Patrick Bateman is twenty-six and he works on Wall Street, he is handsome, sophisticated, charming and intelligent. He is also a psychopath. Taking us to head-on collision with America's greatest dream—and its worst nightmare—American Psycho is bleak, bitter, black comedy about a world we all recognise but do not wish to confront. (Goodreads)
Reading this was quite the experience and actually a torture in itself, which is a pun. Yes, I admit.
American Psycho tells the story of Patrick Bateman, financial something during the day and psychopath during the night. The story contains a lot of scenes with very graphic torture scenes, this book isn't for the weak of stomach. In my opinion the scenes were too much and too many. It's there to shock the reader, thinking that we've seen and read so much that it needs to go over the top, but in my opinion this blatant display of gore denied the story its true meaning instead of enhancing it.
And what might that message be, you ask?
Well, the reality of today that we, as human beings, are a very social 'animal' where social acceptance is very important. So, we buy clothes and items that are considered accepted and even admired, we aspire a lifestyle that may inspire awe but all this effort is all on the surface. This novel shows the materialistic nature of men (as in human kind, not only the male side of the equation), but also its incapability of reaching someone on a deeper level.
This is shown in the novel by overly detailed wardrobe choices and not enough attention when Patrick actually tells his friends/acquaintances about him torturing women.
And the few people who actually realize there is something wrong with him, don't use their knowledge to take responsibility and turn him in. They ignore it or use it to their own advantage.
So, this is a multilayered novel about human behaviour, tainted with a lot of gory scenes which may put of many readers. Oh, and of course alongside the torture the sex scenes are also very detailed and less conformist than average (I'm underestimating here, trust me).
I'm not saying this a lot, but I actually liked the movie better this time even though its message isn't as clear.
