Following on from my previous post, a book review written a couple of years ago, shortly after I read the book.
An extremely entertaining read. The book alternates between chapters that are amusing (descriptions of the interactions between a group of entirely self-centered people), shocking (graphic descriptions of killings), and seemingly irrelevant (intellectual critiques of popular musical groups).
The most effective humour involves meetings between the main character (Patrick Bateman psychopath) and 'real' people as opposed to the entirely self-centered cardboard cut-outs of people that make up the majority of the characters. Patrick and his peers are for most purposes of social interaction interchangeable since they all look and dress similarly and discuss only the most superficial of topics (eg. restaurant menus, dress etiquette, gadgets). Patrick and his peers do not seem to care who they are speaking to at any given time, frequently mistaking each other for other people with little or no consequence. When 'real' people who ask questions with more depth (eg. Patrick's ex-girlfriend Bethany, his secretary, or the private detective) enter the scenes, Patrick does not know how to respond and hilarity ensues. I could not contain myself and laughed out loud while reading this book on the train on a few occasions.
Another thing I liked about this book was the style in which it was written. Normal rules of grammar are disregarded. Some chapters start or end mid-sentence. Italics are used liberally throughout. Sentences regularly exceed a third of a page in length. Despite this, the prose flows. This book expanded my view of what creative writing can be.
You make a good point about the humour in the book - I think it's a point that's often overlooked, but so many of the scenes are poignantly funny.
ReplyDeleteMy review: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
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