American Psycho - to stick with it?

posy2010

I finished the book but skipped any excessively gorey bits. Might have missed the point but I just couldn't sit through 4 or 5 of the kills. The rest kept my attention though!

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Eoin wrote: »

I enjoyed American Psycho, but I've really struggled with some of the other books I tried (I think they were "Less Than Zero" and "Glamorama").

Are they worth persevering with?

I've actually read a good few of Ellis' books, I really liked Less Than Zero but I actually couldn't finish Glamorama, stoped about 1/3 of the way through it. I just hated the characters, and couldn't persevere.

I actually thought Lunar Park was one of his better books but nothing compares with American Psycho.

I could actually feel the whole mood of the Rules of Attraction change when Sean and Patrick meet up, the athmosphere just goes frosty.

buck65

Revolting, vile, overblown, cheesy, naff, gratuitous porn and violence.
I absolutely loved it.


Off to return some videotapes.

triseke

I must say, I read it, and enjoyed it. Its dark, and vile, and horrible in places. But its def one book im glad I read.

KnifeWRENCH

The endless clothing descriptions bothered me too. A lot. But enduring those pages is a small sacrifice because the rest of the book is excellent.

I tended to just skim past those pages without reading them properly....I was much more interested in all the gore. :pac:

pink-mist

Im a huge BEE fan, but I have to say, this is one book I couldn't stick with. The clothing descriptions also bothered me to no end - I mean I get it Illustrates what an ocd character bateman is but its just monotonous to read!

I'd strongly recommend Less than Zero or Rules of Attraction though. They have a somewhat similar writing style, but no in anyway as tedious as american psycho.

As for now, watch the movie

pink-mist

Travel is good wrote: »

I've read nearly all of Ellis's books. I really like them. The only one I haven't read yet (on my "to be read" pile) is "Imperial Bedrooms". Has anyone read it? I bought "Less than Zero" to read again, before I try it.

A good article here in the Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0731/1224275865030.html

Also, in reply to this, DONT BOTHER. Imperial bedrooms was such a let down. Nothing like <0 which was such a fantastic read. Imperial bedrooms is just ridiculous...I got 3/4 waythough and ditched it. Stick with his older stuff!

calex71

pink-mist wrote: »

Im a huge BEE fan, but I have to say, this is one book I couldn't stick with. The clothing descriptions also bothered me to no end - I mean I get it Illustrates what an ocd character bateman is but its just monotonous to read!

I'd strongly recommend Less than Zero or Rules of Attraction though. They have a somewhat similar writing style, but no in anyway as tedious as american psycho.

As for now, watch the movie

That actually bothered me too massively, from his long descriptions of food and drink , suits, etc to porn and the music of genesis while I was reading the book. But once I'd finished the book and reflected on it I found it quite clever actually, as you say it emphasizes his OCD. Overly so? No I don't think he couldn't have over emphasized Bateman if he tried for 30 years I think He captured the time excellently too.

On a side I hated everything of BEE's put out since that i've read

Not being critical just not for me I guess.

damselnat

I picked this up because an old English teacher read something I had sent him and told me my writing reminded him of BEE...I wasn't too impressed when reading this book, I have to say! Though I thought the gore descriptions were just amazing, really toe curling, I actually had to turn away from the book at times they were so brilliantly vile. The clothes though...snore....and I jus took to skipping the sections on music, they made me want to commit some of the crimes on Bateman himself±!! Definitely mixed feelings about being compared to him, then I read Less Than Zero and "got" the comparison, very relieved it wasn't Psycho! Alternately brilliant and mind numbingly banal. I get that that's the point (and like how Ross O'Carroll Kelly pays tribute to it, much as I'm not convinced by it in that character's context! :pac: ) but it is just cruel on the reader.
Skim over them and get to the good stuff, because the good stuff is great.

JennyBurke101

Love this ...its an amazing book - amazing movie too!!!