American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is quite a read. Just from

the name, one could assume that the story is very outlandish,

which it is. The book itself has been banned in many countries and

has been the cause of controversy, mainly for its depiction of

violent crimes.

   The story is about successful Wall Street Investment Banker

Patrick Bateman and his dark descent into becoming... well, a

psycho. Bateman's personality changes for the most part

throughout the story but some parts remain the same. Throughout

the entire book, Batemanis always naming off his designer clothes

and the designer clothes of other people he meetsthroughout the 

book. At one point it is almost too much, but, that is part of what

makes American Psycho such an interesting read.

     Throughout the entire story almost all the characters are

extremely shallow and only care about clothes and money.

Bateman is not a very reliable narrator. Usually either drunk or on

drugs, what he says usually isn't even true or is only in his mind.

Numerous times throughout the story he says many sadistic things

to people but, they react casually, leading thereader to believe that

all the sadistic thoughts that Bateman has said are all in his head.

Also it’snot just Bateman that is confusing. Everyone in the story is

always confusing each other forsomeone else, countless times

throughout the book Bateman is confusing someone for someone

else and other people are confusing him for someone else.

   The details to the violent crimes depicted are almost too much at

some points. They are very descriptive and very dark. Everything is 

described, from the sound to the visuals, to what is going through

Bateman's mind.

     There are funny parts in the story as well, but it's all dark

humor, that is extremely offensive even for dark humor.

   The moral of the story, although very subtle and hard to find, is a

very strong one. The authorsmessage is Basically showing how the

shallowness of everyone causes them to lose sight ofwhat is

important. Everyone that Bateman kills, or a majority at least, is 

very shallow... shallower than Bateman. The only person he never

really can kill is his secretary Jean because she isn'tshallow at all.

In a way, American Psycho is a cry for society to stop being shallow

and to startcaring about things that actually matter. This book is

NOT for people who are easily offended.