Review of American Pyscho by Bret Easton Ellis

The picture in the magazine

Title: American Psycho

Author: Bret Easton Ellis

Editorial: Vintage Books

Genre: Fiction

Country of origin: United States

Pages: 399

Days to finish it: 9

Books read of the author: 3

Year of publication: 1991

Personal score: 4.7/5

Preview: Mexican Psycho

Have you ever thought how a Mexican psycho could be? I know that all psychos we have known are mostly American, and the majority of times they are selfish, lonely, sociopaths, intelligent and clever. But how a Mexican psycho could be? I think here in Mexico we are surrounded by psychos, but none of them has the guts to be a serial killer, at least not for the same reasons that in the USA. A killer in Mexico is motivated for the money, the absence of something material; in the USA a killer is motivated for being remembered and not to be forgotten. Only a border divides us, but our society, our motivations, our complexes and our education completely differentiate us. Which characteristics a Mexican psycho should have?

How did I get it?

Lent it from a friend, almost a year ago, I read it until now. Then I lent it to someone else, who finally gave it back. No one read it, so sad.

A little bit of the author…

So far I´ve read three books read from the author, with this book he became famous and recognized. American Psycho is his most famous book, at least, until now.

Review

Patrick Bateman has everything a man could want, he has money, a fit body, intelligence, a good job, culture, but something is missing. His expensive and glamourous life is missing something.

Patrick lives through fancy restaurants, expensive clubs, hardbodies girls and killing thoughts, he´s a psychopath fantasizing killing and dismembering people every fucking time of the day.

Through the portrait of a life full of luxury, decadence, selfishness, the book American Psycho is presented. A squeaky mind, in a flat society.

Opinion

If reading Bret Easton Ellis was hard in Spanish, in English is twice as hard. The problem with the narrative is changing and sometimes too abrupt. I mean, the main character could be speaking about a magnificent dessert, and then speaking about how to dismember a person. It’s not the topic, the changes are.

The book is too branded, I mean, the character is always saying and repeating the brand names of the clothes, is like a habit they have when they see a person. Also I had an issue, when I was reading I noticed the obsession with Donald Trump, I tried to understand and contextualize, and I remember that Donald Trump was a recognized businessman in the eighties. 

I had a favorite part, (as in the movie) and was the night with Sabrina and Christie. This scene was delightful and sick. By the way, months ago I saw the movie and I really didn’t like it a lot, now, until I’ve read the book, a lot of things get clearer. The movie is well adapted because it maintains the most relevant and important things. I was wondering why the movie didn’t really get me, and I think the Bale´s acting is too exaggerated.

So, the other characters are fine, they could seem flat and hollow, but everyone has a particular role in the book. I loved the killing thoughts that batter the main character, probably this is the best part of the book; I also wondered if all those killing thoughts were real or just that… killing thoughts.

I tried to enjoy the book, the first 100 pages took me a week to read, and the other 300 almost in a weekend, it is not a very hard book, only with a couple of superficial words. What are you waiting for to get it?

Let me be your Mexican psycho.

Quotes

"Everybody´s rich, he´s good looking, he has a great body, everybody has a great body, now."

"I don´t care, she´s beautiful. I want to fuck her. I want to marry her. I want her to have my children. -Oh, Jesus, who wants to marry a chick who´s gonna give birth a jug of vodka and cranberry juice?"

"A good personality consists of a chick who has a little hardboy and who will satisfy all the sexual demands without being too slutty about things and who will essentially keep her dumb fucking mouth shut."

"But at her apartment she lies naked on her back, her legs tan anad aerobicized and muscular and worked out -are spread and I´m on my knees giving her head while jerking myself off and in the time since i´ve started licling and sucking on her pussy she´s already come twice..."

"So, she asks, Are you seeing amyone? My life is essentially uncomplicated."

"My pain is constant and sharp and I do not hope for a better world for anyone. In fact I want my pain to be inflicted on others. I want no one to escape." 

"Listen, I´ve already taken two Xanax this morning, so, uh. you´re incapable of upsetting me."