We all love a good horror story, but ‘American Psycho’ by Bret Easton Ellis is really something else. The story highlights the business in which Patrick Bateman deals with daily, but also his gruesome nature which soon becomes prominent to his everyday life style. Psychopathic needs soon take over and totally engulf his thought processes completely. He’s out for blood and he won’t stop until he is satisfied. This addiction and obsession with prostitutes and death becomes a continuous cycle which he cannot escape from. This novel is not for the faint-hearted.
Daily skin routines, yoga and a healthy breakfast, at first it is all completely normal. As the story progresses, the charming, successful business man we have been introduced to starts to intertwine some abnormal tendencies. Under all those layers there is something terrible - something kept hidden in the dark. His luxury lifestyle comes apparent that it is just a front to hide his psychotic mind. Bateman's multiple affairs with women play a big part, as does cocaine, racism and sexism. A misogynist psycho killer... what’s not to love? Well, a lot of things actually.
One of the best things about this book is definitely the detail included, whether that is about the sex, murders or his new handkerchief. The description allows you to view the action from any angle, but for some of the killings I’d rather not picture them at all to be honest. Out of all the sentient life forms on earth, Bateman was an exception, an affectionless psychopath according to psychology. Some of the scenes are so incredibly grim I had to stop reading and watch Pepper Pig for a while. Watching cartoon pigs roll around in mud soon put me in a peaceful frame of mind.
If you have a strong stomach and a love for serial killers, everything you need is right here.
