Patrick Bateman is such an interesting character, exaggerating the typical ruthless yuppie businessman. This book was funny, horrifying and almost too real, especially as I read it on the peak hour train into Melbourne city each morning, sitting between business suits- hoping the men in them wouldn’t see what I was reading. And to top it off, you guessed it! He’s a psychopath! American Psycho is a satirical work set in the 90’s but with plenty of relevance in today’s world. Patrick Bateman is a young, handsome, rich yuppie working on Wall Street and described by his colleagues and acquaintances as “the boy next door”.

I am a horror fan so blood and gore don’t bother me but let me just tell you right now, the book is worse (in that it is much more descriptive and your imagination will work against you here.) It’s definitely one of my favourite movies. They’ve probably seen the movie anyway!Īnd speaking of the movie: I assume a lot of people have seen it. This book wouldn’t be picked up quite so regularly by people below that age if it was not banned. Nothing mentally scarring happens for at least the first 100-150 pages, which is probably long after anyone under the age of 18 has lost interest anyway. To be honest, I think this just adds to the allure of the book. Even in the other states it has to be shrink-wrapped and often there are signs telling you to go to the counter to collect it I kid you not. To celebrate Banned Books week I thought I’d post my review of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis which is heavily regulated for a book in Australia! In fact, it is still banned in Queensland (besides Brisbane because they’re special).

American psycho book banned