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Is the book "American Psycho" a masterpiece?

i absolutely love Ellis. I remember hearing about this book ages ago and bought it. After i had read the first 200 pages i thought i had bought the wrong book since there wasn't a single mention of any violence as described by my friend. All the book seemed to be was a journey through 80's materialistic USA with the not-so-bright and very shallow Patrick.

When Patrick did start killing people, it wasn't really a big deal since you become quite attached to his childlike manner and he somehow makes you feel like the killings are no big deal.

I really loved the way that Ellis managed this. Definately one of my favourite books.

As a side point, has anyone read Glamorama? I was gutted when it finished the way it did. I'm still trying to work out what happened!
 
I think trying to apply a linear narrative to Glamorama is a folly. You just gotta let it wash over you. I love reading this book, as it sends me into an almost psychotic state every time. It seems to have this effect on people whereby they are absorbed into Victor's paranoid world. It's very profound and unpleasant and for that alone it's a great piece of literature.
 
^^Man, I tried to read that a long time ago (when I was probably too little to understand it) and I couldn't get into it... but the way you describe it makes it sound like something I would enjoy a lot.
 
near 1984?

not quite. almost all the reasons i would offer have been succinctly stated by others... but i think the test of time will tell. (mega cliche-remix!)
 
Never read the book, tried watching the movie twice (somehow I never made it very far, the last part I remember is when he kills that bum, nothing after that).

1984 is great though ;)
 
I just saw this yesterday actually, and really enjoyed it. Haven't read the book, but may pick it up. I lvoe dark comedies, and the movie certainly is just that, and Bale was absolutely awesome. loved his acting, but were the murders in his head or not? I thought certainly they were, till I realized maybe the attorney was also guilty of mistaken id like Paul was, since the whole point of the movie was the superficiality this would just be more of it. Anyway, good movie, will pick up the book if I actually find time to read one :)
 
If you read the book expect to be scarred for a little while. I couldn't look at anyone for 2 weeks after reading the book without thinking about the many different ways I could conceivably kill them...

But once again it is fucking preposterous to say that Ellis is anywhere near as great as Orwell. Ellis is great at satiricising small things. Orwell puts the whole world into perspective, and he does small things better too.

Some of Orwell's lesser known books like Burmese Days, Coming up for Air, Down and Out in Paris and London, Keep The Aspidistra Flying, and The Clergyman's Daughter, are way better takes on the culture of the time than Ellis' are on our culture.
 
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