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American Psycho

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American Psycho

By: Bret Easton Ellis
Narrated by: Nick Landrum
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About this listen

Patrick Bateman is 26 and works on Wall Street. He is handsome, sophisticated, charming, and intelligent. He is also a psychopath. And he is taking us to a head-on collision with America's greatest dream - and its worst nightmare...

©1991 Bret Easton Ellis (P)2009 Recorded Books LLC Crime Thrillers Dark Humour Fiction Genre Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Suspense Thriller & Suspense Urban Thriller Comedy Crime Scary

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Most relevant

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. This book constantly caught me by surprise, and in the process shredded my nerves to breaking point. This book is intelligently written and not a comfortable listen, but is incredibly compelling.

What was one of the most memorable moments of American Psycho?

Ellis throws very disturbing comments into the mundane descriptions of the lead characters behaviour. In one scene he talks about Bateman arriving at his flat, performing some everyday tasks and then torturing a small dog to death, completely catching the reader by surprise.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The second sex scene with the prostitute and another female character. Far from being an erotic encounter, I found myself apprehensively awaiting the scene to descend to the brutality we have come to expect from Bateman, shredding my nerves in the process.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Ellis' reflection of every other character around Bateman not recognising each other, calling each other by incorrect names and generally being so self absorbed and in their own worlds that no one is missed when they disappear. This includes Bateman himself, greeting people who he thinks are others throughout the novel. In this instance the most real characters are the ones on the periphery, making it much easier to relate to them and caring more about their fates.

Any additional comments?

Buy this book. It is highly intelligent and is guaranteed to catch you out, shred your nerves and make you dread what is about to happen.

A most uncomfortable and gripping listen!

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Another reviewer has described this book as both boring and gruesome. It is both. The story is composed largely of lists of who's wearing what by which designer, punctuated by scenes of extreme violence both physical and/or sexual. It is not for the faint-hearted.



The protagonist – Patrick Bateman – is a thoroughly dislikeable character, completely without redeeming features. Leaving aside the psychosis, some psychotics can be utterly charming, he treats everyone mercilessly and his actions are without repercussion. He is utterly self-absorbed, sexist, homophobic and racist. I read a review of this book elsewhere that suggested that the violence does not actually happen and I feel that it is completely plausible that these scenes are cocaine-fuelled fantasies.



There are recurrent themes throughout the book, the subject of the "Patti Winters Show" televised each morning; getting a reservation in an exclusive restaurant; monologues on the merits of the band Genesis and singer Whitney Houston. The characters’ conversations are beyond banal, a discussion on brands of bottled waters, for instance.



Had I set out to read the physical book, I wouldn't have got past page 20 it is so mind-numbing, however, the narration is good and this is a help towards the finish, which I will do, if only to see how depraved or conversely, boring, it can get. It goes without saying that the book in itself is very well written, descriptive passages leave nothing to the imagination.

Difficult

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I didn't know what to expect and the book left me non the wiser, baffled. Didn't see the movie because I heard it's kinda gruesome but my god, the book is pure evil! I always wondered if written word can impact emotions so much but I found myself cringing at some stages.
The guy who reads it is brilliant. He sounds like Christian Bale. Is he Christian Bale? Is he a psychopath?
Comes recommended as it was a completely new and disturbing experience for me.

I didn't know what to expect!

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The detail in this book is incredible, a great movie but this is just so much more. every chapter gripped me wanting to stay listening for the next.

You must listen to this.

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I.liked the film and was keen to hear how the book compares. It doesn't. I've tried with this book but it is so difficult to care about. The narcissistic attention to detail that is amusing in the film becomes endless lists of waffle, suffocating the storyline into obscurity. The loathsome sinister aspect of Bateman's personality in the film comes across in the book as nothing more than yet another obnoxious financier. As this is the POV for the whole book, it is like being cornered at the office party by the company wideboy salesman.

I've made it to chapter 20. It's been an effort but I'm admitting defeat with American Psycho. 2 dimensional and boring.

Tedious.

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