Samantha Strong's Reviews > American Psycho
American Psycho
by
by
Well, that was a trip.
I saw this movie 20 years ago when it came out, and I've wanted to read the book since then--because the book usually goes deeper. From what I remember, they're very similar, which I think says something good about the film maker. But I'm glad I didn't read this at the impressionable age of 19; otherwise it would have probably traumatized me. Now I'm at a point in life where I can create space, but a large number of warnings over the years definitely helped prepare me. It was very gruesome.
I don't really know what to say about it because if you're considering reading this, you already know what you're going to get. The version I had contained an essay by the author written recently, and I found that very interesting. This is an autobiography, minus the murdering, or so he claims.
I love unreliable narrators, stuff that shocks me, and dark musings on the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. I suppose I took a star off because body horror bothers me, although the older I get, the less it does. I'm sure that says something. This book wouldn't be the same without the gruesome violence and absurd pornography, and it pulls zero punches. Still, the most disturbing part is that people actually live like the more mundane parts of the novel. That, to me, is truly sickening. 19-year-old me might have found it something to aspire to, I'm not sure. One other thing I love is reexperiencing stories at different times in my life to see how I've changed, so that was also a treat.
***
Considering this is my review and I can therefore do what I want with it, I've decided to opine on the accusations that American Psycho is misogynistic--
but somehow not racist? How many times did the n-word appear in this book? I'll tell you. It was 12. I guess iT wAs A dIfFeReNt TiMe and everyone critiquing it was hyperfocused on the women's movement.
--given how the main character treats women.
Art mirrors life. If this fictional, satirical book unearths a bunch of disgusting attitudes held, paid for, and continuously perpetuated by the rich, how can the book itself be misogynistic? It is, in fact, quite feminist, in that it shows the world the abhorrent views the oligarchy lives out every day.
Why would anyone want to READ that tripe, though? one might ask. Well, I can't really answer that, except that knowledge is power. And maybe I dared myself to finally get through something so commonly described as extremely grotesque.
I saw this movie 20 years ago when it came out, and I've wanted to read the book since then--because the book usually goes deeper. From what I remember, they're very similar, which I think says something good about the film maker. But I'm glad I didn't read this at the impressionable age of 19; otherwise it would have probably traumatized me. Now I'm at a point in life where I can create space, but a large number of warnings over the years definitely helped prepare me. It was very gruesome.
I don't really know what to say about it because if you're considering reading this, you already know what you're going to get. The version I had contained an essay by the author written recently, and I found that very interesting. This is an autobiography, minus the murdering, or so he claims.
I love unreliable narrators, stuff that shocks me, and dark musings on the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. I suppose I took a star off because body horror bothers me, although the older I get, the less it does. I'm sure that says something. This book wouldn't be the same without the gruesome violence and absurd pornography, and it pulls zero punches. Still, the most disturbing part is that people actually live like the more mundane parts of the novel. That, to me, is truly sickening. 19-year-old me might have found it something to aspire to, I'm not sure. One other thing I love is reexperiencing stories at different times in my life to see how I've changed, so that was also a treat.
***
Considering this is my review and I can therefore do what I want with it, I've decided to opine on the accusations that American Psycho is misogynistic--
but somehow not racist? How many times did the n-word appear in this book? I'll tell you. It was 12. I guess iT wAs A dIfFeReNt TiMe and everyone critiquing it was hyperfocused on the women's movement.
--given how the main character treats women.
Art mirrors life. If this fictional, satirical book unearths a bunch of disgusting attitudes held, paid for, and continuously perpetuated by the rich, how can the book itself be misogynistic? It is, in fact, quite feminist, in that it shows the world the abhorrent views the oligarchy lives out every day.
Why would anyone want to READ that tripe, though? one might ask. Well, I can't really answer that, except that knowledge is power. And maybe I dared myself to finally get through something so commonly described as extremely grotesque.
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