers' heads this went over.
That line really struck me too. Like, in other parts of the book he's totally happy to acknowledge he's raped people. Makes you wonder why that one is "bogus".
Fantastic novel. A personal favourite. The music chapters are very telling and basically foreshadows the book and gives a commentary on Bateman himself. Very deep and every read gives a different perspective. Bateman seems more human in some reads than others, it’s a book that asks the reader to pick a stance. It’s interesting how the murders become more gruesome and less fulfilling for Bateman, he’s chasing the thrill which in the end it destroys him. The book starts as it begins, the ‘this is not an exit’ was perhaps the best fitting ending ever, nothing changes. If he killed, he killed. If he didn’t, he didn’t. The only reality in my opinion is the first hundred or so pages and the taxi chapter onwards
F Hurley wow thank you so much for your comment! You said several things that I never realized. I was always stumped by the music chapters. It never occurred to me that they were foreshadowing. I never even noticed that the beginning and end were the same. It all really does come full circle. And you’re right. The more he kills and the more brutal he gets, he is less and less satisfied. I really appreciate your comment because I NEVER thought of these things before, so thanks ☺️
Reading with Kayla I’ve read the book about 50 times. Actually just finished it again tonight. Bateman in my mind isn’t actually one person. He’s a collective. We never get a physical description on him despite his vanity. This could be due to the fact he had disassociated from himself and the clothes and restaurants are more interesting or that he’s a bit of everyone in his circle. His initials are PB (personal best) I think that Bateman represents the void in all of these characters we encounter...That’s one of my theories anyway.
In regards to the murders, I’m with you. I think if Bateman is in fact a character and not a representation of capitalism that he did kill people. Mistaken identity, as you pointed out is a major theme in this novel, his own lawyer thought he was Davies at one point then two sentences later he was someone else. No one is a reliable narrator in this book due to their own narcissistic tendencies.
After killing some of the girls he says that he paints a ‘picture and it looks like this’ the next chapter, immediately after this sentence is lunch with Bethenny I think. That’s a massive tell that he didn’t kill Bethenny. It’s something he fantasised about because the rejection was so crushing.
Reading with Kayla It also starts with April Fools, is all what we read next just a big joke? ‘Abandon all hope ye who enters here’ The rest of what we are witness to is basically hell, but like hell we will never be sure of its reality unless we discover ourselves in the situation of dying in sin or meeting Bateman. The book has so many overtones to it.
It’s the ultimate whodunnit and social commentary. I’ve heard so many people moan about the tedious nature of the book and then misinterpret the monotony as a juxtaposition to the gore, to make it more impactful. No, like you said it’s basically all patrick is. It’s the OCD, it’s the hollowness of character and I think most people miss this and I’ve even heard people say that it should be ‘condensed’ no, it needs to be a long drawn out affair to really show you how Bateman feels. His life isn’t the yuppie paradise people envisage. It’s a gruelling, nightmarish, unreliable hell. It needs to end with ‘this is not an exit’ to really prove that this will continue and like a ghost, we’ve entered and now exited Bateman’s life. It’s like we were his imaginary friend
F Hurley wow yes, I couldn’t have said it better myself. I had a feeling that rereading it would be so beneficial. I have to do that now. All of your theories are so fascinating! It makes me want to look at the book in a whole new angle. I mean, there is so much that I missed. I can totally see how Bateman could be a collective of people. He represents so much more. It makes me believe both theories. That he was a real killer but that he also stood for all that was wrong with those kinds of people during that period in time. I have a lot to think about. And I completely agree about how necessary it is that the book is as long as it is. When I was reading it, I always got the feeling that every single sentence was vital and meant something. It has to be that way. I loved it a lot.
Hey great review of the book! I learned about the book after watching the movie and went out to read the novel. You hit the ball on every detail on the novel with the style, his thought process and how he thinks! I agree it much more graphic than the movie! There is no way many of the scenes could be put on the big screen. Funny I thought you were gonna say it took a long time cause you couldn’t handle the level of Violence in the book. Haha I stopped reading it after the Rat scene, and I’m pretty hardened viewer/reader having seen all the Saw movies and read In Cold Blood, about a real life murder. Yet I decided to give it a second chance after a few months, and its a really great read, and tells us a lot about our society and the people in it! I feel the movie also gave more the impression of it being in Bateman’s head, such as the Chainsaw hallway scene where no one comes to help, and the Police car explosion. Where as the book is more open ended and ambiguous as to what happened. Again great review!
Thanks so much! Yeah, the rat scene was definitely the toughest part for me to read. I'm pretty sure I felt physically sick during it. I really appreciate your comment so thank you :) Also, I read In Cold Blood too and I loved that one. It's so sad that it is a true story. Very disturbing.
just finished this book and this was the video i was looking for amazing review!
Great review! I really enjoyed it! Could you do Wolf On Wall street next?
Riley Brown thanks so much! Oooooh yes I will definitely read that one. The movie was awesome and I didn’t even know it was a book! Thanks for the suggestion and the comment ☺️
Id be inclined to say patrick is not schizophrenic, so much as hes experiencing drug induced psychotic episodes. Just based on the cocktail of drugs hes on, that seems the more likely scenario.
If you think this book is disturbing, read Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs.
Oooooh ok I will! Thanks!!
@@readingwithkayla941 A point about Naked Lunch: don't try to re-read the sections for more than a paragraph or two; the book is very non-linear series of loosely-related vignettes. Don't look for a plot. It has to be thought as a bizarre steam of consciousness emitting from a drug-induced mad man's mind. LOL.
@@TheSteinmetzen oh ok, that’s interesting. I’m curious what it would be like to be in the mind of someone on drugs. I’m definitely going to give this one a read soon.
Love your thoughts!
Awww thank you so much!!
Really liked your review. :)
Allie Diallo thanks so much!
I find it sort of droll and uncanny that in the book 'American Psycho' , that Bateman brings in two women,, prostitutes, and abuses then with maybe a knife and a coat hanger, the In a subsequent scene insouciantly talks about having to talk to a lawyer with something to the affect of "a bogus rape charge" . As if didn't understand the depth of his harm to the two ladies. I wonder how many readers' heads this went over.
That line really struck me too. Like, in other parts of the book he's totally happy to acknowledge he's raped people. Makes you wonder why that one is "bogus".