American Psycho discussion

American Psycho is the most BORING book I have ever read. Too much unnecessary, lengthy descriptions about bloody restaurants, fashion etc. We don't need to know all this detail, as good story should be about advancing the plot. I haven't even bothered to finish it.

Well, it not really a plot book. It just sort of gives examples and sitiuations to illisturate the authors point. But, I see why some people wouldnt like it for that reason.

I'm not big on unnecessary description, either, but I don't view this book that way. The passages let you enter Bateman's mind, which I found unnerving and fascinating. I understand why people don't enjoy the book, but Ellis wrote it that way to immerse the reader in the psychosis.

I agree with Tia. While the lengthy descriptions can lead to a little "reading fatigue", they really help put the reader into the mind of a psychopath. I could tell Bateman was crazy looong before he kills anyone.

I do remember finding it quite tedious. If you are neither shocked nor aroused by the violence then it is just boring.

We have a psychopath, a person who is without an internal sense of value who takes on completely all the values of the warped society he lives in. Power, status, pop, pleasure. No empathy, no love, no grief, no joy
.

The chapters repeat and repeat and repeat. Instead: describe one murder, maybe two, and one vapid obsession with something from pop culture, maybe two. Leave in everything from his crisis and conflict. Bang. Book is finished, hasn't lost anything, 200 pages, tops.

I agree that it sometimes drags on for pages at a time talking about what everybody in the room is wearing but this is just to show the superficiality and materialism of Bateman and his buddies (and also upper class America to Ellis). Without it we wouldn't quite get the same picture of Bateman as being inhuman.

Alan wrote: "American Psycho is the most BORING book I have ever read. Too much unnecessary, lengthy descriptions about bloody restaurants, fashion etc. We don't need to know all this detail, as good story shou..."

The movie was, for a change, much better than the book.

Alan wrote: "American Psycho is the most BORING book I have ever read. Too much unnecessary, lengthy descriptions about bloody restaurants, fashion etc. We don't need to know all this detail, as good story shou..."

After finally finishing the first chapter I literally googled "american psycho novel is boring" and found this comment. So accurate. So much useless writing it turns you into a psycho. That's why it's "the most disturbing book".

I can see why people say it's boring. It took me awhile to read, but I was also finishing up classes. I went into it with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised how funny it was! It's a dark comedy/satire more than it's a thriller or mystery.

I think the murders were really an afterthought. The first two, where he kills the homeless man and first woman, are used to make a point about his absolute disdain for other humans (like any other serial killer), and comment on how people view the homeless or less fortunate and the sexism and violence against women that's so prevalent. The murders aren't the point of the story. The point is to critique the wealthy and show how vapid, materialistic, and self-absorbed they are and how living this lifestyle can make one a psychopath/allow psychopaths to thrive. It's not about the plot, so much as it's about Ellis' observations of the society he is part of. If you go into this expecting adventure and crime and murder after murder, you will be disappointed. That's not what Ellis is doing here.

Side note: whether intentional or not, I think this influenced the "YOU" series, possibly even "Dexter." Whether you enjoy "American Psycho" or not, you can't deny it's impact!

I appreciated the book but it wasn't an enjoyable experience. I found the story really boring and it was an absolute crawl through the whole thing. Although this is supposedly intentional, I just found it hard to bear. This is why when the bad things happened, they felt even more grotesque.
It was brilliant for giving the message that it wanted to give and watching videos on Youtube and stuff definitely enlightened me to why it is beloved. But it simply was not an enjoyable experience. So when I rated it, I couldnt rate it any higher than a 4 star

I believe that the banal reciting of pop culture trivia and other superficialities is supposed to illustrate the vacuity of the 1980s and the self-absorbed yuppie class. I actually enjoyed his writing, but maybe not for everyone.

I felt the same way when I was reading the book but I just had to remind myself that, that's important to the book because your in the mind of Patrick Bateman and that's just how he processes thing (in long boring detail).

Alan wrote: "American Psycho is the most BORING book I have ever read. Too much unnecessary, lengthy descriptions about bloody restaurants, fashion etc. We don't need to know all this detail, as good story shou..."

I thought this too but then I listened to the audiobook and it flows a lot better when your mind isn't scanning over tonnes of outfit descriptions. Plus I think the point, which I'm sure you realised is that everyone is the same they cant tell each other apart very well always mistaking one for the other at least the men anyway so the only comparison or difference is their clothes the style the designer fashion its how they recognise each other that's
the conclusion I came to anyway.

I agree that the long descriptions are mostly to illustrate the superficiality of the upper class Wall Street guys of the 80s, but there was something extra impactful about reading one of these long chapters to be immediately met by some intense, graphic violence. If it had been super graphic the whole way through I don't think the impact would have been as jolting.

I think it also illustrates the extremes that Bateman's mind flips to and from, these in depth analysis of albums and products and outfits, as a way of fitting in with the society that demands this shallow knowledge, conjoined with sudden bursts of aggression and s*xual violence that are encouraged by the emotionless, individuality complex of that culture.

But y'all are also right it was like walking through molasses sometimes xD

one of my main gripes with this book was also how dull the constant descriptions of designer clothes or dumb restaurants could get- i had to keep reminding myself that it was meant to be a stream of consciousness type of thing, and that the whole point of bateman's extravagant lifestyle was to contrast his murderous rampages & illustrate "wall street guy" culture, but god was it a hard read.

i think that the whole problem with having an utterly insane mc like patrick is executing the internal monologue & having it be relatively easy to follow, regardless of writing style. easton tried to make it seem nonsensical on purpose by switching between violence and gucci sunglasses, which was definitely shocking, but again, it could have been a lot more well done, especially because when i finished the book the commentary was nearly lost on me.

Its the type of book that is soo boring that it makes it good. My pov is that that the author made it to be boring by showing us how these rich ass hole are discussing things that really dont matter wtf cares what music you listen to what is your morning routine rather you can get a reservation at dorsia. Idk if you noticed it but every character in the book think of themselves as some god like creature. They want to appear good but litterally do the opposite of what they preach remember the time when patrick show some beggar some money and then proceeded with giving her the finger after giving a monologue on how we should america can be great again. I guess every one in the book had no self image its just their luxury that makes them, them.

Interesting. This book was very influential for me. I was shocked at what the author got away with. He paired just enough comedy with graphic violence in such a way that it just worked. I thought it was brilliant. His other books really showcase his abilities as a writer.
It was a brilliant juxtaposition with the boring, unnecessary descriptions, and the gut-wrenching violence. The pacing was great.
But hey, to each their own!