There are many shocking books in the market and then there is American Psycho.
I saw the movie a decade back. It is a very tamed down version of this classic. A faithful adaptation of this masterpiece would have gone direct to video as there seems to be no censor board in the world which would allow the violence of this magnitude to pass.
The book is narrated in the first person by Patrick Bateman, a very successful businessman who is obsessed about his looks. He has a circle of beautiful friends, earns good money and loves to kill people.
The first 100 odd pages of the book may seem boring to the reader. They describe the places Bateman hangs out at, the brands he consumes and the general state of his mind. The real thrill starts when one night a destitute comes to him for alms and he brutally kills him.
This is a book which will shock you to the core with the casualness with which the violence is described. There are chapters titled "Killing a child at the zoo" and "Murdering two prostitutes".
It is strictly not for the faint of heart because trust me, this will be the most shocking thing you would have read in a long long time.
At the time of the release, the book had faced protests from different feminine groups against what they said was its grotesque portrayal of women. According to Wikipedia, it was supposed to be published by Simon & Schuster who backed out and Vintage bought the rights from them. It is still banned in many European countries.
This is a dark comedy about the much celebrated American way of life, being successful and handsome. Those who read this would not remain the same. This is my guarantee.
As the first lines of the book say: Abandon hope all ye who enter here. Any hope that this would be a pleasing read should be banished. You have to endure it for the first hundred pages but then it becomes the thrill ride of your life as you see with mounting fascination and revulsion the way Bateman deals with his friends and strangers alike.
Very highly recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment