A novel starring a wealthy and vain Manhattan investment banker who finds gratification in his hedonistic fantasies brought to life, sounds like a perfect read to me! And maybe, I do relate to Patrick Bateman’s obsession with money, after all, who does not? Also, Bateman being equal parts “Alpha” and “Sigma” is just the cherry on cake! Don’t worry, my dear readers, if you think I admire the protagonist’s sadistic personality, I most certainly do not. But let us admit, this is a gripping read for all those who yearn for an adrenaline rush and a thrilling ride into the fictional world.
“American Psycho” is a novel written by Bret Easton Ellis and published in 1991. It’s a dark and satirical novel that explores themes of materialism, narcissism, and the superficiality of American society in the late 20th century. The story is narrated by Patrick Bateman, a wealthy and successful young investment banker who appears to have it all – a high-paying job, designer clothes, a luxurious apartment, and a glamorous social life. However, beneath this veneer of success, Patrick Bateman is a deeply disturbed and violent individual. The novel follows Bateman as he engages in acts of extreme violence and depravity, including murder. He meticulously describes his obsession with consumerism, fashion, and the status symbols of the era. He is also obsessed with perfection, both in himself and in the world around him (again, who is not). At the end, the author draws a very thin, blurry line between the reality and Bateman’s delusional fantasies, which is subject to the reader’s perception.
American Psycho was found to be “deeply and extremely disgusting” by Andrew Motion and “the most loathsome offering of the season,” by the New York Times when it was first published. Almost quarter of a century later, Bret Easton Ellis’s divisive novel has become the subject of a police raid, after a bookshop in Adelaide was asked to remove copies of the book from shelves when it was discovered to be on sale without the required plastic wrapping. In Germany the book was deemed “harmful to minors” and had numerous sales restrictions placed on it between 1995-2000. In Australia, the book must be sold shrink wrapped and cannot be sold to those under the age of 18. In the United States, the book was named the 53rd most banned and challenged book from 1990–1999 by the American Library Association.
I personally think that this novel is an exemplary blend of humour and horror. Bret Ellis has woven his words so beautifully that you will end up throwing up from abhorrence and laughing out loud at situations on the same page. To be perfectly candid, this novel throws light upon some hideous truths about this world. Patrick Bateman’s wall street colleagues were so engrossed in their own world that they were oblivious to the happenings of the outside world. They often dismissed Patrick’s violent outbursts and confessions as eccentricities or a joke. This implies a lack of moral and emotional attachment and egocentric demeanour which unfortunately, is not shocking in today’s world.
Moreover, what most of us tend to forget is that the whole idea behind books is to help you withdraw from the real world and teleport you into one where everything is just a reverie. Now, this book is definitely not pleasant to someone with a faint heart but it is to someone who adores dark fiction (I know it is to me ;)). By the way, no, I am not a psycho for loving dark fiction.
-Saanvi Rungta
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